Even if he's not the guy to do it here in the States, some success in a market like Israel (which is admittedly just about perfect for their model) may very well tip things in the direction of further innovation. I recognize that your reservations are all good solid ones, but I am also pleased to see that there are people making real serious attempts to address the problems in a straightforward way, rather than just waiting and hoping that it all works out.
Re: Better Place is a clever name.