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Worse.Roads: Worse.More pot-holes, less investment since 1960s in new interstates, crumbling bridges). Most foreigners are astonished that a country that relies on roads so much has so poor quality.Cell-service. Comparable / WorseHistorically was much worse (big gaps in coverage, slower adoption of digital, slower adoption of 3G) but is accelerating with far faster adoption of LTE.However, it is very much more expensive (the most expensive in the world) for average speeds and with far lower adoption (#95 in the world).Trains. Worse.Only a few areas have decent public transport, minimal high-speed service.Electrical grid. Worse.USA is almost the only developed country to have had major blackouts (thanks Enron). According to WEF the USA ranks #30 in the world.Environmental health. Comparable to other industrialized countries. Clean drinking water, sewage etc are almost universal.Broadband. Worse. Slower, more expensive, lower penetration.USA is slow - ranked #17 in the world for speed: State of the Internet: U.S. Connection Speeds Rank 17th in World | XconomyIt is the most expensive: This is how Internet speed and price in the U.S. compares to the rest of the worldIncluding both, it ranks #43:The U.S. ranked 43rd of the 90 countries surveyed in Point Topic’s market research and analysis, ranking just behind Colombia and one place ahead of Greece.Report: Average U.S. Broadband Prices Are Below World Average of $76.61CorroborationThe American Society of Civil Engineer's publishes a report card on US Infrastructure (Aviation, bridges, dams, through roads to transit nad wastewater) every year.ASCE | 2013 Report Card for America's InfrastructureThe grade for 2013 was D+.Business Insider article: businessinsider.com10 Signs That US Infrastructure Is A DisasterMany of these reflect geography (particularly the scale of suburbs and exurbs - it is harder to build trains or broadband across big, low population density areas).But it priomarily reflects spending choices (crumbling roads, public transport within cities)Update:In the this PHOTIIS ranking, the USA is ranked as #23 for quality of infrastructure (below Spain & Oman)Quality of overall infrastructureIn Statista, it is #11 below Spain & UKGlobal country ranking by quality of infrastructure 2015 | StatisticsThr World Economic Forum publishes a ranking - the USA ranks #19 overallUnited States: Infrastructure................................. score (rank)Quality of overall infrastructure ............................... 5.7 (19)Quality of roads ......................................................... 5.7 (18)Quality of railroad infrastructure ............................. 4.9 (17)Quality of port infrastructure .................................... 5.7 (16)Quality of air transport infrastructure...................... 5.9 (18)Available airline seat km/week, millions* ... 32,852.2 (1)Quality of electricity supply ....................................... 6.2 (30)Mobile telephone subscriptions/100 pop.* ........ 98.2 (95)Fixed telephone lines/100 pop.* .......................... 44.0 (18)The US leads in airline seats availability, but in all other areas of infrastructure does not make the top decile among 140 nations.For comparison Germany does make the top decile for most of these criteria.Infrastructure and international competitiveness: US infrastructure ranked 19 globallyThat is actually generous - the overall rank is pulled up by theAvailable airline seat km/week, millions*Whivch is an absolute number, not quality or relsative - so basically says USA is a big country with lots of people -- it is hardly a metric of qualityIf you exclude that, the USA is about #18

I have seen at least three futures strategy reports from branded market research firms that deem 100% AFI returns 'low risk' on LEO infrastructure investments by 2030. These reports were dated between 2007 and 2013 and mostly cited the lack of any major aerospace h/w initiatives in the last 30 years, pressures from population growth, water-scarcity and the shrinking globe. Apparently they expect states to pay premium for privately operated/maintained infrastructure driven by the need to score political points.Capitalists doing what capitalists do. They are investing. There's nothing altruistic or visionary about this. They expect magnified returns. They also get to score branding/marketing points with the glassy eyes that look to stars and the cult of science for salvation.This is equivalent to Carnegie of the railroad fame donating 10M+ for the Hooker telescope or the Carnegie Hall etc. For all the innovation and forward-thinking, the trends in the 21st century are remarkably the same as those seen in the 1870s-1900s.

It could be worth consulting a financial advisor if you know nothing about the stock market. Ask what fees will be charged. Ask if you can invest on-line and what commission will be charged. Read, read, read. If you like a company, ask the advisor if the firm supplies research reports.For your first investments, I would stick with the Dividend Achievers list of companies…those that have raised their dividends for over 25 years. There are 57 of these companies. Pick a wide-moat company…one whose product or services will be needed recession or not….such as electric utilities (NEE, NEP, FE, SO, DUK or D), water (WTR), railroads (CSX and KSU, pipelines (KMI, ENB.