Understanding true self interest

It appears the turmoil surrounding the adoption of President Obama's health insurance reform bill is starting to die down.

Supporters are hailing the bill as landmark legislation which will provide health care coverage to those who need it and rein in escalating health care costs that are becoming a bigger and bigger drain on our nation's economy.

Critics lambast the bill as government intrusion into the lives of citizens and claim it won't do what it says it will do. They've begun targeting congressmen who voted for it, hoping to be able to turn Congress over to the Republican party which will be able to counter the Democrat president's initiatives.

Our country needs initiatives.

The next big problem for the president to address, the pundits have said, is the war in Afghanistan which is draining troops's lives and the nation's will power and bank account.

And the president has taken action. He flew to Afghanistan, visited troops and told Afghan President Karzai to get his administration's act together. Corruption and incompetence has been standing in the way of the people of the country supporting their US backed government, and without the support of the citizens, the Afghan government will fail, and so will the US/NATO effort.

Other issues need initiative.

One is the economy and employment.

Another issue that caught my eye recently is energy. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter started energy programs that made the nation the world's leader in clean energy.

President Ronald Reagan, however, reined in government spending, reducing investment in research and starting a decline that lasts to this day.

In the meantime, China picked up the fumbled ball and is now making rapid advances in science and technology. For instance, all those windmills rising up in eastern Washington and Oregon use parts imported from China.

Recently, U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Susan Collins (R-ME) have offered proposals for clean energy legislation. Called the Cantwell-Collins Carbon Limits and Energy for America's Renewal (CLEAR) Act, their bill offers what they say are "simple and effective alternatives to cap-and-trade ideas, including support for clean energy development, a mechanism for creating jobs and returning revenue to the American people, and a simple and transparent mechanism for limiting carbon emissions."

I'll admit I don't know all the details and pitfalls, but it's good to see a bipartisan approach to the issue.

Unfortunately, efforts like these can get sandbagged by people interested in seeing other people fail. It will be hard to make real progress until everyone realizes it's in their best self interest and we can't keep passing these issues on to future generations.