NY TIMES: Al Gore is amazingly awesome, not at all benefitting personally from his good works
Carbon-neutral styling.
From a fawning, self-contradicting article in the New York Times (emphasis added):
Mr. Gore is not a lobbyist, and he has never asked Congress or the administration for an earmark or policy decision that would directly benefit one of his investments. But he has been a tireless advocate for policies that would move the country away from the use of coal and oil, and he has begun a $300 million campaign to end the use of fossil fuels in electricity production in 10 years.
But Marc Morano, a climate change skeptic who until recently was a top aide to Senator James M. Inhofe, Republican of Oklahoma, said that what he saw as Mr. Gore’s alarmism and occasional exaggerations distorted the debate and also served his personal financial interests.
Mr. Gore has testified numerous times in support of legislation to address climate change and to revamp the nation’s energy policies.
He appeared before the House Energy and Commerce Committee in April to support an energy and climate change bill that was intended to reduce global warming emissions through a cap-and-trade program for major polluting industries.
Umm… really? Here are a couple facts that are– what’s the word– oh yeah, inconvenient:
- One of Al Gore’s companies, Generation Investment Management, purchased a 9.5 percent stake in Camco International Ltd, a “carbon asset developer” (whatever the hell that is– maybe Jeffrey Skilling knows). Camco has “one of the world’s largest carbon credit portfolios” and coordinates the sale and delivery of carbon credits. I guess Camco will completely sit out the pending “cap-and-trade” legislation, in order to preserve Gore’s putative independence?
- Just browse the “Greentech” portfolio companies at venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins (of which Al Gore is a partner). Solar technology, fuel cells, energy management solutions, geothermal energy… None of these firms would benefit directly from new legislation mandating a reduction in carbon emissions?
Listen, I’ve got no problem with Al Gore getting stinking filthy rich on his ideas for Hope-powered zeppelins and magical-fantastical windmills. But can we stop pretending like this guy is a selfless saint?
