Al Gore is said to have built a huge heated pool in his Tennessee residence. The utility bill per month is exceeding an average family's annual amount. Since the story was revealed right after his success at the Oscar, it sounds to me like a cheap shot taken by his right-wing opponents. Everyone is entitled to live a better or even luxurious life as long as he can afford it. The problem with Gore is that he sells a noble cause by standing on a moral high ground. And the taller you stand, the easier a target you become. A good policy cannot be just about good intentions. If you can't incorporate your good intentions into a well designed policy, you will probably at best sound like a zealous religious leader and at worst be called as a hypocrite.
When faced with constraints, very few people respond to conscience, but most will act according to incentives. The selfish human nature just can't be changed. That is why a Pigouvian tax on gas is more effective than a thousand "the inconvenient truth" movies. (Please refer to Greg Mankiw's blog for discussion on Pigouvian taxes).
Global warming is a serious issue that needs a good policy design to deal with. Making everyone the villain is not the solution. As it turned out, the most respected environmentalist politician can be made villain very easily with his own rhetoric.
(Picture: algore.com)
No comments:
Post a Comment