DADvocate

UPDATE: Rudy Giuliani shares some of the same thoughts as I have concerning global warming. Why is it such a big debate when the "remedies" are the same actions and environmentally conscious person would undertake. Answer below.
Hat tip to Instapundit

Studying and understanding human motivation provides a great challenge for millions of psychologists, social workers, managers, sales people and many others. Motivating factors sometimes are incredibly simple and other times tremendously complex. I'll just look at the simpler more obvious motivators.

The level of rhetoric and vitriol on the part of global warming alarmists leads me to believe that there is much more at play here than the dangers of climate change. Why does Ellen Goodman make the ludicrous and ridiculous claim that "that global warming deniers are now on a par with Holocaust deniers..." Yes, to Ellen Goodman, not accepting her version of the global warming disaster to come is the equivalent to denying the brutal murders of 6 million Jews.

What is it about global warming that works Al Gore in to a spewing verbal outrage? Why do so many follow him in lockstep?

The president of the Czech Republic thinks Al Gore may be mentally unbalanced. I might concur with that evaluation. But why are Gore and others so vociferously adamant about global warming? The answer probably lies in human motivators.

Some of the most common motivators are money, lust, love, power, fear and such. You can easily discern a person's motivators by observing how and what they do. People who are motivated by money generally enter careers that enable one to amass large fortunes. Donald Trump comes to mind as a person primarily motivated by money. But what motivates a politician? Power.

While successful politicians usually make a better than average income, even the most successful of politicians earn paychecks that fall far short of many business and professional people. I believe it is safe to say that the CEO of the small company I work for earns more than the President of the U.S., not counting perks. Many college sports coaches enjoy much greater incomes than George W. But the President gets to be "the most powerful man in the world", as the president is commonly called.

Politicians are motivated by power, not money. And, power means being able to control other people, like you and me. Al Gore, the son of a U.S. Senator, has virtually been a politician his entire life. Perhaps, he seeks to "surpass" his father's accomplishments. Perhaps, he is bitter inside at the abrupt end to his father's political career at the hands of the Republicans. (Afterwards, Al, Sr. "resumed the practice of law with Occidental Petroleum Company and became vice president and member of the board of directors..." (emphasis added) How interesting!) Whatever the underlying reason, Al, Jr. seeks power.

Unfortunately, Al Gore failed in his attempt to become the most powerful man in the world. Mr. Gore's bitterness, and that of his supporters, is still evident in how they still insist that the election was stolen. You see, Mr. Gore's supporters desire power also but are willing to limit their lust for power by supporting someone with whom they closely identify in political and social belief.

Mr. Gore has latched onto global warming as a device with which to gain power. Not being able to convince an adequate number of people to vote for him, he resorts to fear tactics by predicting the end of the world as we know it if we don't heed his warnings. New York will be under water and the Gulf Coast will reach somewhere near Memphis.

However, Mr. Gore, none of his supporters that I know personally, and few of his publicly visible supporters behave in such a manner consist with what they say is needed to save Mother Earth. Small energy efficient homes, gas-sipping cars, etc. are as rare with the global alarmists as with the general population. Personally, I lead one of the most energy efficient lifestyles of anyone I know, and I'm not even trying. I'm just cheap. I don't like and can ill afford to spend money on gasoline, electricity and natural gas beyond the near minimum.

But, so far, raising the specter of global warming shows itself to be an effective tactic in gaining power over others. Meteorologists have much trouble with 24 weather forecasts. I have difficulty believing they can predict 50 or 100 years down the road with the certainty they claim. Additionally, the "remedies" for potential global warming are the same actions any reasonably responsible, environmentally concerned person would take, conserve energy, recycle, etc. Which, again, there is no significant sign that Al Gore does such things but rather rants and raves.

In a world in which more and more people are bent on controlling others by smoking bans, outlawing trans fatty acids, forbidding cellphone use in cars, criminalizing spanking your children, I am hostile to any efforts to further invade our lives and control our every action. Many like to harshly criticize rich people and rich corporations but the real threats come from the power and control freaks, a group of which Al Gore is a member.