The Nordic countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Finland) have long served as models for worldly progressives everywhere. They're indisputably some the most left-leaning of the developed, Western democracies, combining a 'generous' welfare system with a prospering market economy, civil liberties, low levels of corruption and high levels of democratic participation. But they're not just foreign countries, they're European - and thus inadmissible as evidence in an American "court" of Politics.
Add to that, the media everywhere prefers to report bad news to good news. So US media is not only unlikely to report positively about Europe, but in the rare case that it does, it will carry some 'disclaimer' in the name of 'balance' on why it's not really relevant as a political example to the US. (Things like: "Yet, Americans would balk at the idea of waiting-lists for health care") Our Overton window covers all ideas we believe are worth considering, so if it's outside, it must be unworthy in some way. Just go with whatever reason comes to mind and don't think about it too hard, or you might become some deviant radical!
So it's not likely the US media will report much on the Nordic countries economy at the moment. See, while our economy and much of Europe's economy is in turmoil, they're doing great. Booming. In total contradiction of ingrained American political preconceptions about how things are supposed to work. (and in a great vindication of left-wing policies) So let me explain what's up - with none of the excuses, or bending of the facts to fit American political dogma. What's going on up North, as they see it.
