Al Gore: Of Course I Profit From Green Energy Policies
Al Gore gets questioned on being both an “activist and an executive” and whether or not his financial ties to the green companies that profit from the government policies he advocates for represents a conflict of interest.
His answer? Well of course he profits from said policies (it’s being reported that if certain laws pass Gore would be the world’s first carbon credit billionaire), but that’s totally not a conflict of interest or anything.
Really, I don’t have a problem with Gore profiting from his “green” investments as long as he’s transparent about it. But I do think that Gore’s profiting illustrates a lot of what’s wrong with the so-called “green industry.” It’s not capitalism. These companies are not profiting because they’re providing products or services to people who buy them voluntarily at a price that turns a profit. These companies are profiting because they’ve got powerful political connections and are heavily subsidized by the government.
Gore may be profiting, but he’s not a capitalist. He’s a rent-seeker.
