Commenter Paul is raising some good questions on my post about global warming and the sun. Just yesterday, I ran across this post by the Anchoress. Naturally, I followed the links in her post, which led me to Ponder the Maunder.
While I do consider myself of above average intelligence, I don’t claim to be an expert in the climate and man’s role in affecting it. I do know that the science isn’t conclusive, and the debate over our role should continue. This is why I see a man like Al Gore out there preaching his religion and it just infuriates me. I’m sure he would deny that his actions are stifling debate on the issue, but that’s not the way I see it and it’s clear to me that others feel the same way.
Anyway, follow the links and make up your own mind.
What bothers you most about Al Gore’s movie? The way he “overstates the facts” or the success he’s had at swaying popular opionion around the world? Whether you agree with his diatribe on global warming or not you can’t deny that he is an effective politician when it comes to getting his agenda on the table.
One day perhaps fiscal conservatives will be as good at getting their message out as Al Gore did on global warming.
I do see the flaws in Al Gore’s case, especially when he presents theory as fact. However, I have a different political agenda that involves reducing dependance on foreign sources of oil. If all the hype on global warming gets Americans off their collective asses to develop alternative energy sources then the enemy of my enemy is my friend.
You say Al Gore is stifling debate in this country I say it’s just getting started. Bring it on baby!!!
I disagree with you regarding the usefulness of Gore’s overstating his case. The solutions to all of the problems he states involve some sort of governmental control and governmental involvement.
I’m all for reducing our dependence on foreign oil, and oil in general, but not at the expense of my freedom.
And he is stifling debate because anyone who disagrees with him that global warming is caused by man is a global warming denier.
Look – the fact of the matter is you perceive “hype” about global warming and your posts here place much, if not all, of the blame on Al Gore’s movie.
All I’m saying is that whether you agree with Al or not he is swaying popular opinion thereby he is an effective politician in the purest sense.
Why can’t fiscal conservatives / social liberals in America learn from Gore’s obvious mastery over our WMD (Weapons of Mass Distraction)?
It’s not enough to attack Gore’s credibility anymore.
Sometimes you need to fight fire with fire my friend.
Yes, yes I do. There is much ‘hype’ about it. Given that Al has spent the better part of the last year or so going from city to city on a speaking tour, doing his little slide show thing, I’d say, yeah, the fuck has a lot to do with the current ‘hype.’
Is it good that he does this? From my perspective, yes because he makes noise about it, people are free to disagree with him and present counter arguments. But he doesn’t seem to want to have those counter viewpoints presented at the same time. Thus you have a situation where what the last guy says wins. Further, when you have a sympathetic media, the majority only hear his side of it. Did you know that there is a documentary from the UK that does a pretty damn good job of debunking the stuff in his movie? Did you know that it was almost banned from being shown? Schools in this country show Al’s movie in class and present it as settled fact without showing any dissenting viewpoints. He testifies before congress and a senator who disagreed with him is stifled by Senator Boxer, who was the committee chairman. His movie is spreading the hype, he is spreading the hype, and the media helps him by rarely, if ever, presenting countering viewpoints.
I’d like to see him debate people who disagree with him. I doubt very much that he would do that because he just doesn’t have the balls. The reason I say he doesn’t have the balls comes from his latest book “Assault on Reason” which boils down to ‘You don’t agree with my views, therefore you are unreasonable’.
You want me to give him props for being an effective communicator. It’s easy to do when you’re surrounded by people who agree with you and who make sure that dissenting opinion is ignored or shouted down.
The most ironic part about all this is that we can all see the effects of global climate changes even if we can’t agree on all of the root causes. My money is still on mother nature sorting that mess out in spite of what humans may or may not do in response.
Is Al Gore exploiting people’s fears with all the hype? Of course, he’s a politician at heart and it’s what he does best. There’s certainly no need to give him any more props for it as I’m sure his head is big enough.
Al Gore is clever enough to ride the tide of popular sentiment in America and shape it with his will – hell it even got him elected President once. Talk about a case of when what the last guy says wins. lol
Keep up the good fight my friend for one day reason may yet prevail over irrationality – someone has to keep the faith so it might as well be YOU.
Yes, he was elected President in the same way he invented the internet with all its myriad of tubes.
He is a slick bastard, for sure.
Why don’t you say he’s into hot monkey butt lovin?
LOL
Oh that’s right – this is supposed to be a rational and well reasoned discussion. {straightening my tie now}
Ride the wave of popular sentiment and support the good (alternative energy development for America) and resist the bad (heavy handed beauracratic regulation). Surely there’s some common ground to be found.
Al Gore has shown the way…now it’s up to fiscal conservatives to save the day.
Oh and I loved one the comments underneath the article you linked about Kristen Byrnes over at the Anchoress.
And the money quote by commentor ‘Joseph’ is:
“in a democracy, real change requires major and overwhelming public consensus. A large enough minority, shouting “No!” is all that is really needed to prevent such a consensus from forming”
Al Gore hasn’t shown the way to anything dude. He’s just blowing hot air up everyone’s ass. The need for alternative fuels and alternative fuel technologies has been around for years before Gore dipped his wick in the wax. He’s just the dude with the loudest microphone.