Angry rich liberals

The Washington Times ^ | August 2, 2009 | Victor Davis Hanson

[chuck_the_tv_out]

Scolding Americans for our various sins is proving popular among an elite group of self-appointed moralists.

Take well-meaning environmentalists who warn us that our plush lifestyles heat up and pollute the planet. To listen to former Vice President Al Gore or New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, we must immediately curtail our carbon emissions -- or face planetary destruction.

Yet these influential prophets of doom do not have lives remotely similar to the lesser folk they lecture. From time to time, Mr. Gore hops on a private jet - and purchases "carbon offsets" penances for the privilege. His mansion not long ago consumed more energy in a month than the average American home does in a year. Mr. Friedman lives on a sprawling estate reminiscent of those of the grandees of the 18th-century English countryside.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

[angkor]

Thomas Friedman’s 11,000 square foot home:

http://eyeball-series.org/friedman/friedman-mansion.htm

[Truth29]

Generally good column, but how does the author conclude that they are “well-meaning environmentalists?” It is just as easy to conclude that they are craven exploiters of America for their own personal profit as Mr Hanson otherwise demonstrates. I don't think it is good tactics to impute good motives gone wrong to those who are the enemies of freedom and capitalism.

[chuck_the_tv_out]

“how does the author conclude that they are “well-meaning environmentalists?” It is just as easy to conclude that they are craven exploiters of America for their own personal profit as Mr Hanson otherwise demonstrates”

Agreed.

[CitizenUSA]

Good point about not knowing whether someone means well or not. The truth be told, we don’t know if they really want to protect the environment or exploit the system for personal gain. There’s probably some of each going on.

This is a problem I have with conservative (and liberal) commentary in general. Conservatives claim liberals have evil motives. They claim we act the same.

It’s entirely possible to mean well and be destructive OR act selfishly and produce good.

I don’t like the whole judging motives game. I won’t say motives don’t matter, but we should be focused on whether or not an action improves or harms society.

[dennisw]

Thanks. Tom Friedman’s mansion is huge. Does he run a publishing empire out of it? I know for sure he’ll tell you that it is not just a home...It has office and work space.

Heck he might even be a blacksmith and pressing apple cider there

[Reeses]

Or is the new hypocrisy an eerie sort of psychological compensation at work?

No, it's political jujitsu: trying to exploit an enemy's own strength, weight, and momentum against them. Rich people handle an envy punch not by blocking it, but by adding a small amount of energy to redirect the direction of a punch. The punch misses and puts their attacker in a vulnerable position. It's not hard for the rich to do because their attackers are unthinking and driven by ill intent. In fact, many rich people ride on the lion's back for 40 years at a time as leaders of the Democrat party.

[GOPJ]

Or does the hypocrisy grow out of a sort of class snobbery? Do elites hector the crass middle class because its members lack their own taste, rare insight and privileged style? Judging from the police report, Mr. Gates seemed flabbergasted that the white Cambridge cop did not know who he was "messing" with.

No - the elites stand with the poor as a way of keeping the middle class down. It's similar to the old joke about why grandparents and grandchildren get along so well: common enemy.

In banana republics - thugocracies - elites use the poor to prop them up against a raising middle class.

[angkor]

>>>> Tom Friedman’s mansion is huge. Does he run a publishing empire out of it? <<<<<

Here’s a real kneeslapper: Friedman claims that his 11,000 sq. ft. manse saved the property from “being redeveloped into a subdivision of a dozen or more houses.”

Which is of course shameless and brazen BS, since if you look at the aerial photos of the neighborhood you’ll instantly see that there’s no danger of a “subdivision of a dozen or more houses” being built there in the next century or two. The neighborhood simply isn’t zoned for that kind of development.

And by the way I have nothing against $10 million, 11,000 sq. ft. houses in Bethesda or anywhere else.

It’s Friedman’s shameless hypocrisy and preposterous lying that’s notable, just as Hanson says.

[RoadTest]

” From time to time, Mr. Gore hops on a private jet - and purchases “carbon offsets” penances for the privilege. “

Mr. Gore thonks to himself, “ I’m justified, because I paid for this pollution.”.
Meanwhile, his Judge is watching and keeping track:

II Chron. 16:9 “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth - - -”

God hates hypocrites.

[RoadTest]

That looks like a demon! What is it?

[SWAMPSNIPER]

ALGORE

[RoadTest]

“ALGORE”

Aaaaaaaaaargh!

[SWAMPSNIPER]

I just ran it through my program that reveals true personalities!

[Graybeard58]

Heck he might even be a blacksmith and pressing apple cider there

Doesn't everybody?