The American Spectator : Al Gore's Important Admission

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Al Gore’s Important Admission

By Andrew Cline on 11.23.10 @ 6:09AM

If he’s changed his mind about ethanol, what will he say next?

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The point is not that Gore is entirely wrong. It’s that he is wrong enough (remember the errors in An Inconvenient Truth) to merit skepticism. But law doesn’t take skeptics’ views into account. Environmental regulations compel compliance. Only in the market does the skepticism of the minority become an important player. If Al Gore bases his personal financial investments on faulty science, it matters to no one but Al Gore, and perhaps his wife. But if states base environmental regulations on faulty science he pushed, we are all harmed.

The great ethanol error would’ve been corrected quickly had the market been left in control. It was only the misguided hand of government that grew this problem to global proportions, and perpetuates it still.

This fall the EPA approved a waiver allowing gasoline to contain up to 15 percent ethanol for cars made since 2007. Congress has mandated that 13.95 billion gallons of renewable fuels (mostly ethanol) be produced in 2011, up from 12.95 billion gallons this year. (Can you imagine how much worse it would be had Gore been president?)

The bottom line is this: If we cannot base our environmental policies on the pronouncements of Al Gore, should we really be passing costly, far-reaching mandates that force people to behave as Al Gore would want them to? Wouldn’t it be better to let the market decide, and leave Al Gore to investing heavily in biofuel companies?

Andrew Cline is editorial page editor of the New Hampshire Union Leader. His Twitter ID is Drewhampshire.

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About the Author

Andrew Cline is editorial page editor of the New Hampshire Union Leader. His Twitter ID is @Drewhampshire.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (86) | Leave a comment Leave a comment

Doorgunner| 11.23.10 @ 6:47AM

All this proves is that when the "quid" -be it in a check or a vote-buying payoff- don't show, the "quo" has got to go.

Craig| 11.24.10 @ 4:05AM

The perfect irony: Gore cast his vote so Tennessee farmers would vote for him, and he still failed to carry his own state. So his vote got him not one thing!

Craig| 11.30.10 @ 8:57AM

It probably did the opposite. Tennessee is hardly a big corn state.

Old Joe| 11.23.10 @ 6:51AM

The fact that anyone would ever believe anything uttered by this privileged idiot never ceases to amaze me. My God, he failed out of Law school and Divinity school. Al has always been a dim bulb. To think that he almost became President sends shivers up and down my spine, oh wait, we elected someone even worse, Obama.

Marc Jeric| 11.25.10 @ 1:53AM

Old Joe is correct - with Al Gore we are dealing with a certified functional moron. Also, the Nobel Peace Prize has become a cruel joke - Arafat, Carter, Gore, Obama (I mean Abu Hussein al-Nairobi)...Who are those Norwegian idiots? I mean - shouldn't someone competent investigate if they are sane?

MoeBlotz| 11.23.10 @ 7:19AM

Algore's other error was not figuring how burning grain based fuel would lower obesity in the American population. Take all those fattening foods made from carbohydrates out of the mouths of fat people who do not burn them off and you eliminate tonnes of body weight in an ever more corpulent populace. Moochelle even might approve on that one.

Louis Jenkins| 11.23.10 @ 8:00AM

"It was his way, the green way, or the path to planetary destruction."

It was his way, the green way, or the highway. So get to walking Al Gore. Oh I forgot, he will depart in one of the super duper planet saving SUVs. Money talks and something else walks.

Son Of Sam| 11.23.10 @ 8:11AM

the government = a bunch of guys who want to spend your money and run your life, then tell you that its for your own good

the market = a bunch of people freely buying and selling stuff. The stuff that works keeps getting bought. The stuff that don't ends up getting pitched.

So, let's think about: which is the better way to figure out how to make our world a better place? Government compulsion, or free market cooperation?

No more subsidies
No more bailouts
No more handouts

You're all big boys and girls, figure it out!

moron| 11.23.10 @ 8:19AM

Now we know who placed the big short on corn futures yesterday.

