I'm struck by how the responses go to this post and specifically to my worm's-eye missive.

It occurs to me that it is the American character and practice to reject the hard-won truths of others and to press on with the Status quo, or unpromising novel innovation, typically a halfhearted compromise, as expression of national exceptionalism.

"Americans can always be counted on to do the right thing...after they have exhausted all other possibilities."
-- Winston Churchill

Europe has shown how to set up effective multimodal transportation and hybrid energy systems. Just as they have shown how to set up various versions of an effective healthcare system. But being exceptional Americans, we will have to experience near total breakdown, and huge amounts of societal suffering, before we get serious enough about it to swallow our pride and learn from anyone else.

Of course it doesn't help that there are a lot of people invested in, and quite happy with the profits, they harvest from the present situation. For them the brokenness of the system is a feature and opportunity for further profits for them. Frustration and desperation are excuses for charging more.