This morning I bought a copy of Foreign Policy at the local Borders and read the cover section on the “Axis of Upheaval,” Somalia, Russia, and Mexico. Upon finishing I wanted to go arm myself immediately, buy enough food for at least forty years, and construct a nuclear silo 20,000 leagues beneath the sea. World destruction was imminent.

Then I decided maybe the world’s fate wasn’t so dire, maybe Foreign Policy was just published by over-anxious war hawks. So I picked up a copy of Foreign Affairs and read about Russia’s rapidly destabilizing state and future battles in the Indian Ocean over sea control with burgeoning Indian and Chinese naval fleets. At this point I stopped reading and turned on the television. CNN was showing pictures as a glacier in Antarctica fell into the ocean and some really confused penguins stared on in disbelief. I decided to take a nap. Between economic catastrophe, international destabilization, and climate change there is not much to be optimistic about these days.

America finds itself in a precarious position, surrounded by rising international powers as we negotiate a tricky financial crisis that has laid waste to our economy. But with every crisis comes opportunity and I think that the Obama Administration would do well to utilize this current meltdown to make some fundamental changes. No, I am not advocating for universal health care, nationalization of banks, and certainly not increased redistributive wealth programs. However, if the Obama Administration focused on using this crisis to spur investment for new alternative energy research or to help redesign our infrastructure for a future not consumed by petrol than America could prepare and take an active role in world leadership on combating climate change. It’s no secret America hasn’t been smitten with climate change initiatives over the last two decades, declining to sign the Kyoto Protocol and emitting greenhouse gases at a rate greater than any other country except China. But with American businesses lining up outside the Congressional gates looking for bailout money, the Administration and Congress has a perfect opportunity to help alter practices within large American companies. Normally I’d be completely opposed to any government attempt at regulating big business beyond health and safety code, but in asymmetric economic conditions when failed companies need taxpayer money to continue operations, I have no qualm with requiring stipulations tied to bailout payments. Stipulations that could require companies to devote a certain percentage of the bailout money to alternative energy research before receiving Uncle Sam’s check.

The government is already encouraging private action through GM and Segway’s new P.U.M.A. creation. Part-Segway, part-golf cart, and part-rickshaw, the P.U.M.A. attracted much attention during its recent beta test in New York City. This was obviously an attempt by General Motors to garner some positive PR as many Americans view the car manufacturer’s troubles as a result of clueless management, and thus cringe at the idea of taxpayer money being used to help subsidize GM operations. But, the idea of using this crisis to help encourage new and innovative ideas to reduce carbon emissions is potentially a very important development. Given very high barriers to entry for vehicle manufacturing and energy development, the private market would be unlikely to produce any new innovative ideas without substantial subsidies. A project like the P.U.M.A. or the Chevy Volt would require large government investment to bring to market. Using the bailout money as a means of enticing change in America’s large companies would create an opportunity for new projects that could help prepare our infrastructure for the future.