How About A Pickens/Gore/MoveOn Alliance?

I've posted this elsewhere, too. But I think it's worth repeating. Earlier today, I received an email from the folks at MoveOn.org calling attention to Al Gore's vision for America to produce "100 percent of our electricity from renewable energy and truly clean carbon-free sources within 10 years."

Gore, like T. Boone Pickens, points to our disproportionate dependence on carbon-based fuels as the common thread linking our economic, environmental and national security crises. He notes that "enough wind power blows through the Midwest corridor every day to...meet 100 percent of US electricity demand," and also emphasizes the value of harnessing energy in our solar corridor.

It would seem that Pickens and Gore have a common position on energy. And it's a position that isn't gaining enough traction in the media. MoveOn lamented that Gore's speech was mostly ignored and pleaded with members to help spread the word.

I cannot help but think: Why not work together?

Both camps have interests that are fundamentally the same. Pickens and Gore want an energy policy that achieves a significant reduction in our reliance on foreign oil while moving us solidly in the direction of clean and renewable power. If this is to become something of a national mission, it would certainly help for the Pickens Plan to have wide-ranging bipartisan support. What better way to establish this than an alliance with Al Gore and MoveOn?

Moreover, there's the additional benefit of gaining access to MoveOn's substantial mailing list.

Just a thought.

Tags: activism, alliances, bipartisan, pickens, plan

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by jordan on July 18, 2008 at 6:58pm: This discussion, this issue, goes beyond the lifestyles of a certain man or the differences. We have two men devoted to a more efficient America. An America that goes beyond foreign oil. An America that requires change. Both men have insight on planet earth’s course and realize we are at the point, the point for action. In order to sweep our nation and planet we must unite all in favor of such changes, regardless of their circumstances.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Leon D'Souza on July 18, 2008 at 7:14pm: Good grief! Anybody have anything to offer up besides vitriolic partisan nonsense? Your rhetoric is exactly the sort of thing that has Washington crippled on the matter of an energy policy of some value. First off, the point of the exercise would be to boost the bipartisan credibility of the Pickens Plan – not push Al Gore's agenda.

For the Plan to have some resonance in Washington, especially with a Democratic Congress, it's going to have to gather support across the political spectrum. This is not just about who might be willing to invest. What Boone is trying to do is establish a policy framework that would restructure our energy economy and allow anyone the opportunity to contribute in the future. If you believe polarizing partisanship can advance such an agenda, I fear you're all terribly – and incorrigibly – mistaken.

As far as MoveOn is concerned, don't be alarmed. All I was suggesting was that we leverage the information infrastructure of an influential netroots organization while establishing the bipartisan appeal of the Pickens Plan. It's something that I think would be mutually beneficial and politically meaningful.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Noncenx on July 19, 2008 at 6:58am: What makes the Pickens Plan attractive is because it not political in nature however as soon as you mention involving two extremely political names (Gore & MoveOn.org) you kill any chances of it being taken seriously. There is no way in hell I would trust any organization that is partnered with these two extreme political entities.

You want to complain about vitriolic partisan nonsense then get upset because people don't want to be associated with probably two of the most extreme examples of it.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by ART005 on July 19, 2008 at 11:30am: Gore's lies are not achievable and not in the best interest of the country, that's why he doesn't live by what he preaches. It's about impovershing the country as a sort of tax to make people more beholden to his influence.

PickensPlan is realistic, long, slow, hard work but doable and time is critical. At an equitable rate, he simply intends to accelerate utilization of known technology to increase domestic supply of energy. That's it, 5 minutes on a white board to educate the country how huge the issue is.

Gore tries to convince people to burden themselves with less productivity in the name of progress. You have to see the diachotomy. This does not add up to a stronger U.S.!!

MR. PICKENS, YOU NEED TO CLARIFY YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GORE VERY SOON. I'VE READ THE NATIONAL JOURNAL INTERVIEW OVER AND OVER. YOU DISTANCED YOURSELF FROM GORE A FEW TIMES, EVEN SAID NO ONCE TO THE NOTION OF HIM BEING ENERGY CZAR AND THEN KIND OF HALF HEARTEDLY SAID MAYBE LIKE YOU WERE TIRING OF THE SUBJECT. YOU MUST CLEAR THIS UP.

Maybe a bigger challenge than the turbines, the Pickens Plan might be able to educate the country on the real facts of our and world energy facts. People are sold universally on PV, people think solar cars are reasonable, technical people know these aren't so. There are answers but they aren't in people being conned into wasting their money and lives to fulfill some scumbag's (Gore's) dream!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESxvY1tQHTo; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Ronald Haslam on July 19, 2008 at 7:50am: Mr. Pickens has taken up the banner here . We who object to association with Mr. Gore and Moveon.org know that they have lied to us in the past . To tie our wagons to an effort so important we must have confidence in the front runners. We seem to have chosen Mr. Pickens for that and do not need nor want people who will discredit the march in the future.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by TJ Evertts on July 19, 2008 at 7:31am: You need to add Bob Barr in there from the right. We need all sides to be represented. He meet with Gore recently and they both had good things to say about eachother.

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/barr-praises-gores-work-on-clim...; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by jim mize on July 19, 2008 at 7:44am: Not only no but HELL NO !!!!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by David on July 19, 2008 at 7:49am: "Fossil fuels resemble capital in the bank. A prudent and responsible parent will use his capital sparingly in order to pass on to his children as much as possible of his inheritance. A selfish and irresponsible parent will squander it in riotous living and care not one whit how his offspring will fare."
"Energy resources and our future" - remarks by Admiral Hyman Rickover delivered in 1957
http://www.energybulletin.net/node/23151

Stop the partisan nonsense that is how we got here.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Leon D'Souza on July 19, 2008 at 9:25am: To the comment about including Bob Barr, I couldn't agree more. Let's include every potential ally in this momentous effort to bequeath future generations a reliable and sustainable energy infrastructure. This will send a clear signal that our effort transcends empty partisanship.

About the notion that the Pickens Plan is attractive because of its sheen of political neutrality, I find such remarks to be really quite curious. The process that this measure will have to survive if it is to become policy is assuredly political. So why shy away from the inevitable? Why not instead win friends across the ideological divide?

It's terribly unfortunate that we display such a reluctance to work together on something so crucial to our political and economic sovereignty.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Steve J.K. West on July 19, 2008 at 9:34am: I agree, I was thinking when signing up here thats was what we doing. a one list of voters standing together on this.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Lock Piatt on July 19, 2008 at 10:23am: Leon,

It would be interesting to know what renewables Gore plans to use for 24/7 backbone to provide enough energy when the wind does not blow, the stream doe not flow, and solar is reduced by cloud cover. What does he "BURN" to power the generators and heat the home/business structures.

Talk is cheap but technology that could change the entire energy system in even 20 years is simply not available. Bur Mr. Gore majored in none technical subject matter and is math challenged. Moveon needs to look at the GDP vs population to evaluate how well America's free enterprise system functions vs Europe and socialism.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by ART005 on July 19, 2008 at 11:34am: Precisely!! Opposing Gore is not about wanting to burn hydrocarbons or being indifferent to the possibility of man induced global warming. It's about rejecting the lies that will cripple the U.S. for the sake of a destructive idiot's dream.

Mr. Pickens needs to clearly define his role or lack of role with Gore's bullshit.; ▶ Reply to This