Don’t go to Scandinavia (Sweden, Denmark, and Norway) unless you want to be shocked by how advanced and better off they are than us, especially now. We just returned from a trip there. While I know there are big differences between our countries, and that they also have challenges too, we could still learn so much from them. Stockholm — no trash or dog poop anywhere to be seen. A person on our tour got sick and two hours later a doctor came to our hotel and wrote her an antibiotic prescription so she could rejoin the tour a couple days later.

The 2024 Global State of Democracy rankings based on five principles — those 3 countries were in the top 10, US was #46. For two weeks on main and back roads, not one pot hole (really). They don’t allow advertising for prescription drugs on TV, and ban advertising to children under 12 or marketing unhealthy food to children under 18. The waitresses and waiters we spoke to make a livable wage without tips. They offer free college up to the PhD level, universal health care with very low medical care and drug costs, 480 days paid parental leave in Sweden, and very low cost subsidized day care.

There were equipped play areas for children in Norway airports. Copenhagen is very close to being carbon neutral. Only 1% of Sweden’s trash is sent to landfills, 52% is converted into energy, and the remaining 47% gets recycled. Yes, their taxes are high, but if we in the U.S. add up all our taxes, plus the high cost of college, day care, medical care, and drugs — it is about the same amount. And more importantly, they are much more committed to democratic principles.

Jim Reis

Northampton