Brokaw to Gore: Shouldn’t you be using less energy?
posted at 3:13 pm on July 21, 2008 by Allahpundit
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Deceiver wonders why the rhetoric of “Do I contradict myself? Very well, then, I contradict myself” slips so easily from the lips of celebrity eco-hypocrites. The Goracle’s defense here is that he’s doing his fair share, but if the problem’s as screamingly urgent as he claims, why not do everything he can? This is the old argument about taxes in another guise: If the left thinks tax rates are irresponsibly low, they can always voluntarily pay more than they owe to help solve the problem. If Gore thinks we’re on the precipice of global catastrophe, you’d think he’d be willing to sell the big house, buy something more modest, and plow the difference into credits to offset as much carbon use by other people as possible. If this is a genuine climate emergency, in other words, why is the goal of environmentalists to be carbon neutral instead of carbon negative? This is no idle gotcha, either. Greens (or rather fringe greens, but only for the moment) who want to float ideas like taxing reproduction to reduce the carbon load are going to have to explain why Joe Public should forego having another kid before Al Gore foregoes having his mansion.
Update: A follow-up point from Mike Warren — what’s the average middle-class family supposed to do with Gore’s?
I am more bothered by the fact that we are supposed to absolve Al Gore of his environmental sins because he has all this expensive technology that offsets all of the crap he’s putting into the air.
Where does that leave us normal Americans who can’t afford to “retrofit” our homes to be environmentally holy with “geothermal systems” and solar panels on our roofs? The point is that given the option between being environmentally conscious and having modern conveniences, we all have a tipping point toward the latter.
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Do as I say… Not as I do….
CynicalOptimist on July 21, 2008 at 7:38 PM
Sounds like somebody hasn’t been listening to Uncle Al.
Jim Treacher on July 21, 2008 at 7:40 PM
No, no you aren’t…doesn’t matter though, cuz it’s not a walk worth walking anyway.
You got THAT shit right.
surrounded on July 21, 2008 at 7:52 PM
Elmer Gantry Gore says domestic oil drilling causes hurricanes.
petefrt on July 21, 2008 at 7:54 PM
That funny.
Hey Al, what “green fuel” powers that private jet that flies you all over the world and that convoy of SUV’s that hauls you from place to place? Do you have a bunch of little solar panels and wind turbines covering them as well?
Planet Boulder on July 21, 2008 at 7:55 PM
Hee hee
Except it’s /snack
inviolet on July 21, 2008 at 8:32 PM
Dang, that Al Gore is really smart.
joeyb1955 on July 21, 2008 at 9:13 PM
Shoot the messenger, talk the talk – He’s a walking cliche.
But he can afford to install all that green equipment because he only gives $300 to charity.
whitetop on July 21, 2008 at 9:16 PM
I can’t really agree with that. Not when he sets up conferences and tells people to ride a bike or take public transportation and he brings two limos and an SUV. That’s relevant to me.
Glynn on July 21, 2008 at 9:26 PM
This fat ass POS Liberal jet setter elitist trash can needs to have a couple thousand law suits filed against his rotten self for the scam he has perpetrated on the people of America, as well as of the world. People from every country should teach the future Al Gore’s a lesson by making this worthless scumbag the example.
Keemo on July 21, 2008 at 9:34 PM
You are right that it is relevant to his character–to the extent his solutions are based on a grass roots abstinence from fossil fuels.
Where he is pushing for innovations in the way we harvest alternative energy and upgrade the national grid one could justify his limos and private jets as necessary to achieve scale and speed change.
dedalus on July 21, 2008 at 10:14 PM
I read an article on Ed Begley, Jr. recently. He absolutely lives and breathes his beliefs about the environment. He refuses to take planes and rides his bicycle just about everywhere, yet he manages to maintain a career as an actor and speaker. Here’s my bottom line, why several limos and an SUV. Why not a hybrid? Or is it really all about the haves versus the have nots? In my opinion, he absolutely has to take his knocks on this when he sets himself up as a hallmark for value system. But that’s just me.
Glynn on July 21, 2008 at 10:24 PM
I’m no fan of Al Gore and I think he should take his knocks. I’m less interested in global warming as an issue than I am with reducing our dependence on a resource that hostile nations control, and sending $700B a year in cash out of the U.S. into their economies.
If someone wants to fly around helping to speed our transition to wind, solar and a smart grid I’m OK with that. I’m also in favor of nuclear, nat gas, liquified coal and domestic drilling which Gore is probably against.
I guess the question is to what extent is conservation and renewable energy a personal virtue and to what extent is it smart policy.
dedalus on July 21, 2008 at 10:43 PM
Classic.
By the way, since solar is such a fabulous alternative, can you explain to us why it is that gas costs twice as much than here (at $4.00 a gallon no less) in places like Germany where solar and other “green” energy alternatives are very much a part of the landscape?
If we do as they do can we too expect to pay $8.00 a gallon?
Buy Danish on July 21, 2008 at 10:50 PM
Indeed it is.
baldilocks on July 21, 2008 at 10:53 PM
I totally agree, especially the part about dependence on resources from hostile nations. As to your last statement, I believe pushing renewable energy is a smart policy. I am all for it. Question, how do you feel about the wind turbine project in Texas? I remember driving through California, Highway 70, and seeing miles and miles of turbines. I read later that the wind turbines in California generated enough power to light the city of San Francisco. It may not seem like a lot, but to me, it’s a step in the right direction.
Glynn on July 21, 2008 at 11:00 PM
It isn’t your message Al, its the deception and F R A U D! For your and your friends personal gain.
Hey Al, how many tens of millions have you profited far???? ummmm?
allrsn on July 21, 2008 at 11:05 PM
Socialism cost.
Johan Klaus on July 22, 2008 at 12:29 AM
Commie.
Black Adam on July 22, 2008 at 2:19 AM
hey, gore, here is a little something to think about..yeah when you go onto a stage with a podium and mike..you might want to think about the fact that what you may preach, you should also follow…eh?
diaphanous on July 22, 2008 at 2:46 AM
Yet the world is going to die because you say so…. can we really take that chance?
Beside, follow the money and carbon credits and you’ll find GORE
Kini on July 22, 2008 at 3:04 AM
Pig, capitalist and/or communist, depending on the flavah of the day.
Shy Guy on July 22, 2008 at 3:45 AM
I HATE that more people don’t call him out on that. I guess flying private jets is more dignified than merely taking a flight in first class no matter how environmentally damaging it may be.
MannyT-vA on July 22, 2008 at 7:21 AM
We could run 3 cities with the hot air that this fat bloated wind bag expels. Unreal.
americaslaststand on July 22, 2008 at 12:59 PM
When the Goreacle goes back to school and gets some kind of a science degree I might at least give some of his fantasies a short thought (very short). Current science is quickly showing up man caused global warming as a pipedream. However, that doesn’t cause the believers to change their minds (it is a new religion).
duff65 on July 22, 2008 at 2:28 PM
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