At today’s press conference President Bush gave an absolutely great answer to this question:

Mr. President, understanding what you say about energy supplies being tight and the debate over energy, which has gone on for years and will continue long through the campaign and into the next administration — one thing nobody debates is that if Americans use less energy the current supply/demand equation would improve. Why have you not sort of called on Americans to drive less and to turn down the thermostat?

Sorry about that, just had a Jimmy Carter flashback. Here’s how the president answered:

They’re smart enough to figure out whether they’re going to drive less or not. I mean, you know, it’s interesting what the price of gasoline has done, is it caused people to drive less. That’s why they want smaller cars, they want to conserve. But the consumer is plenty bright, Mark. The marketplace works.

That’s a really good answer, but it gets even better. The follow up question:

But you don’t see the need to ask — you don’t see the value of your calling for a campaign –

I wish we had been hearing a lot more answers like this one.

I think people ought to conserve and be wise about how they use gasoline and energy. Absolutely. And there’s some easy steps people can take. You know, if they’re not in their home, they don’t keep their air-conditioning running. There’s a lot of things people can do.

But my point to you, Mark, is that, you know, it’s a little presumptuous on my part to dictate to consumers how they live their lives. The American people are plenty capable and plenty smart people and they’ll make adjustments to their own pocketbooks. That’s why I was so much in favor of letting them keep more of their own money. It’s a philosophical difference: Should the government spend their money, or should they spend their own money? And I’ve got faith in the American people.

Not only is it a really, really good answer to the question at hand, but it is also a lesson in clearest difference between conservatives and the left. The liberal answer is for the government to act; Mandate, legislate, impose, and control. On the other hand, the conservative answer that should be expressed (and too seldom is) is that the people of this country are smart enough and informed enough to direct their own lives.

Beyond the trust that the people deserve is the idea that our economic system works, and it works best when government interferes the least.

Wouldn’t it be great to hear more answers like this?