JP| 11.23.10 @ 8:19AM

It's kind of late for all that now. Not only do we have corn distilled ethanol, but soy, palm oil, swtich grass, and sugar based bio-fuels. All of these altnerative sources, whether here or in other nations, only survive through government mandates and subsidies. The energy markets are now so skewed, that is is almost impossible to get a decent price signal. I say almost because the inefficiencies only come about during peak usage periods. And by then it is too late. We all know that the altnernative fuels market is not only wastefull and inefficient, but also dangerous. It will take hundreds or thousands of casulties during a severe winter outbreak or summer heatwave to get the people moving on this. The EPA is now well on its way to reducing our energy output via coal and oil by some 15-20%.

Yesterday's article about Fred Upton (House, Republican Michigan) only underscores the danger. Boehnner is about to allow this liberal in conservative clothing to head the House Energy Committee. He will do nothing to stop the EPA's damage. More than likely he will provide cover and join them.

Timothy L. Pennell| 11.23.10 @ 8:50AM

A GREEN SUMMIT in Greece? What's next? One in Ireland? Portugal? Who's going to these things?
Do these people realize that they're THISCLOSE to becoming Insolvent? It's kind of Symbolic that these IDIOTS would be pushing their Bankrupt Philosophy, in the Capitol of a Bankrupt Country. Don'tcha think?
Imagine: Burning your FOOD in your car. Burning your FOOD in your car as you drive to the store to get food. Burning your FOOD in your car, while BILLIONS of Barrels of OIL, and TRILLIONS of Cubic Ft. of Natural Gas, lie just under the ground, waiting to be used like GOD intended.
I mean, why NOT burn food? It's not like people are STARVING anywhere? It's not like the price of EVERYTHING involving CORN is gonna go up, just because there's less corn for FOOD now, because we're using it for Gasoline. It's not like everything we USED TO PLANT, but don't now, because we can get more money from the Government for planting CORN, is gonna skyrocket in price. Or that MEAT will go sky High because of the cost of FEED CORN. Or Corn Syrup. Or Corn Flour.
EVERYTHING these Idiots on the Left do, creates a Snowball Effect of Unintended Consequences. Just ask all the Africans that have DIED because the LEFT was afraid that DDT was killing birds. (Oh. That's right. You CAN'T ask them. They're DEAD.) Higher Fuel Efficiency in Cars = Smaller, Lighter Cars = more DEAD Occupants of the Cars. ABORTION Rights have DECIMATED the Populations of the WESTERN WORLD, as the Third World Dump Holes increase their numbers. (Am I the only one who sees a Fall Of Rome, and a new Dark Ages coming?) The DEAD ZONE, from ACID RAIN, that surrounds the Factory in Canada, that makes the Nickel Cadmium Batteries, for the Electric Cars, so we don't have any emissions that could cause ACID RAIN. Not to mention the DISPOSAL of these HIGHLY TOXIC Batteries. And let's not leave out the Eco Friendly Lightbulbs that are filled with MERCURY.
AL GORE says he's sorry.
Now what?

JP| 11.23.10 @ 9:19AM

At the close of the markets yesterday, corn in China was selling at $9.5 a bushel and wheat was over $10.

Redstateboy| 11.23.10 @ 9:30AM

Dude... that was a brilliant analysis of the unintended consquences of Liber-ulism. Thanks!

Redstateboy| 11.23.10 @ 8:56AM

This fall the EPA approved a waiver allowing gasoline to contain up to 15 percent ethanol for cars made since 2007.

WTF!!! they passed that?!!!!!?? How the F is that going to work!!? Cars made after 07' can handle 15% Ethenol? Really? what about Motorcycles, ATV's, Outboard Motors, Jet Skis'? There exhaust systems going to withstand 15%?

Louis Jenkins| 11.23.10 @ 9:02AM

More importantly, their fuel line system? 15% ethanol is a disaster to those parts. Better get ready for massive breakdowns.

Redstateboy| 11.23.10 @ 12:28PM

I called Yamaha re: my 2005 1100 V-Star about E15.. NOT GOOD!! So I blasted my Congressmen and my 2 Senators.. and in all 3 cases.. their mindless twits answering their phones were like.. duh.. Idunno... No one's going to be immune from this.. NO ONE... Ya'll better start calling your Congressmen and Senators and raisin holy hell

Dan| 11.24.10 @ 8:06AM

Yep -- that's why I'm converting my 1994 Jimmy to propane.

