While browsing tonight, I came across these remarkable thoughts:

“I’m not saying he’s naive,” said Jon Alterman, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “But governments don’t do things because they’re in the world’s interests. Governments often don’t even do things because they’re in their people’s interests. Many times, governments do things because it’s in the government’s interest.”

Mr. Alterman was referring to President Obama’s initiatives in Afghanistan, his attempts at resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, his desire to close the Guantanamo Bay prison, and his efforts at getting a global warming bill passed by Congress.

If you substitute the word “corporation” for “government” in Mr. Alterman’s statement, do our present difficulties become more understandable? The military-industrial complex is fiercely resisting a reduction in arms sales to Israel and it goes without saying that corporate polluters have no interest at all in admitting that they are responsible, in large part, for global warming.

And, of course, the insurance companies are digging in their heels, fighting against health care reform.