Who Would Benefit From Capping Carbon?

Self interest is a powerful thing. There is nothing unusual, or necessarily wrong, with a "what's in it for me" attitude. I have no doubt that there are people who sincerely believe that Al Gore is a humanitarian who is selflessly working to save the world. In their estimation the fact that "global warming" has changed Gore from a wealthy man to a WEALTHY man doesn't speak to his motivation. We call these people "dupes."

But let's face it, Gore isn't alone in benefiting from the global fraud being promoted in Copenhagan. In Forbes, Joel Kotkin discusses the "what's in it for me" factor:

So why do leaders like Barack Obama and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown continue identifying themselves with the climate change agenda and policies like cap and trade? Perhaps it's best to see this as a clash of classes. Today's environmental movement reflects the values of a large portion of the post-industrial upper class. The big money behind the warming industry includes many powerful corporate interests that would benefit from a super-regulated environment that would all but eliminate potential upstarts.

These people generally also do not fear the loss of millions of factory, truck, construction and agriculture-related jobs slated to be "de-developed." These tasks can shift to China, India or Vietnam--where the net emissions would no doubt be higher--at little immediate cost to tenured professors, nonprofit executives or investment bankers. The endowments and the investment funds can just as happily mint their profits in Chongqing as in Chicago.

Global warming-driven land-use legislation possesses a similarly pro-gentry slant. Suburban single family homes need to be sacrificed in the name of climate change, but this will not threaten the large Park Avenue apartments and private retreats of media superstars, financial tycoons and the scions of former carbon-spewing fortunes. After all, you can always pay for your pleasure with "carbon offsets."

Global warming is very much a class issue. Cap and Trade schemes give the political class control; the wizards of Wall Street gain wealth; the self absorbed hedonists in Hollywood get to feel like they are doing something noble. But it is we schmucks on the bottom of pile who will pay the price.

Rev. Gore likes to say, as he passes the collection plate, that this is the fight of his life. Nothing could be further from the truth. Gore's lavish lifestyle is chiseled in stone whether anything comes out of Copenhagen or not. The same doesn't hold true for the rest us. Carbon schemes will severely curtail our lifestyle. And ten years from now the charlatans will move on to their next scam.

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