Working Against Our Own Best Interest

An ongoing exploration of how America is working against its own best interest.

 

Part 1

Does it not strike you as strange that most of the big problems in America today are of our own making. Too many times we act as a nation or as a people in ways that are not in our own best interest. We Suboptimize* the public good  by optimizing our personal, professional, or corporate gain.

Exactly what are our guiding principles, our goals and our core values. Lets start with something basic.

 

• Does anyone know what our immigration policy is?
  
• Do we have an industrial policy? Are there any industries that we would declare off limits?
  
• What is our energy policy? Surely it cant be to obtain only 20% more fuel efficiency in 10 years. Is corn based ethanol in our own best interest or in the best interest of big farm conglomerates.
  
• What is our health care policy? Wait I think I know this one. Let the markets decide.
  
• What is our tax policy? As the highest tax rates compress the calls for tax cuts increases. Even as the distribution of wealth flows ever up floating no boats.
  
• What is our Trade Policy? Exactly who will we trade with? And is free trade really free if some of us are cheating?

As you can see this is just the tip of the iceberg. The answer to these questions is that no one knows. There is no coherent policy for any of these major issues of the day. That is unless you answer there is no policy, in the absence of which we act against our own best interests as nation.

*Suboptimize

The act of committing energy and resources to maximize a portion of a process or system that undermines the effectiveness of the overall process or system. http://www.electronictrainingsolutions.com/glossary/suboptimize.htm