Building a better nation will always be a work in progress

Is this a great country? Or what!

Ten years ago, Congress impeached the president of the United States. Diehards still say it was about lying under oath. But most of us know it was about lying under the desk. The president's error stemmed from personal weakness, but it was a long way from posing a danger to the nation.

Now, we are in the final year of the most incompetent leadership in memory — perhaps in history. I include not only the administration but also Congress, not excepting the current Democrat-controlled Congress. The Supreme Court is not far behind. As one of my friends might say, I will stipulate that the president is a nice guy. He has apparently overcome personal weaknesses. But his incompetence — together with congressional malfeasance — compromises national values and places the nation in danger.

The Utah Legislature follows the national example. Lawmakers haven't a clue about the wishes and needs of their constituents. They proved it beyond doubt with the soccer stadium fiasco and the school voucher debacle. Utah's economy grows despite the Legislature, not because of it.

The good news is that we will survive these threats as readily as we survived the impeachment threat 10 years ago.

The national economy is humming along — thanks to more borrowing than ever before in history. (We pay almost $300 billion annually for interest on the debt, much of it to foreign governments.) I could live like a millionaire if I borrowed enough money — which too many of us do, by the way.

But the 1990s proved that wise leaders can balance the budget and still maintain a strong economy. Our congressional representatives should think about the people instead of well-heeled benefactors; then we could use part of that $300 billion to improve schools, fix the health-care system, upgrade the infrastructure, and make sure no American is hungry.

There is nothing this nation can't do if we set our minds to it and live up to the values we consider part of our national heritage. I'm encouraged by two recent events.

I watched a hard-nosed talk show host break into tears while interviewing Jon Huntsman Sr. The interviewer was touched by the fact that Huntsman does what he understands to be moral, even when it may be personally painful. Huntsman has given billions to fight cancer; he plans to give more. Huntsman and I don't always agree, but we are still friends. And we do agree that human beings are more important than personal wealth.

As long as we have individuals in our nation such as Huntsman, we'll be OK.