I can do that.
Lowering the speed limit was originated as an idea to save gasoline because of the Energy Crisis.
It sort of started in 1973 with the Gas Crisis where gasoline took a massive jump and continued on into 1979 where it spilled over into other energy sources.
So, the speed limit on interstates was like 70 MPH and got cut to 55.
Took forever to get anywhere.
I remember the gov't running TV ads showing how driving 55 only took a "few more minutes" to get where you were going.
Cars got smaller to increase fuel economy.
Families couldn't afford them anyway due to high interest rates.
They were junk anyway, wouldn't run right and wore out easily.
I remember not just the speed limit, but sitting in school bundled up and freezing cause they set the heat to 60 deg. F, eating a cold sandwich at lunch because serving a hot meal was wasteful energy useage.
They went in and pulled out every other light bulb so it was always dark in class.
And all the time, you are getting news like the next ice age is starting or in 10 years there will be no oil.
I remember eating gov't cheese, wasn't too bad.
We traded eggs that our chickens laid to some neighbors.
Gov't trying to "solve a problem" made it worse and worse.
And all the time finding excuses why their solution would not work, playing the blame game.
I think the only thing that wasn't in play was racial tensions were not the way they are now.
The 60's kind of took care of that for a while.
That's a pretty good summary. But just to add to that, I remember one of the primary instigators for the 55MPH speed limit was insurance companies. They lobbied pretty hard for it.
I remember the late 70s as a horrible time in America. Everyone around me was cynical about America, government, and our future. After hearing the news of the failed attempt to rescue the hostages, I remember thinking that we were incompetent and weak. That, to me was the bottom. Everything was bad. Interest rates made everything unaffordable. Then along came Ronald Reagan and he was able to give people confidence about the future.