Moon Landing

Today is the fortieth anniversary of the first moon landing, which occurred just shy of two weeks after my first son’s birth in 1969. I believe there is a lesson in that moon landing for us today.

When John Kennedy was President, he challenged the country to land a man on the moon by the end of the decade. And we did it! Today there are many pressing problems that require a concerted effort on the part of this country.

Government must lead the way, but there must be commitment on the part of the people. What are some of these pressing problems?

-Energy independence, which will take massive investments and the commitment on the part of everybody to accept some solutions that they may not like. Some don’t like nuclear power plants, but I think nuclear will have to be an important element. Some prefer large vehicles, but they will have to do with smaller ones.

-Energy reliability, meaning our electrical grid must be updated so it can handle peak demands.

-Rebuild infrastructure, which will put people back to work and bring this country into the 21st century.

-Health care, which will require compromises and probably a significant change in the way we deliver health care.

If we don’t have the will to tackle these challenges, then we will become a third rate country.