Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Why is Tennessee Center for Policy Research looking at Al Gore's utilities bills?

So out of no where we have the Tennessee Center for Policy Research going about Gore's personal business which is interesting coming from a group that was hitherto not in the Environment.

Here is their mission statement taken from the Amcius Brief in the Kelso Case

The Tennessee Center for Policy Research is an independent, nonprofit, and nonpartisan research organization dedicated to providing concerned citizens, public leaders, and government officials with expert empirical research and timely free market solutions to public policy issues of the day. The Center encourages solutions to public policy issues grounded in the individual liberty, competition, personal responsibility, and the social capital of the community bonds to achieve a freer and more prosperous Tennessee.


We called Nicole Williams, (615)383-6431 editor@tennesseepolicy.org told and asked here why the Carbon Offets that Gore purchased were not part of the story "We only covering Gore's usage from the consumptions side and the carbon offsets were not part of the story."

Carbon offset What is that?

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia "A carbon offset is a service that tries to reduce the net carbon emissions of individuals or organizations indirectly, through proxies who reduce their emissions and/or increase their absorption of greenhouse gases.[1] A wide variety of offset actions are available; tree planting is the most common. Renewable energy and energy conservation offsets are also popular, including emissions trading credits.

The intended goal of carbon offsets is to combat global warming.[2] The appeal of becoming "carbon neutral" has contributed to the growth of voluntary offsets, which often are a more cost-effective alternative to reducing one's own fossil-fuel consumption. However, the actual amount of carbon reduction (if any) from an offset project is difficult to measure, largely unregulated, and vulnerable to misrepresentation.[3]"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_offset

Here is what the Gore office told Think Progress.

"Gore lives a strict carbon-neutral lifestyle both in his work and private life. That means he tries to reduce his emissions as much as possible, and then purchases carbon offsets for the remaining emissions.

In his private life, Gore tries to reduce his emissions as much as possible. He drives a hybrid, flies commercially whenever he can, and purchases green power. In the few instances where work has demanded that he travel privately, he purchases carbon offsets for the emissions."

All in all this group seen to been coming out of now where with this hit on Gore yet a bit more research shows that the group recently Trent Seibert joined as Director of Government Accountability. After doing a google search on this guy it seems he a bit of reputation for drama and we found this gem.

"So what made me think I could stroll into a television newsroom and do the kinds of stories I did at The Tennessean and The Denver Post without missing a beat?


It could be this: There is an attitude in print journalism that looks down at the world of tv news. When I was working in newspapers, almost all of the ink-stained reporters thought that tv work was akin to standing up by the scene of the fire/crime/shooting/debate, saying a few words to the camera and then heading home for martinis.


Man, was I wrong about that.



Trent Seibert http://www.target2tv.com/

So I guess TV did not work out and he is not a hit man for Environmental issues which would explain how a group like TCPR went from some some dry, but fairly well researched positions & statement to just reaching for some publicity.


It looks like Trent did learn something from TV after all.


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