Europe's economy OK, thanks

Paul Krugman has a nice column today about how the European economy, which the right loves to use as a cautionary tale to argue against security for the masses, is actually doing OK.

It turns out that you don't have to have a society where middle class families are on the verge of catastrophe in order to get them to work and pay taxes.

Imagine going to bed at night knowing that if your child becomes ill she'll be cared for — not because you have Romney's millions, but because you live in America, a place where people work hard and take care of one another.

Go on. Imagine.

Propaganda vs. whole systems thinking

Ivan Miller is one of the seven authors of single-payer proposals that were submitted to the Colorado 208 Commission — the Blue Ribbon Commission for Health Care Reform. His proposal was based on an idea that he explains in his book, Balanced Choice.

He notes that initial polling often shows an 60-70 percent of the public supporting progressive measures — like single-payer healthcare, a bottle bill, or other environmental and social justice proposals for the public good. Then there’s a massive campaign against it, beginning with focus groups figuring out just what works to make people question their best instincts. The proposals typically are defeated by 15 – 20 percent or more.

It's enough to make you wish TV had never been invented. The internet may already be changing things, but not for the majority of Americans who watch substantially more television than our counterparts in other Western democracies.

In his interview on Oprah, Michael Moore talked about how we Americans are different than citizens of other democracies, that we're more about "me" than "we." It may be that we have more distrust of government and more of an individualist ethic than the Brits — but it's hard to believe that we're more individualistic than the Australians — and they have universal healthcare.

The difference may be rather that our laws are screwed up. Moore also pointed out that it's illegal for corporations not to maximize their profits. Which should be illegal — after all, we don't force individuals to maximize their profits at the expense of doing the right thing.

One of the pundits on PBS tonight explained that in regard to the current dust-up on Bush's initiative on global warming, part of the problem is that Americans just want to fix the problem, while Europeans are big on process. (It could also be that it's arrogant for Bush to swagger in and demand that the rest of the leaders line up to learn his particular dance when he's been out to lunch for years while they've been working on their steps together.)

That problem — going after particular symptoms rather than fixing a bad system — is also part of the problem in the United States regarding healthcare. George Dunn, a Methodist minister on the board of Health Care for All Colorado, points out that Americans hate systems thinking — which is another way of saying process. So we end up with piecemeal solutions.

Crappy piecemeal solutions.

Bicyclettes à Paris

Great places don't happen by accident. Paris has had zoning for 600 years. They've got a fabulous metro system. And this year they're putting in 20,000+ bikes at 1,450 stations.

Evidently Lyon has been doing this for a couple years, and it works great. Makes a lot more sense than what my hearttown of Portland, Oregon, tried to do with bikes — just putting out hundreds of yellow ones that kids wrecked and homeless folks commandeered and a few weeks later, voila! No more bikes! Now consider France:

"It has completely transformed the landscape of Lyon -- everywhere you see people on the bikes," said Jean-Louis Touraine, the city's deputy mayor....

The Socialist mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delano, has the same aim, said his aide, Jean-Luc Dumesnil: "We think it could change Paris's image -- make it quieter, less polluted, with a nicer atmosphere, a better way of life."

But there is a practical side, too, Dumesnil said. A recent study analyzed different trips in the city "with a car, bike, taxi and walking, and the bikes were always the fastest."

The Lyon rental bikes, with their distinctive silver frame, red rear-wheel guard, handlebar basket and bell, can also be among the cheapest ways to travel, because the first half-hour is free, and most trips are shorter than that.

"It's faster than the bus or metro, it's good exercise, and it's almost free," said Vianney Paquet, 19, who is studying law in Lyon. Paquet said that he uses the rental bikes four or five times a day and pays 10 euros (about $13) a year, half for an annual membership fee and half for rental credit that he never actually spends because his rides typically last just a few minutes.

Hold the presses. Damn. This turns out to be a no go.

Did you see that? Paris' mayor is a socialist? Forget about it then.