A Few Are Getting Rich By Ruining Our Planet, But What’s the Attraction?
Here, Dan Rather makes the point I’ve been trying to communicate since environmentalism started to dominate my life about 10 years ago. What exactly is the attraction of enriching oneself by ruining the quality of life for everyone living on this planet, both now and into the future? How much does that new yacht or that fifth house in Bordeaux or the Hamptons really mean to you?
Rather ask these people about their concerns for their grandchildren, who will suffer greatly as a result of their greed today. Great point. But I’d throw also this into the mix: Think about Scott Pruitt or any of the most heavy-duty planet-wreckers. Do they really want to be remembered as the key contributors to the devastation of the environment and the mass suffering of billions of people? Ask yourself: Would you want a legacy like that? I honestly don’t get it.
My maternal grandfather told me when I was small, “Just leave this place a little bit better than the way you found it.” While that’s always made sense to me, maybe it’s too tall an order for Pruitt and his ilk. So let’s dial it back a bit: at least don’t deliberately destroy our world for your own enrichment. Anyone should be able to handle that.
Craig,
Well, ol’ Dan should know ! It’s nice to be lectured on social sacrifice by a man worth more than $100 million, owner of at least 5 houses, 11 vehicles (5 SUV’s) flies charter or first class, etc.
I’m not begrudging Dan Rather’s affluence, all those years of grueling media endeavor deserve reward, it’s just the moralizing…..
Incidentally, yeah, I love my yacht ! Owning a vessel provides considerable employment for a great many people.
Craig,
As an after thought, I noticed former Vice President Al Gore, telling reporters in Washington, D.C that Congress should remove oil companies’ licenses to operate a business.
“Congress should absolutely pursue investigations against oil companies like ExxonMobil to prevent them from using our skies as open sewers,” Al Gore admonished.
Great stuff, except the effect and sincere outrage was somewhat diminished by his departure in a 450 hp Lincoln limousine, driving him to an awaiting private jet !
The Ford Lincoln is probably slightly more environmental than his usual V8 Chevy Suburban LT, but …….Somehow, I just can’t shake the hypocrisy !
Ol’ Al also castigated the undue influence of “big money” from foreign interest and billionaires that cost Hillary Clinton the election.
Er, the only problem with Al’s indignation is corporate and foreign donation to the Democrat campaign ran at more than 20 times that of the trump campaign.
Al focused his outrage at a donation to the Trump campaign from a suspicious Ukrainian Steel and Oil billionaire, Victor Pinchuk. Al demanded this donation be pursued vigorously by Robert Mueller
Except,…. once again it appears poor ol’ AL should do a little more research. The donation took place in 2015, (Trump wasn’t even a candidate at that time) and the money was not a Trump campaign donation which didn’t exist, but to the Trump Foundation and the amount was $150,000 paid as a speaking fee.
Hmmmm,…turns out ol’ Victor’s a pretty generous guy. Between Hillary and Al they’ve managed to extract more than $ 35 million from the Ukrainian benefactor for Democrat campaigns, including HC’s and Obama’s Presidential campaigns. Very significant when you consider most of the money was paid while Hillary was either a Senator or Secretary of State !
I wonder where “Billionaire” Tom Steyer’s $86 million political fund raising for HC was spent, or how much of Warren Buffet’s $25 million to her campaign to protect his railroad interests was spent on the the fictitious Trump dossier ?
Don’t get me wrong, I like Al Gore, but the hypocrisy of the Democrat Washington elite is mindboggling. The belief that what is deplorable in others is Ok, even praiseworthy, when practiced by themselves, is justified in their own minds since they are on the side of the angels.
Self delusion knows no political boundaries, but Al reserved his most pontifical admonition for South Carolina’s Attorney General Alan Wilson who is leading 22 states in a action to dismiss lawsuits filed by the cities of Oakland and San Francisco against various energy and manufacturing companies.
Wilson just6ified this move by stating “we cannot let two California cities use the court system to set energy policy for the whole country and bypass our elected representatives in Congress”.
Al Gore contrasted “Wilson’s vandalism” , by praising Bill Mckibbon’s “principled ” anti-fracking, Keep it in the Ground” camping against natural gas.
But ol’ Al isn’t too shy about some definitely less than principled personal investment, even his considerable and profitable “green” investment’s seem to be remarkably coincidental in occurring just prior to Obama White house announcements. ( I’m sure it’s just a case of great minds thinking alike).
Ah well, perhaps it’s just as Livy observed :- “omnes palam corrumpere vita” (for all in public life is corrupt) !