Otherwise, this whole Dodd thing is overblown. The guy saved a few bucks on a loan.

Well, being that Dodd is Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs one would certainly expect him to conduct his own affairs on an “arms-length” relationship with creditors. So, yeah, it is a big deal.

Do they have any proof of this? I thought it was all the R’s trying to bailout the creditors.

Otherwise, this whole Dodd thing is overblown. The guy saved a few bucks on a loan. It’s not like he gave out billions in no-bid contract in Iraq (and NOLA) to his former company that he still owns interest in… Or started a war with false intelligence and a marketing campaign… Or…

Eh — it’s just another word they have corrupted to the point where it’s lost its literal meaning. Throw it on the heap with “freedom”, “liberty”, “treason”, “family values”, “patriotism”, “truth”, “socialism”, and many others.

I belive they will dig up Ken Star for this if they could.

The New York Times reports this morning that Senator Chris Dodd (D-CN) had suspicious dealings with Countrywide Financial, the mortgage lender Senator Dodd is attempting to bailout with taxpayer dollars (you know it must be bad when it involves a Democrat and even the Times is compelled to report on it).

Erick Erickson
Editor, RedState.com

backup Says:
Do you have information that suggests that Gore’s footprint is less than average? I’ll look at it.

Sounds like shifting goalposts, backup. Above you said,

Gore wants us to limit our carbon footprint to slow global warming

I took that to mean reducing one’s carbon footprint. No? But now you’re demanding that his carbon footprint be “less than average”?

Why not just demand that he not have a carbon footprint? Of course, that would require him to exhale into a bag and find a way to reuse the CO2, but if he really cared about the planet, and not just his bank account, he would do that, right?

June 18th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
______

This, right here, is the problem. Al Gore has become the symbol, and by extension the punching bag, for the entire environmental movement. We have to reduce our carbon footprint not because it’s the right thing to do for our economy, environment, and future survival, but because “Al Gore told us to.” The work of thousands of climate scientists, all pointing to the same conclusion, is reduced to a directive from an Academy Award winner.

But, I realize that my points not getting thru. And I also recognize it’s not that important.

For the record, I was only trying to say that if Gore got his carbon footprint below the average, he would be able to take that objection away from his opponents and his message would be more credible.

I don’t think it’s that controversial a suggestion, but apparently it has touched some nerves.

Gore’s efforts are important, whether he has a large footprint or not. I applaud his efforts and will continue to consider them with an open mind.

I’ve got to split. Thanks for a good discussion.

backup Says:
What rules has Al Gore said he wants to set for us that he’s ignoring?

Gore wants us to limit our carbon footprint to slow global warming, but there is a perception that he maintains multiple, larger homes and makes numerous personal jet trips; that all result in a carbon footprint that well exceeds the average.

Yeah. There is a PERCEPTION. Whether it’s accurate or not is irrelevant to this argument, it seems.

In fact, Gore HAS reduced his carbon footprint through many means — the purchase and support for green-generated power, the state-of-the art technology he has employed in retrofitting his home and his investments in forward-looking businesses should not be discounted either. (Although they will be, as opponents will use them to claim that Gore is only in the green game for the money. As if that made sense.)

Yet, because Gore is a former vice-president and is a highly-sought-after speaker and therefore uses much more energy than someone like me who commutes to work, goes home, goes to sleep and commutes to work again, the PERCEPTION that Gore is wasteful is an easy one to sell to a ready audience.

You, apparently, are among this audience.

I guess he no longer gives a hoot what his republican collegues think – but will they vote for it?

This is BS. They are fouling everyone’s air and everyone’s water to create their profit. They need to be responsible (gasp!) citizens and clean up their act.

And as far as it ruining our economy — if we don’t get out in front with US created green technology, we will be economically behind other countries that invested in their future and we’ll be paying them for their solutions.

As far as China and India being big polluters — how can we tell them to reduce their emissions while we’re also pissing in the stream.

How about responding to the facts about his office, the security required for an ex-VP, and all the other available information about the measures taken at the office/home for renewable energy? No?

He’s already refuted all the hogwash about his carbon footprint, but as usual, you can be bothered to absorb that information and learn from it.

gummitch. I’m not ignoring this. Do you have information that suggests that Gore’s footprint is less than average? I’ll look at it.

backup Says:

I hope, someday, that I will be a true independent. Willing to incorporate the best ideas, regardless of which party claims them.

In the end, what should we really be promoting? The best of two inadequate platforms or the best ideas?

Good luck with that. I think your first hurdle will be overcoming your evident “black/white” tendency of thought, which is common among conservatives. You seem to recognize the need to get beyond that, but it’s not a rational thing, it’s a fundamental way of organizing information.

I think the motivation behind a lot of Gore-bashing on the environment, as you have demonstrated here, is an inability to separate the emotional baggage of a Democratic Vice-president from the apolitical struggle to address a scientific problem. If Gore is involved, he must be ridiculed. I’m not saying that’s how you approach it, although your arguments do bear a striking resemblance to the arguments of those who are obviously driven by irrational Gore-hatred.

Gores a good guy with an important message.

I’m not trying to discredit the messenger. I’m suggesting ways his message could be more credible.

Unless you consider Al Gore beyond reproach, this message shouldn’t be that controversial.

What rules has Al Gore said he wants to set for us that he’s ignoring?

Gore wants us to limit our carbon footprint to slow global warming, but there is a perception that he maintains multiple, larger homes and makes numerous personal jet trips; that all result in a carbon footprint that well exceeds the average.

If you have information to the contrary, I’ll look at.