Comments on: Al Gore says something sensible (for once) http://www.eridu.org.uk/blog/2007/07/11/al-gore-says-something-sensible-for-once/ Liberalism and general burblings Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:52:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Michelle http://www.eridu.org.uk/blog/2007/07/11/al-gore-says-something-sensible-for-once/comment-page-1/#comment-11207 Michelle Wed, 11 Jul 2007 19:06:17 +0000 http://www.eridu.org.uk/blog/2007/07/11/al-gore-says-something-sensible-for-once/#comment-11207 Yes, he is right that business rewards a long-term perspective more than politics does. But, no, he doesn't "fail to identify the reasons." The quote you found is from an interview in fastcompany.com, and the interviewer wasn't interested in asking about or publishing his broader thoughts on what is wrong with the political system. But if you are interested to know the answers he would give, I suggest you read The Assault on Reason. In fact, if you took perhaps just a bit more time to find out what Mr. Gore thinks and also to learn about the factual and scientific basis for his alarm over global warming, you might be a touch less inclined to play the glib pundit and to dismiss him as an "arrogant, wealthy statist." Instead, you might recognize him for the wise, compassionate statesman that he is. Yes, he is right that business rewards a long-term perspective more than politics does. But, no, he doesn’t “fail to identify the reasons.” The quote you found is from an interview in fastcompany.com, and the interviewer wasn’t interested in asking about or publishing his broader thoughts on what is wrong with the political system.

But if you are interested to know the answers he would give, I suggest you read The Assault on Reason.

In fact, if you took perhaps just a bit more time to find out what Mr. Gore thinks and also to learn about the factual and scientific basis for his alarm over global warming, you might be a touch less inclined to play the glib pundit and to dismiss him as an “arrogant, wealthy statist.” Instead, you might recognize him for the wise, compassionate statesman that he is.

]]> By: Edis http://www.eridu.org.uk/blog/2007/07/11/al-gore-says-something-sensible-for-once/comment-page-1/#comment-11203 Edis Wed, 11 Jul 2007 17:56:18 +0000 http://www.eridu.org.uk/blog/2007/07/11/al-gore-says-something-sensible-for-once/#comment-11203 Business can also be about the short-term results, especially in the USA where profit and loss accounts are published quarterly. Companies that go in for long-term development can suffer the attention of short-term profit raiders. The current uproar over flooding of houses over the last month has yet to address the private-sector aspect of this - the way developers threatened planning authorities with expensive appeals if they barred new developments encroaching on the flood plain. The problem of ensuring that the long-term gets considered in the making of short-term decisions is a real and serious aone and answers do not lie in mantras about the evils or virtues of statism or the superiority of markets. Business can also be about the short-term results, especially in the USA where profit and loss accounts are published quarterly. Companies that go in for long-term development can suffer the attention of short-term profit raiders.

The current uproar over flooding of houses over the last month has yet to address the private-sector aspect of this - the way developers threatened planning authorities with expensive appeals if they barred new developments encroaching on the flood plain. The problem of ensuring that the long-term gets considered in the making of short-term decisions is a real and serious aone and answers do not lie in mantras about the evils or virtues of statism or the superiority of markets.

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