Two words Kerry should be mentioning more and more in stump speeches: conservation and prevention. Conservation relating energy, prevention relating to health. These two things are basically free and should be actively promoted by our top leaders. Of course, we can’t expect Bush to since such words work against the interests of big business. The last thing energy companies want us to do is conserve, and the last thing health care companies want us to do is to take care of our bodies, or to prevent the onset of disease.

We know where this administration stands on energy conservation (as a reminder, Cheney said a few things on this subject). The fact is the technology already exists to save massive amounts of energy consumption, it’s simply not being strongly encouraged or forced to be used. As an example, auto manufacturers have the know-how today to lower MPG needs without causing drivers to sacrifice much, if anything at all. Such conserving, if promoted enough to get the nation acting in a unified manner, could help save billions of dollars in needless energy-related cost outlays.

As for health prevention, Kerry should promote the benefits that come from exercise, dieting, vitamin & mineral supplements, etc., not just in terms of the personal health benefits, but also the benefits that flow to our health insurance system. We could save billions of dollars by making sure that people remain healthy, versus allowing them to gradually become sick and then overload the already overburdened healthcare system in this country. Much of the problem has to do with ignorance. If one were to do their homework, they’d learn that just with vitamins and minerals alone that their lives could be improved tremendously and in fact the government should subsidize the purchasing of vitamins & minerals the same way it already subsidizes the purchasing of prescription drugs. Of course, the big pharma firms have nothing to gain from patent-free vitamins and minerals and they also stand to gain nothing from a population that becomes increasingly healthy.

It’s just common sense, free from special interests – and that’s the problem!