It's time

To all those who have been saying that congestion pricing on freeways is "an idea whose time has come", it is here.  Specifically, the LA Times reported that it is at last coming to some of LA's freeways.  Here is that story.

There is a cliche that markets are regarded most seriously in the U.S.  That is not necessarily so.  Here is Bjorn Harsman and John Quigley's summary of how congestion pricing came to Sweden, including an analysis of the politics involved.  While they do have politics everywhere,  it appears that the Swedes are a bit more "hip" than the Americans when it comes to being imaginative in their public policy.


UPDATE

This reason.tv video vividly shows that capitalism, where it exists in the U.S., is under threat from shameless crony capitalism.

UPDATE2

Here is good capitalism.  H/T Dan Klein