[oregontim]

Thanks Goose. Useful additions here, and I did ask ;)

My sense of Canada and Australia is that both have cultures roughly similar to our own regarding independence and anti-authoritarianism (that's not my expertise, so correct me if I'm wrong).

I am pretty sure you are wrong. I spend lots of time in Australia, and I have worked with the Canadian Forces in the past. Certainly in Australia there is a sense of obligation to society and to your fellow Australian that simply does not exist in the USA. ...
From my experience in Canada, it is somewhat similar. ... the sense of "Don't tread on me" isn't really there. There are lots of historical reasons for this, but Canadians basically complain about things a lot and then do as they are told.
However, IMHO that turns out not to be the real issue anyway.

...The vast majority of the problem is IMHO people who just don't get it or that get it and just don't care.
If all the trouble was clustered in "Red States", I would agree it might be political. But that is not the case. We have lots of trouble right here in California...

Yes, better leadership might help this problem a bit, but I think only a bit. Many of the people not following the SIP guidelines would tell you how socially responsible they are one minute and then turn around and do the opposite. Maybe when these people are scared enough that will affect their behavior. Until then, it won't. These people may eventually get with the program, but by then it may be very late in the game.

[oregontim]

Thanks Goose. Useful additions here, and I did ask ;)

My sense of Canada and Australia is that both have cultures roughly similar to our own regarding independence and anti-authoritarianism (that's not my expertise, so correct me if I'm wrong).

I am pretty sure you are wrong. I spend lots of time in Australia, and I have worked with the Canadian Forces in the past. Certainly in Australia there is a sense of obligation to society and to your fellow Australian that simply does not exist in the USA. ...
From my experience in Canada, it is somewhat similar. ... the sense of "Don't tread on me" isn't really there. There are lots of historical reasons for this, but Canadians basically complain about things a lot and then do as they are told.
However, IMHO that turns out not to be the real issue anyway.

...The vast majority of the problem is IMHO people who just don't get it or that get it and just don't care.
If all the trouble was clustered in "Red States", I would agree it might be political. But that is not the case. We have lots of trouble right here in California...

Yes, better leadership might help this problem a bit, but I think only a bit. Many of the people not following the SIP guidelines would tell you how socially responsible they are one minute and then turn around and do the opposite. Maybe when these people are scared enough that will affect their behavior. Until then, it won't. These people may eventually get with the program, but by then it may be very late in the game.