Rmm| 11.23.10 @ 9:35AM

Next time you fill up, try to find on the pump any info about the amounts of ethanol in that fuel. I have looked, nothing is there. So you really don't know what goes into your tank. Is it 10% or is it 15% ?

Redstateboy| 11.23.10 @ 10:19AM

DadGum!! You're right..! I noticed the other day that the "10% Ethenol" sticker was gone..

Maaaaaan!! You gotta leave it to these _astards.. they're F'us and we don't even know it.

Stephanie| 11.23.10 @ 10:57AM

Here in rural VA the pumps have a sticker that says 10% ethanol. And all gas sold here has the corn in it.

George S| 11.23.10 @ 9:27AM

Will the Republican 2012 nominee have the courage to stand up to the farmers of Iowa and say the ethanol party is over? If not, then nothing will change. Big government exists in part because of big corporations and vice versa. Archer Daniels Midland is the Goldman Sachs of the mid west. We are regulated to death to make others rich. That was the purpose of Cap 'n Trade and that was the reason for ethanol mandates.

Earmarks are small potatoes compared to regulations from lobbying. Yet the Republicans are putting on their Earmark Puppet Show to distract us from the real money in politics.

rigdumfunidos| 11.23.10 @ 5:58PM

ending earmarks is a good idea, and ending ethanol subsidies is a good idea--but they are not related. although earmarks are small as a % of budget, they are large in corrupting congressman and senators, since they can be traded directly for campaign contributions. it is much easier catching them doing the funny business when they have to do it through federal bureaucrats, who are by and large honest.

chris haynes| 11.23.10 @ 9:58AM

All those peer reviewed scientitists at his beck and call.
But none of them could do arithmetic to figure the acreage.

How much land would it take to supply America's oil needs with ethanol?

About 1.4 million square miles. The lower 48 has 3 million. East of the Missisppi, 0.8 million.

Anthony| 11.23.10 @ 10:37AM

Food for Fuel!! Another insane, zany, feel good concept brought to you by our leftist intelligencia, led by the Nobel Laurate himself, the Paul Krugman of AGW, none other than Algore.
Lots of turkeys this Thanksgiving season folks. The best to all of you!!

merlin| 11.23.10 @ 10:49AM

So, politicians are self-serving, vote buying, corrupt, arrogant, criminally irresponsible - (supply the derogatory noun of your choice).

And Rangel goes on about how the US Senate is the greatest body in the US/World and no one laughed.

Is there any hope for US?

cmo2a (c is for constitution; stay tuned)

Al Adab| 11.23.10 @ 11:04AM

There is a valuable lesson to be learned here: Today's central planning is tomorrow's mistake.

If we learn it we can avoid future policy errors.

SAL| 11.23.10 @ 11:07AM

algore was a fool from day one-- now he is a joke!

owyheewine| 11.23.10 @ 11:10AM

The important thing is not the fecklessness of politicians or the folly of ethanol mandates, but the need to find a way out of the mess. Farmers have become addicted to the subsidies and wield a formidible voting block to protect their freebie.
We need to set a firm policy of phased reductions to get buyin from midwest farmers, and an equally firm hold on the purse strings on EPA funding to keep that bunch of radicals in check. We can't undo the past, but we do need to control the future.

Rick Z| 11.23.10 @ 1:41PM

Well, Saddam Hussein got Food for Oil.

AlbertGore got Ethanol for Corn.

Question: Is Global Warming caused by Corn Silk?
.
.

Peppermint Tea| 11.23.10 @ 2:24PM

I'd like to stake out a middle position on this.
First, no subsidies. They always distort the economy.
Second, the ethanol process takes out the sugar (approx 15%) and leaves the rest of the corn for feed, known as distillers grain, which is higher in protein. Because it is wet and heavy, it is best to ship it short distances to feedlots for pigs, chickens, and beef.
Third, when the price of oil goes over about $85 dollars, where it is now, it becomes profitable to make ethanol WITHOUT the subsidy. Right now, the ethanol plants are wondering where the price of oil is going.
Fourth, the number 2 corn used for ethanol is "industrial" corn that is not eaten by humans without first being processed into sweeteners, starch, etc. Most of it goes for livestock feed.
Fifth, same as first. The market should determine the use. Neither subsidize, nor mandate, nor abolish ethanol.
Sixth, Thankfully, this confession shows who Al Gore is. Most of us already knew his beliefs system that put "science" as subservient to machine politics and his pocketbook, and truth be damned. With all due respect Mr. VP, go to hell, go directly to hell, do not pass Go, do not collect my $200.

