Paper towels in Paris?

A fascinating new poll uncovers a bellwether for larger issues. Rasmussen asked registered voters if they agree with the statement that “over the years, the United States has shown arrogance, been dismissive, and even derisive” toward our ally, Europe. While they didn’t say over which years, we would guess they mean those in which George W. Bush was president. Only 37 percent agreed with that assertion, while 47 percent disagreed and 16 percent weren’t sure.

Much more surprising to me was the reaction to the next question: would it “be better for the world if Europe became more like the United States?” With no more specificity on in what ways Europe might emulate us, a whopping 54 percent thought it would. These folks presumably want Europeans to work a minimum 50 weeks per year, drive cars instead of walking places, and buy palettes of paper towels and weed and seed at Costco while munching burgers and fries from a plastic bag. And take lots of overpriced drugs for heart disease and diabetes.

Only 22 percent agreed “things would be better [if] the United States would become more like Europe.” After all, who wants to buy fresh food in quantities you plan to consume in one day from small, nearby grocers, have health care provided whether you work for a big company or not, and speak a second language? I mean, yuck.

Not surprisingly, answers varied based on party affiliation.

On all questions, there are strong and substantial partisan divides. Democrats, by a two-to-one margin, say that the U.S. has been arrogant and dismissive of Europe. Republicans, by a three-to-one margin, disagree. So do most voters not affiliated with either major party. However, while 51% of unaffiliated reject the notion that the United States has been arrogant, 32% say it’s true…

By an 8-to-1 margin, Republicans say it would be better for Europe to become more like the United States. Democrats agree, but by a much more modest 45% to 29% margin. As for those not affiliated with either major party, 46% say Europe should be more like the United States while 27% hold the opposite view.

Just as lots of polls showed a small, hardcore base of support for Bush no matter how much he screwed up, this survey reflects an underlying current that probably won’t ever change. If you’re a Democrat, you likely think there are good things we can learn from others. If you’re a Republican, you think you’ve got the “how to live” market covered, and information should only flow one way — from you to the less enlightened. Luckily for the rest of us, you can only speak English.

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