Abnormal Interests

Well, and he also didn't say, "I will work to actually reduce my own carbon footprint instead of pulling a smoke-and-mirrors job by buying the right to pollute via 'carbon offsets.'"

Chris,

You may likely know more abut this than I do, but I worry that you have confounded two issues that are not as closely related as some think. Gore's own carbon foot print could indeed be reduced but I'm reasonably sure that, excepting travel, it is much smaller than many others of his means. I'm not making an excuse for him. I find the extravagant life styles of many rich people, including Gore's, obscene. And their carbon footprint is only part of it. As far as his travel is may be excessive and a major factor in his carbon footprint, I tend to see it as a necessary investment in a project I support.

The issue you refer to as "smoke-and-mirrors" is another matter. The major problem we face in nearly every area of pollution, including the kinds of pollution that leads to global warming is that polluting is free or very nearly so. There are few if any economic factors, other than relatively small fines if caught, to prevent pollution. A sufficiently large carbon tax would add an economic incentive to the mix and provide funds to develop the required technologies. Pollution would become a meaningful cost factor that industry and individuals would need to consider when planning.

Now I wish that that were the end of it. But two related things keep it from being that simple. First, the technologies that are needed will come faster for one industry than for another. Second, some vital industries, by their very nature, will take longer to adopt new technologies than others will. A "carbon offsets" market provides a mechanism that will, to some extent, self manage these inequalities while bring down the average over all carbon utilization. Not pretty, but it provides a pragmatic way of managing the required technology and market transition using the same process that drives modern "free" economies. Now if all you are saying is that the "invisible hand" is smoke and mirrors, you may be right when it comes to any social good, including pollution reduction. But in the current political climate, I doubt that governments either in this country or any other place in the world can do the job by regulation and fines alone.

Howdy, Duane.

While I would vastly prefer Gore to Clinton, for an example, I would still be cautious. My largest consern was his choice of former running mate who has bolted the party altogether. Has such a terrible lack of judgement been repaired?

An additional consern I have is that as US President, Gore might be less effective as an environmental advocate. What I would like to see is for Gore to work for the election of house and senate members who are pro-environment blunting the Nadirites (sic).

There would be a great bummper sticker though,

Gore: He won last time too!