Ray| 11.23.10 @ 5:06PM

I agree, and disagree, with what you're saying.

First, I agree with your "end mandate" statements as they are totally correct.

I do tend to disagree with your "cattle feed" statements because, yes, those left over corn products are used for feed, but its far more expensive, far less nutritious, and far harder to transport, store, and deliver than traditional "grain" sources. It's cheaper, more efficient, and more nutritious to just keep feeding our cattle and fowl the 'traditional" unprocessed, unrefined grains.

That higher protein proportions found in "brewer's grain), while seeming beneficial to cattle and fowl, is actually hard for them to digest as they, as herbivores, naturally, consume lower amounts of protein in their diets and their digestive systems can't process that additional protein, they mostly digest "sugar's" or carbohydrates, so that protein is actually becoming a waste product, for the cattle and fowl.

Also, it interrupts the normal digestive processes (the enzymes used to break down carbohydrates interact with those additional proteins and cause excessive acid in the digestive tracks, so the cattle and fowl experience moire digestive "ailments" and a far greater susceptibility to intestinal infections which causes the necessary introduction of high amounts of both bicarbonates (to neutralize those excess acids) and antibiotics (to prevent or treat the increasing rates of infections) into the herbivore's food source. All in all, that "brewer's grain" is a terrible food source for herbivores.

So, what good does it do to feed our herbivores higher and higher concentrations of proteins, higher and higher amounts of "post ethanol" food grains, when that very food source is making it more and more expensive, and less and less effective, to continue growing our own protein sources? It doesn't make much sense at all.

Pigs are is different matter, as, being omnivores, they can digest just about anything. So, in this case, "brewer's grain" is an acceptable food source. But, at this rate, and thanks to these ethanol mandates, pigs are about source of protein we'll have available to us in the near future.

Ray| 11.23.10 @ 5:35PM

I should add, though, that "brewer's grain," as it is a relatively high protein, low carbohydrate food source (thanks to the very yeast we used to produce the ethanol), would be a rather good food source for ourselves. High in protein, low in carbohydrates. What better food source can Fat America ask for?

I can imagine that, in the not too distant future, "brewer's grain" will be mandated as the main source of food in America as it would be cheaper, more plentiful, and, thanks to it's ability to reduce or prevent obesity (more so than most other than other food sources, according to government "experts" anyways) healthier than the "bad" food we consume today.

So, as you're drinking your government mandate low carbohydrate soda-pop or soy protein "milk," while you're sitting in your government mandated 100 percent recycled chair in front of your 100 percent recycled table, you can make a toast , with your 100 percent recycled glass, to the intelligent people who brought you that tasty, mandated brewer's grain biscuit that is the only viable, affordable, and even LEGAL source of protein AND carbohydrates you can consume.

Ray| 11.23.10 @ 6:07PM

Oh, and as you sit in your government mandated 100 square foot living cubical, reading that 100 percent corn starch government approved newspaper, the one printed with 100 percent corn starch ink, under the light of 100 percent corn ethanol oil lamp and in front of that 100 percent corn ethanol fueled space heater that you're only allowed, legally, to run 5 minuets out of every hour, you can read the latest government release about how Al Gore's Great Grandson, the life-long appointed head of the Global Environmental Protection Agency (the most powerful position in the world) is traveling to Haiti to discuss ways of preventing the immanent, catastrophic brewer's yeast blight that is about to wipe out our only source of food because those rich, capitalist, fascist, Nazis who control us through our food supply are more concerned with generating profits for themselves than developing a more diverse stock of yeast cultures.

Enjoy your day, Future America!

rigdumfunidos| 11.23.10 @ 6:02PM

generally agreed, but you will see that oil must be well over $100/barrel to make ethanol competitive [and that leaves out the extra costs related to it being worse for the environment].

ทาสีคอนโด | 11.23.10 @ 2:42PM

DawgByte| 11.23.10 @ 3:40PM

Don't forget about the other Algore lie:

"Hi my name is Al Gore and I invented the Internet".

