Al Gore Responds (and Misses the Point)

Gore has responded and completely misses the point, of course. First, the response:

1) Gore’s family has taken numerous steps to reduce the carbon footprint of their private residence, including signing up for 100 percent green power through Green Power Switch, installing solar panels, and using compact fluorescent bulbs and other energy saving technology.

2) Gore has had a consistent position of purchasing carbon offsets to offset the family’s carbon footprint — a concept the right-wing fails to understand. Gore’s office explains:

What Mr. Gore has asked is that every family calculate their carbon footprint and try to reduce it as much as possible. Once they have done so, he then advocates that they purchase offsets, as the Gore’s do, to bring their footprint down to zero.

There are so many things wrong with that response, it’s hard to know where to begin. First, the point of almost all of Gore’s moralising is to reduce usage. Yet, he has 3 mansions, including the 20,000 SQ FT one that sucks down more electricity in a month than most of us do in a year. He flies private jets, one of the biggest polluters on the planet, to almost all his functions. Once again, this is an example of the rich, who can afford things like purchasing carbon offsets to reduce their guilt footprint, moralising to the rest of us about reduction of use. Give me a freaking break.

On top of that, Gore has the gall to suggest people do the same and spend money on carbon offsets. Is he certifiable? Most people don’t have that kind of money. If it comes down to something the family needs versus a carbon offset, what do you think gets chosen?

Finally, the ungodly excess the Gores seem to find completely acceptable is disgusting. I can’t even find words to express how appalling I find it that Gore preaches about the “crisis” we’re facing but lives the life of a excessive millionaire. Contrast that with President Bush’s ranch in Crawford and you begin to understand why I find Bush so much more appealing. He’s geniune and straightforward where Gore is hypocritical and false. The left continues to not understand the Southern characteristic of practicing what you preach. No wonder they can’t win much in the South

For much, much more including what Bush actually does for the economy that strangely never makes it onto the front page, read Wizbang