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March 21, 2007

John Edwards' Goes Humminah-Humminah

Mr. "Two Americas", as in there are people who work in big mansions and people who own them, gets a little fumbly when defending his own 28,000 footer

Call it “Dancing with the Stars”: Global Warming Edition. Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards showed his best dance moves trying to avoid questions about how energy efficient his 28,000-square-foot mansion really is and how much the power bill costs each month.

The March 20 edition of CNN’s “American Morning” showed Edwards hyping global warming, promoting his energy plan that mandates carbon caps and claiming that his new mega-McMansion was actually being operated in a “carbon-neutral way.” He has recently declared his campaign “carbon neutral.”

Edwards also avoided how he holds himself to one standard but wants to hold businesses to another. As anchor Miles O’Brien put it: “One of the keys to your plan is the so-called cap plan which would institute, as it suggests, caps on the amount of carbon dioxide industry can put into the environment.”

But when it comes to Edwards’ own life, he doesn’t cap his carbon efforts, preferring instead carbon offsets. “We have committed to operate this house in a carbon-neutral way, which means in addition to using energy saving devices in the house itself, to the extent that doesn’t cover it, we’re going to purchase carbon credits on the market,” said Edwards.

...O’Brien asked about Edwards “getting Americans to conserve more.” Edwards responded with talk of conservation and then requirements. “One of the things that’s going to be required is for Americans to be willing to drive more fuel-efficient vehicles and to be willing to conserve and we want to help them do that.”

When O’Brien asked specifically about his house, Edwards turned into a dancing king. Asked about the cost of energy for the home, Edwards tried several answers:

-“It’s actually not bad.” And followed that up with talk of how energy efficient the home was.
-“I’m not telling you. It’s actually, it’s actually not bad. It’s about three or four hundred dollars, the last one I saw.”
-Following that claim, Edwards backed off a bit and said “the power bill is several hundred dollars a month.”

The hypocrisy is staggering...and typical. Look, I have no problem with a rich person building a huge house on his property. That's the American Way, dammit. You earned the money, now go enjoy it. What pisses me off is these rich bastards appointing themselves our Superior All-Knowing Masters and then condemning us little folk as we try to improve our lot while they enjoy all the perks. Remember the Oscars? All those pompous little turds who have made millions of dollars by what? By reciting lines that other people wrote, yet this somehow entitles them to be our philosopher kings. So the preening vanities, these people who fly in their private jets everywhere, who take huge limos everywhere, who have entire staffs devoted to their hair and makeup, these are the people who preach to us that we must be 'green' and 'carbon neutral'. As my Bride remarked, after she in total disgust and contempt turned off the televised fellation of Al Gore at the Oscars by Leonardo DeCaprio, "If Hollywood is truly concerned about The Environment they should immediately stop all filming of movies 'on location' and film everything in the back lot and in the studios rather than fly hundreds of people all across the globe. Or they should just STFU." Have I mentioned I love that gal?

But they won't, of course.

You know, I hope that the next CEO of some Really Big Corporation who is catching all kinds of shit from the media and various posturing candidates for moving jobs overseas because of how expensive Congress has made it to do business here looks the bastard straight in the eye and says "Actually, I'm Employee-Neutral; following the bold leadership of Al Gore and John Edwards and others I've purchased Employee Offsets in the market."

Posted by Mr. Bingley at March 21, 2007 07:35 AM

Comments

[Shh! Dude! Left an italic tag open!]

Posted by: Ken S, Fifth String on the Banjo of Life at March 21, 2007 07:33 AM

[Never mind!]

Posted by: Ken S, Fifth String on the Banjo of Life at March 21, 2007 07:34 AM

yeah, I'm a dope.

Posted by: Mr. Bingley at March 21, 2007 07:34 AM

I tend to just publish and then look for errors and correct. I don't use Preview when I comment on other folk's sites; why use it on my own?

Posted by: Mr. Bingley at March 21, 2007 07:36 AM

Employee offsets. I like that.

Personally, I'm doing my part by making sure that my employees can't afford a big carbon footprint. It's a small thing but I do what I can.

Posted by: Ken S, Fifth String on the Banjo of Life at March 21, 2007 07:37 AM

Yeah, using preview is a habit I should take up too.

Posted by: Ken S, Fifth String on the Banjo of Life at March 21, 2007 07:38 AM

Nyah, why, Ken? Life is much more fun this way!

Posted by: Mr. Bingley at March 21, 2007 07:42 AM

It's hilarious that these folks can't see the hypocrisy in their lives -- Edwards being the king fool.

Posted by: Cullen at March 21, 2007 07:45 AM

You are a true and bold leader, Ken. I salute you.

Posted by: Mr. Bingley at March 21, 2007 07:51 AM

Well thank you sir. You know, I used to garner carbon offsets by flattening a neighbor's tires each day to offset my commute. Eventually, I had to rethink that one.

Posted by: Ken S, Fifth String on the Banjo of Life at March 21, 2007 07:55 AM

If Edwards wants to get some Employee Offsets, he can contact me....I have very reasonable rates. ;-D

And, yeah, I'm sick of these vain celebrities and celebrity wannabes who are screaming hypocrites. If they lived in a hovel and pedaled a cheap bike to the studio, they might have a point (although the Ralph Nader approach has been shown to be counterproductive....something in between sounds better, methinks).

But as long as I see an extravagant life style from those pompous pricks, they can pucker up to my posterior.

Posted by: The_Real_JeffS at March 21, 2007 09:47 AM

hic? I purchase bourbon offsets!!

Posted by: mockingbird at March 21, 2007 10:00 AM

mock, you've given me a great idea. I'll offer my services to AA...they can pay me to drink to help their members stay sober!

Posted by: Mr. Bingley at March 21, 2007 10:12 AM

Finally, my calling has been revealed.

Posted by: Dave E. at March 21, 2007 12:10 PM

I've got a deal for Gore and Edwards - I'll sell them my carbon offsets for their brain offsets.

Posted by: Nightfly at March 21, 2007 03:37 PM