I've never believed a word this clown has said, nor will I in the future. The preacher of the global warming apocalypse and his blind neophytes all need to jump into the Grand Canyon and save the rest of us from listening to their libtard clap trap.

John DuBose| 11.24.10 @ 1:22PM

As a NON fan of Al Gore, I propose to grant credit where it is due. Al Gore did jump to support the internet when it was in its early days and could use some research support. That is not the same as inventing it, but it is more improtant in a politician.

We should also give credit for admitting a mistake.
Only the rare POL will do that under any circumstances.

ReConUSMC| 11.23.10 @ 3:53PM

The Winds Mills are made in China ...The Solar Panels are made in China as well even though the Green money was given to American factories for Job .
As many of you know S,Korea has a Electric Car Battery Plant here funded by Tax payer dollars .
The Green Window Plant given Millions by Obama never opened their second plant and has laid off half their employees at the old plant .
Sadly America has the largest Natural Gas supply in the World not to mention cleanest form of energy is looked at by Obama and Greens as a No No ..... Natural Gas is everything and then some Corn as Gas isn't .

gordon| 11.23.10 @ 4:28PM

Its simple, don't put food in your car...while millions upon millions are starving. Help the planet help the humans...rather than supporting the wholly misplaced human arrogance that we need to "save the planet."

KG1| 11.23.10 @ 4:37PM

Burning your food supply is never a good policy or smart idea. Duh.

Peter| 11.23.10 @ 4:37PM

I just want the President to pay my mortgage and buy me a new car like he said he would. You right wingers are stopping that from becoming a reality. Back off and let me get what I was promised.

Paul in Colorado| 11.23.10 @ 5:05PM

There are plenty of energy sources available in North America, but it seems to be beneath our dignity to make use of them. Instead, we pay people to burn food, while little children go hungry. This is beyond stupid. It's a crime against humanity.

Al Gore| 11.23.10 @ 5:22PM

Ethanol is bad! (Until I can figure out a way to make a buck off it).

Elder | 11.23.10 @ 5:30PM

Food vs fuel is not a battle we should encourage.

jopiper| 11.23.10 @ 5:33PM

Hey wait a minute! I thought ethenol was 'settled science'! Algore is a buffoon of biblical proportions! Get ready for the rest of it to fall apart bud.

EJM| 11.23.10 @ 5:37PM

The liberal press continues to taunt John Boehner and the new Republican House members for specifics on which programs they would cut to reduce federal spending.

May I suggest that zeroing out ethanol subsidies as soon as possible be one such specific cut. They can quote no less an environmental authority than Al Gore for support.

DaveS| 11.23.10 @ 6:02PM

Doesn't it seem more and more that Providence prevented this opportunist from making it to the White House?

hmrhonda| 11.23.10 @ 7:11PM

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My thoughts exactly. There IS a God.

Cloudrdr| 11.23.10 @ 6:59PM

beware ManBearPig!

https://www.sugarsync.com/pf/D773350_048467_681397

hmrhonda| 11.23.10 @ 7:10PM

He is a greedy, despicable, barely intellitgent, privileged man. Famous and opportunistic? yes, but why do we give him any airtime? Idiot supreme. I thank God, he was not elected president.

dick| 11.23.10 @ 7:15PM

I was told that ethanol would ruin the carb on my chain saw but none of the oil companies will tell me how much ethanol is in their various brands. Its almost like they don't know.

