I think Gore floated the impossible idea so we can achieve something more likely.

It would be useful to cite a source when tossing in numbers, so we have a way to judge the credibility of the estimates.

Even if the $5 trillion number is right, I think you are missing the point of that figure as it relates to GNP. The government spending an extra dollar adds a dollar to GNP, and, if Keynes and others are to be believed, that dollar multiplies and becomes several dollars in the GNP. Further, by spending the money on construction in the United States rather than commodities overseas, it improves our employment picture and our balance of trade and likely makes the dollar stronger. So, to my mind, the expense is not a deal-breaker, it is an argument in favor.

Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chafee would disagree with this.

– - Well, I said personally. And your reply is a bit flippant considering in my previous post I was referring to virtually the entire US population.

We Can’t Afford to NOT Act. Geothermal, Wind, Thermal Solar , Nuclear Fusion, Conservation…and a 21st Century Electrical Grid using High Voltage Direct Current to prevent Energy Loss over long distances …All Should have Serious Government/Private Sector Focus and Funding.

My hope is that Future Generations will be alive to ask “What took us So Long??”

I personally know of no one who made any sort of sacrifice so we could put a man on the moon, once or even several times. Unless you count tax dollars funneled to NASA.
July 19th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
______

Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chafee would disagree with this.

Back on topic. Send all the NeoCon administrators away on an oil tanker. Kinda like in water world.

Make sure it is the one called the USS Condolezza Rice.

I think the Defense department will be just fine with over $200 billion/year if it doesn’t have to defend and fight for other people’s oil.

Zooey Says:
Fred Says:

A little sweeping maybe but you don’t hear many people to this day saying anything good about Jimmy Carter and Hillary was shunned out of the public eye over health care in the 90’s.

America at large may have been better. Still true though.

– - Ummm, the Defense Dept budget for FY 2009 is $585 billion. You’re apparently in favor of reducing the military capability to circa 1930’s.

I feel it’s just a convenient time for her to say this.
I may be wrong, but I don’t believe they’ve done this in the past.

Gore’s goal is beyond ambitious, it’s unattainable. I’ve read that the cost would be $5 trillion…

Take $500 billion/year out of the defense department budget and supplemental war appropriations. If we are energy independent forever, we don’t need a gigantic military and expensive wars for other people’s oil.

It would, therefore, probably absorb all the resources needed to institute national health care. And just about every other ‘humane’ government program (cuz nobody’s–Obama’s already said he wants to enlarge the army–gonna cut military, or national/heimatssicherheit spending for ANYTHING). It would be used as an excuse to finally loot the SS trust, you can guaran-fuukin-TEE that, cher.

Sorry for the rant…….had to be said.
July 19th, 2008 at 12:31 pm

I, and most of the people I know, do not and did not vilify Al Gore, Jimmy Carter, or the Clintons. Since all of the people I mentioned (including myself) are Americans, I think that’s a bit of a sweeping statement, Fred.

I was really disappointed when Al Gore conceded so quickly in 2000, and thought Hillary Clinton’s campaign was very poorly run for such a savvy politician — but that’s a long way from “vilifying.”

– - That’s a true apples & oranges argument. Putting a man on the moon within nine years of getting the first American into space was obviously a staggering accomplishment. But what Gore is calling for is a challenge to all Americans – in every walk of life: to our political leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators, engineers, and to every citizen.”

I personally know of no one who made any sort of sacrifice so we could put a man on the moon, once or even several times. Unless you count tax dollars funneled to NASA.

Badmoodman Says:
Gore: “100 percent of our electricity from renewable energy and truly clean carbon-free sources within 10 years.”

- – And I though only Bush was in an alternate reality world. Gore’s goal is beyond ambitious, it’s unattainable. I’ve read that the cost would be $5 trillion (without government program cost overruns. HA!), and the GNP stands at $12 trillion.

I think Gore floated the impossible idea so we can achieve something more likely.

In the early 60’s JFK initiated an unlikey program too. He said we could go to the moon in 10 years…..

we had nothing….starting from scratch and altering ICBM’s for the purpose.

We landed on the moon in 1969 and Nixon tried to act like it was his idea.

It’s a matter of will and in today’s world…necessity. Otherwise Al Gore would not be in public view.

– - And I though only Bush was in an alternate reality world. Gore’s goal is beyond ambitious, it’s unattainable. I’ve read that the cost would be $5 trillion (without government program cost overruns. HA!), and the GNP stands at $12 trillion.

I think Gore floated the impossible idea so we can achieve something more likely.

Wayne A. Schneider Says:
Thank you, Al. You can be a lot more effective doing that the way you’re doing it now than if you were back in political life. Good luck to you, and I wish you success.

The American people turned their backs on Al Gore just as they have most of our good democratic leaders in recent past.

I am surprised when these people who America not only rejected but actively joined in denegrating when spurred on by the republicans are still good patriotic Americans willing to do all they can for the benifit of our country.

Jimmy Carter: Instead of supporting him in his efforts to turn our economy around after the Nixon recessions Americans piled on Jimmy and blamed him. Jimmy Carter was a very intelligent and patriotic American who was treated like garbage by Americans yet he still works for peace on our behalf. Who do you think negotiated the peace in the mid-east under Clinton and North Korea and Ireland, ect.

Hillary and Bill Clinton: Bill who while he did some things we disagreed with for political trade ushered in the most prosperous decade in the history of the United States.

Hillary was villified for trying to improve our health care system by all Americans…..it was soundly rejected with prompting from the right…you know…big pharma, ect.

Al Gore has had enough. It took him 8 years to get all of the knives out of his back and he’s not interested in playing that game any more and who could blame him.

Yep, keep joining the right in destroying our own best chances and we will see mccain as our next president.

Sorry for the rant…….had to be said.

Pelosi responds to a question about Maliki’s comments this morning endorsing Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-IL) plan for withdrawal from Iraq:

On the one hand, the administration is saying that everything is great, security has been achieved in Iraq. On the other hand, we can’t bring our troops home. How does that makes sense?

Invading Iraq was a crime. There were no terrorists there and there were no Iraqi freedom fighters to support. We invaded for all of the wrong reasons and it was illegal.

The current change of direction by the bush administration is tacit acknowledgment of the error of their ways. They have done as they pleased despite public opinion and now they are moonwaking for political gain.

Who will pay the consequenses of this crime?

No matter how sucessful the effort turns out to be, it was still a crime and a black mark on the United States. We will wear the shame of this war just as we did after viet-nam.

The republicans have once again taken us backwards but the winds of change are blowing so strongly that even the cons can’t ignore it any longer.