Greg G. wrote:

Mark & Juanita said:

.... snip
No different that any other frontrunner. Personally, I'd rather see
small, efficient accountability than what we have now. Yet unbridled
capitalism is as bad a failure to society as is bloated, ineffectual
bureaucracy.

Would vehemently disagree with that assertion depending upon the meaning
of the word "unbridled". History also disagrees with that assertion. The
most prosperous and free countries have been those with as close to a free
market as possible.

On the other hand, bloated ineffectual, or bloated effective (read
intrusive) bureaucracies have done more to destroy and ruin nations'
ability to live well, and pose the most significant threat to a people's
freedom and ability to prosper and do well than most any other influence.
Again, historical examples abound: The Soviet Union, Cuba, China, and
others.



and further, is not even a consideration at this point.

No, he is trying to achieve the same goals through his global warming
scam. His open trashing of the US at the Bali conference is hardly
commendable for a former US VP.

I would hardly call this statement a trashing:

"But the outcome will be decisively influenced by two nations that are
now failing to do enough: the United States and China. While India is
also growing fast in importance, it should be absolutely clear that it
is the two largest CO2 emitters -- most of all, my own country -- that
will need to make the boldest moves, or stand accountable before
history for their failure to act.

Both countries should stop using the other's behavior as an excuse for
stalemate and instead develop an agenda for mutual survival in a
shared global environment."


Maybe not, but the following statement:
€œSo,€� said Al Gore at the recent Bali, Indonesia, conference on global
warming, €œI am going to speak an inconvenient truth. My own country, the
United States, is principally responsible for obstructing progress here in
Bali. We all know that.€�

Certainly falls into that category.


He is free to speak his mind, whatever his opinion. And the statement
is true in that we are the primary contributors to world resource
consumption, much pollution, and greenhouse gas release. We are pigs
in contrast to the majority of the world by virtue of population and
"standards of living" - for now. Competition for all resources is
rising due to the spread of "modern" standards of living. As they
grow, we lose ground. At some point in the future, it will equalize
somewhat worldwide, but I sure wish it hadn't been during MY lifetime.


Yet there are massive deposits of energy yet unused: Oil shale in the
west, Anwar in the north, coal deposits throughout the west. Oil and
natural gas off the coasts of California and Florida. While we don't
drill, the Chinese have started drilling off the coast of Cuba.

.... snip

Personally, I'm for my own personal anarchy on a tropical island full
of scantily, yet tastefully draped women serving margaritas at the
beach. Wind, wave, and solar powered, of course.


On that, we both agree. But I'm going to have a big ol' generator on the
other side of my island to light my shop at night and power the tools. :-)



--
If you're going to be dumb, you better be tough