AndyA| 11.23.10 @ 7:18PM

Before the ethanol question gets too attached to Al Gore:
1. Most of the votes for ethanol production and government subsidies were focused on helping the heavily subsidized corn industry stabilize corn prices and to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil, not save the environment.
2. Since the program got started, a sizeable portion of the U.S. gasoline consumption has been replaced with ethanol. This has had a positive impact on world wide oil prices as OPEC is very sensitive to market substitution.
3. Since the program has come into effect, corn price stabilization has come into effect. This has reduced corn subsidies, fallow land programs, and other federal efforts to make corn farming as inefficient as possible. The stabilized prices also led to increased efficiencies in water and fertilizer use through technology insertion and a very large increase in crop yield.
4. All the improvements have increased the supply of corn feedstocks, not reduced them. The current price increases are more due to increased demand from China and last minute bad weather in a number of corn producing countries, including the U.S. Otherwise corn production in the U.S. has been increasing steadily for the last 10 years, keeping up with ethanol production increases.
5. Ethanol production is hugely corn price sensitive. At current corn and gas prices, the ethanol makers aren't making money. They will reduce their demand until corn prices drop or gas prices rise. As such, ethanol production is an enormous stabilizer of corn prices world wide.
6. Hundreds of thousands of non-government jobs have been created since ethanol production hit its' stride. The income taxes from these new jobs has paid for half the ethanol subsidy. Put them out of work and you'll pay the rest of the subsidy in unemployment benefits.
7. Using subsidies to choose between two U.S. industries is wrong. Using subsidies to choose between helping a struggling U.S. industry and sending the cash overseas to OPEC seems right.
8. The corn subisidy helps the farm economy like tax cuts. Making the Bush tax cuts permanent may not help the deficit short term, but will help get the country back into a high growth high employment mode. Maintaining the corn ethanol subsidy will help keep a new industry growing. The subsidy will end eventually, but not today.

DaveS| 11.23.10 @ 7:42PM

Oil offsets by ethanol are not that significant. It's like fusion: it takes a lot of energy to produce the energy - with a somewhat disappointing net benefit.

Tenther| 11.23.10 @ 7:37PM

The High Priest of the Envirohoax's acolytes also need to know that they and Al have direct responsibility for tropical hardwood deforestation. All those palm oil plantations were slashed out of the jungle to plant biofuel to "save the planet". What irony.

chris haynes| 11.23.10 @ 7:38PM

...."corn price stabilization has come into effect".

Oh goody. "Price Stabilization". That's all the special intersts ever wanted from the govenment. Youre right. What patriot could be against "price stabilization"? We're so glad you producers got your "price stabilation"

A little question. Those stabilized prices. Compared to unstabilzed prices, are they higher or lower?

Africa Home | 11.23.10 @ 7:49PM

All gore doesn't even live in the US anymore. He has moved with his 18 year old college sweet heart to sub saharan africa where he is building a global warming bomb shelter mansion with an obama $8,000 housing credit. obama has asked all democrats to immediately travel to live permanently in sub saharan africa due to the effect of global warming. as obama says there is plent of zebra to eat and the climate is the most climatical in the world with an average daily temperature of 50 degrees.

kevinAZ| 11.23.10 @ 8:19PM

Why is it that otherwise supporters of free-markets would oppose allowing the markets to decide whether a farmer gets the best price by selling crops for fuel or or food. Yes, remove the costly market-distorting subsidies, but let the farmers benefit from biofuel demand as well as food demand. Poor countries need fuel to live and to grow and transport crops too.

JF| 11.24.10 @ 10:48AM

Kevin - the ethanol market was created by the subsidies. Earlier this year, the Obamanauts threatened to remove subsidies (their policies have been antagonistic to production ag) and several ethanol plants in the midwest closed up shop. If the free market actually demanded ethanol and was willing to pay full price for the product, then these plants would have been able to meet production demands without subsidies. This year, farmers will benefit from crop sales thanks to seriously bad weather in other producing countries (e.g. Brazil, Russia), increased global demand (especially from China, which has plenty of our dollars to spend) and the Fed's devaluation of our dollar.

Randy4| 11.23.10 @ 8:47PM

Al Gore has for to long been a putz as well as a fraud, and not worthy of my comment.

Led Display | 11.23.10 @ 8:51PM

I wish you salmonella poisoning from your under cooked turkey, and a tryptophan induced car accident.Fiber Optic Splice Closure

emerson| 11.23.10 @ 9:39PM

one word says it all: adductors

led display | 11.23.10 @ 9:40PM

just see see!

mark| 11.23.10 @ 9:57PM

Once again, I read some biased rightwing commentary which consists of ad hominem attacks on an individual, instead of speaking to the merits of an issue. What this author so slyly is trying to say is that Al Gore is wrong on the global warming issue because he now admits its wrong to subsidize ethanol production.

