Last updated on August 10th, 2014 at 05:44 pm
In his testimony to Congress former vice president Al Gore said that the global warming deniers are “like Bernie Madoff, they lied to the people who trusted them in order to make money.” He also said that the deniers have committed a massive fraud larger than Madoff’s.
Here is the video courtesy of Think Progress:
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Congressman Joe Barton (R-TX) tried to dismiss the global warming science and Gore responded by saying, “Thank you. I believe it is important to look at the sources of the science that we rely on. With all due respect, I believe that you have relied on people you have trusted who have given you bad information. I do not blame the investors who trusted Bernie Madoff, but he gave them bad information.”
Barton then backed off and said that he believes CO2 emissions are going up, but that the consequences of the increase are open to debate. Gore replied by reiterating that Barton has been misled, “Like Bernie Madoff, and they lied about it in order to make money. And they themselves profited. The CEO of the largest got a onetime payment of $400 million. Now, again, those who have trusted them and believed them are due an apology. These corporations ought to apologize to the American people for conducting a massive fraud for the last 14 years.”
The polluters have tried to mislead America, but I don’t think Barton has been misled. He knows exactly what he is doing. He represents a state that depends on non green energy industries. Plus, he is ideologically against anything that will cost corporate America money. He is discrediting the science because the action required goes against his political ideology. Gore’s Madoff comparison doesn’t belong attached to the polluters, but to the Republicans who have denied the science to make money and stay in power.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
