Reinventing the Wheel

YOU HEAR IT OFTEN, from american conservatives, concerning the social structure of europe compared to america, and the relationship of the government to the people. "The last thing we want to do is follow in the footsteps of european countries. We do not want to be like europe."

You hope that these sorts of comments do not issue forth from upper middle class caucasian american conservatives vacationing in france, or italy. you would rather they sip their wine, look out over the mediterranean, and contribute nothing further to the continental perception of american rudeness.

And well, come, to think of it, maybe the united states, deep down, would secretly like to be a bit more like europe, with a lower crime rate, longer life span, higher per capita income, higher level of education.The americans are not as wealthy, happy, or healthy as the europeans. The americans struggle to cling to top twenty status in all the above.

The most successful and prosperous country in europe is....what...denmark? Germany?  The tax rate in denmark is seventy percent, doctors and custodians live side by side, and those who attend college are paid to do so.

In germany, the economy is strong and growing, the health system, single payer socialistic, works, and works well. Doctors there are public servants, not profit seeking corporations.

The german education system permits students who so desire to emphasize high tech and scientific training as preparation for the likely future nature of the job market. Throughout europe, of course, there is no mad scramble to find ways to lead millions of people by the hand through higher education. Higher education is for people who want it, and need it, not for those who have merely failed to create better options.

The europeans have not abandoned their railway system, and they are planning for a future of green energy. Is there anything wrong or unhealthy about the european way of doing things, other than the fact that they do them cooperatively?

we'd be better off in the united states if we learned to cooperate, more like the europeans, since the U.S. is a european country, culturally. No need to reinvent the wheel. Competition has benefits too, but  lord knows we already know about them.