What a stupid column. What a stupid argument. Not once does this author try and deal with the actual science of global warming. The vast majority of scientists now believe global warming is a real problem. We can debate the best way to solve it. Many of us will agree that when we are in the midst of a recession we shouldn't impose a bunch of new burdens on business. Nonetheless, nothing here negates the basic premise that human-caused CO2 emissions are creating a major environmental disaster over the longhaul.

What a shame this country allowed the Texas Idiot to become President even though he got fewer votes than Gore. Someday, maybe we'll abandon that anachronism called the Electoral College and decide presidential elections based on who has the most votes--just like we decide all other elections in this country.

dlwenzel| 11.23.10 @ 10:25PM

mark,
you may prefer the TEXAS IDIOT to the TENN IDIOT, but facts are tiresome things....one of the best things Bush did as Gov was to reduce the process to bring new technology online for alt-power, reducing to 3yrs the process for new gen-plants...this resulted in TX leadership in NG peaker plants and Windfarms, and caused several dinosaur (polluters) to shut down...

Gore just raises the earth's Temp by spewing hot air...while he's scamming for gov subsidies.

JF| 11.24.10 @ 10:55AM

Mark - what "vast majority" of scientists believe in global warming? I would counter that there is enough scientific evidence against global warming as there is for it, and the evidence against doesn't depend on computer simulations, but on climatological and historic data. As to the ad-hominem attacks on Gore, he deserves to be outed as an airhead whose only role in life is to shill for environmentalist special interests. Your side purports to regail academic credentials - so how do you justify slavering over a man who failed Bible school and had some abysmal undergraduate scores? Bush, the "Texas idiot," not only had stronger academic achievements than did Gore, but had to prove his mettle in the private sector as well as in public service. Gore ran for office because he was otherwise unemployable. Facts really ARE pesky things.

toto| 11.24.10 @ 11:51AM

The National Popular Vote bill would guarantee the Presidency to the candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states (and DC).

The bill would take effect only when enacted, in identical form, by states possessing a majority of the electoral votes--that is, enough electoral votes to elect a President (270 of 538). When the bill comes into effect, all the electoral votes from those states would be awarded to the presidential candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states (and DC).

The bill uses the power given to each state by the Founding Fathers in the Constitution to change how they award their electoral votes for president.

The National Popular Vote bill has passed 31 state legislative chambers, in 21 small, medium-small, medium, and large states, including one house in AR (6), CT (7), DE (3), DC (3), ME (4), MI (17), NV (5), NM (5), NY (31), NC (15), and OR (7), and both houses in CA (55), CO (9), HI (4), IL (21), NJ (15), MD (10), MA(12), RI (4), VT (3), and WA (11). The bill has been enacted by DC, Hawaii, Illinois, New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Washington. These seven states possess 76 electoral votes -- 28% of the 270 necessary to bring the law into effect.

See http://www.NationalPopularVote.com

David| 11.24.10 @ 1:59PM

What is the point of this?

skip| 11.24.10 @ 1:24PM

Mark,

Go to petitionproject.org;

deal with this actual science of global warming;

be sure to completely understand what the petition means as it is only four sentences in length;

and come back here and refute the 31,487 you witless asswipe.

skip| 11.24.10 @ 1:41PM

In point of fact, you witless asswipe, the electoral college is spelled out in the Constitution by our Founding Fathers, who knew all too well how dangerous the general stupidity of the majority was, and specifically sought to intentionally diminish the impact of the majority.

And, you witless asswipe, the electoral college is simply the allotment of every member of congress. For example, Tennessee has 2 senators and 9 house of representatives for a total of 11 in the electoral college.

If the electoral college is so inferior, even though constitutional, then so is our system of 100 senators and 435 house of representatives (who combined are the electoral college total of 535), and should be changed as well, isn't that what you are really saying you witless asswipe?

skip| 11.24.10 @ 1:54PM

And, you witless asswipe, the attacks on the despicable and contemptible Tennessean are based on reason and logic, not on personal considerations.

In your three paragraphs, (one on ad hominem attacks; one on science proven global warming; one on the electoral college) you were dead wrong. It is with reason and logic, not personal considerations, that I deem you a witless asswipe.

REB| 11.29.10 @ 1:25AM

Ya sure...gore is so smart,but we need to abandon the system our dumb hick founders put together so the masses can supposedly elect the president directly...you need to educate yourself BEFORE you try to comment on important subjects like voting for president!

