AHC: Turn US into a Third-World Country

Of course, that's really only in the cities. Get outside of them, and into the Mississipi delta for example, and there's pretty much nothing in terms of beds available.

IOW it is pretty much like everywhere else in that regard. Hospitals tend to be most prevelant in cities and large towns everywhere in the world. Hospitals are expensive so they are the most prevelent where they are most used which would be cities where you have the big populations to fill up the beds. Also not all hospital beds are alike. A hospital in Miss has access to modern medical equipment and drugs while a hospital in Kenya will be substandard.
 
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whitecrow

Banned
It is somewhat possible in the event of a huge civil war, not a war between the states but between two idealogical groups with broad based support. Such a war would be tremendously destructive and tear apart the fabric of US society.

However I have no idea how it would start and as others have said the US is in such a good zone climatically etc it would soon bounce back.
I actually came up some time ago with a scenario similar to what you described:

In 1930s the Business Plot gets off the ground and F.D.R. is deposited in a fascist takeover. However, not all states accept the new government as legitimate and a civil war (possibly with more than 2 sides) erupts. The U.S. army at the time is small and unable to deal with the insurrection before it gets out of hand and the war drags on for years leading to degradation of much of U.S. industry thanks to sabotage, direct military attacks, mismanagement and general chaos. The fascist federal government sells raw resources to their allies, Nazi Germany, who provide war equipment, military advisors and maybe even volunteer troops like in OTL Spanish Civil War. The other belligerents in the war receive help from nations most sympathetic to their cause. Sooner or later, one side would emerge victorious and inherit a broken down, tiered and war-torn U.S. of A.

If U.S. is lucky then, it can rebuild and look something like China today by the end of the century (a lot of raw resources and potential but still playing catch-up with the rest of the world in a lot of areas). If U.S. is not lucky it will be ruled by a series of kleptocrats and tin-pot dictators and by 21st century is a genuine 3rd world country.
 
In terms of making the US less and less European in population terms, an earlier end to pro-European immigration law then the spring of 1965 would be helpful, plus higher overall levels kicking in earlier than in OTL, (hitting 1 million legal by the early 1990's in OTL). In other words, make the US look more like the California of today. This in and of itself wouldn't make the US a third world country, but de-Europeanification of the US might make for some intriguing societal developments.
 
In terms of making the US less and less European in population terms, an earlier end to pro-European immigration law then the spring of 1965 would be helpful, plus higher overall levels kicking in earlier than in OTL, (hitting 1 million legal by the early 1990's in OTL). In other words, make the US look more like the California of today. This in and of itself wouldn't make the US a third world country, but de-Europeanification of the US might make for some intriguing societal developments.

Last time I check, despite being in a bit of a mess, CA is far from Third World!
 
Parts of the US are already Third World. I mean have you ever been to Cairo. The one in Illinois that is

Yes, and it isn't Third World. People here seem to underestimate HOW BAD the Third World really is. Cairo, IL has clean water and adequate plumbing, the great majority of its population drives cars, almost all have TV sets and computers with Internet connections, they have hospitals and clinics that are FAR in advance of your typical Third World country. It is far from the best city in the US but it beats the hell out of the vast majority of the Third World.
 
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