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The latest financial data show that the U.S. economy has exhibited amazing resilience in recent months, despite the fear and uncertainty that some political developments in Washington have spread and that many analysts feared would paralyze the nation’s recovery from the Great Recession.

Now all we have to do is wait. American Trucking Associations made its best argument before the U.S. Supreme Court last week about why the Port of Los Angeles is violating a federal preemption law by trying to regulate motor carriers that serve the port.

Well, at least we’re getting lip service related to fixing the nation’s ailing and neglected infrastructure network. Now, if we can just get some concrete action.

Here’s a double-barreled dose of worrisome news: Trucking wasted some $27 billion in fuel and lost productivity during 2011 due to congestion in the nation’s largest urban areas; fuel prices spiked in the most recent survey by the Department of Energy, 9.5 cents a gallon for diesel and 18.1 cents for gasoline.

It’s nice to hear from the new chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee that he recognizes what dire straits the Highway Trust Fund is in and that he’s open to all suggestions as to how to fix it.

Concerns about the “fiscal cliff” seem to be spreading into lots of unexpected places, including the heart of the trucking industry.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has taken a good step in its drive to control “reincarnated carriers,” troubled companies that essentially seek to shed their safety and compliance woes by repainting the company name on their vehicles.

The people have spoken. And the answer to the question, “Who will lead us in Washington?” is — depending on your point of view — “all of the above” or “none of the above.”

The “fiscal cliff” lurks as a major potential danger, and not far down the road. The danger is to us all, in the form of higher taxes, spending cuts in vital areas and what a failure to act might mean to the country’s psyche.