Harley2002| 11.23.10 @ 11:07PM

Gore has done more to damage this country then almost any man foreign or domestic. Between being the bag boy for China giving money to Clinton who sold the technology to China so they now have a successful missile program. To the scam he ran about Global warming too enrich himself and just hurt working people. I hope this fat bastard dies a horrible cancerous death. he deserves it.

fyi| 11.24.10 @ 12:08AM

Al Gore , IPCC and all the other price on carbon , fraudsters need to be looked at under RICO laws. (Anti-Racketers laws).

Maxbert| 11.24.10 @ 2:46AM

Cut subsidies. Dumb ideas die without them; great ideas never need them.

TimN| 11.24.10 @ 5:47AM

Shock horror, Al Gore is a politician!

The logic in this article defies belief. If Al Gore is wrong on one thing (corn subsidies). He's wrong on everything. So if Bush was wrong on WMD his tax cuts were wrong and should go.
Many (if not most) environmentalists were skeptical about the corn subsidies as well - The evil Europeans have none of it. Corn is good for feeding people & animals not fuelling SUV's.
You'll find us evil leftists hate farm subsidies as much as the right, because they distort the world market and leave the poorest in the world unable to compete.

Mike B| 11.24.10 @ 10:14AM

TimN, Gore was the deciding vote. 41% of US corn is used for ethanol. As corn is used not only to feed people, but to feed livestock, the cost of this boondoggle is staggering. Environmentalists were skeptical? Why did the majority of them fight for this? So, renewable is not so great after all? How'd Gore win the Nobel Prize? Didn't the left want him as President? Leftists aren't evil, just wrong. Gore is not really a leftist, but an elitist, opportunist snob. As his house(s) use approximately 10x the average US home's energy, he's also a hypocrite. Did you know that at the Copenhagen summit what the country of Denmark ran out of? Limousines. Had to get them from neighboring countries, thousands of them. How's that for a carbon footprint? Elitist, hypocritical snobs. As many took private jets, at least they didn't run out of seats on commercial planes. Pelosi took 150 people on government planes, so that helped too.

MikeB| 11.24.10 @ 10:05AM

Hmm...Al Gore coming clean. Why? Because he doesn't make any money on ethanol and wants you to switch to second generation technologies...the ones he's currently invested in. Has he no shame?

Tim| 11.24.10 @ 11:29AM

Not that I am any big fan of Algore's, but I remember ethanol production being pushed as a way to reduce America's dependence on foreign oil, not as a "green" alternative to fossil fuels. Nevertheless, this does show his opportunistic perspective that further damages his credibility on the climate issue.

Ron| 11.24.10 @ 12:55PM

Al Gore is just one man. How about those thousands of "environmentals" that supported the use of ethanol. Their duplicity has been pointed out time and time again. Yet even today in these comments we see people clinging to "global warming" and false prophets like Al Gore! It is a sad, sad testimony to human fraility.

newzroom| 11.24.10 @ 2:12PM

how many people died around the world from hunger because this doofus diverted corn from food to fuel?

Marc Jeric| 11.25.10 @ 2:02AM

It has been shown by engineering calculation that the production of ethanol (i.e., alcohol) is energy-wise negative; we burn more oil and gas and coal in producing it than we get in savings as automobile fuel. You know - the earth has t0 be tilled (diesel machines), planted (again diesels), fertilized (produced from oil and spread by machines), harvested (machines), transported (trucks), heated in processing plants (oil and gas), pumped (electric motors), transported (trucks) to mixing plants....

newzroom| 11.26.10 @ 8:07AM

GORE LIED, PEOPLE DIED. The sad truth is people around the world died of starvation when we shifted corn crops from food to fuel. It really is a tragedy.

Jay Pitsby| 11.26.10 @ 10:11AM

He's lying.

SPaquet| 11.27.10 @ 8:26PM

Al Gore if so concerned about the Earth, maybe he should use those cobbs on his sorry rear and save a rainforest. SPOS.

Noelle P| 11.30.10 @ 11:47AM

Thanks to all the commenters on this article. As a non-farmer, non-investor, and innocent bystander, it is illuminating to see the various numbers and information from regular people rather than pundits and politicians.

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