The Twelve Steps of the Al Gore Recovery. It May Help the US Too!

A Dose of Al Gore Will Be Good. Are You Ready for 2008?

Winner of the majority of the presidential votes in 2000, Al Gore went on Saturday Night Live [SNL video] last week to tell us that during the last 6 years of his ..Presidency we have a huge budget surplus (instead of the $9 trillion deficit), mainly because no war in Iraq and no tax breaks to the 1% of the ultra rich, fuel prices are a lot cheaper, and the only negative impact is the reverse of global warming so much that the "glaciers once melting are now on the attack"!

Wouldn't that be nice? I'd add that we wouldn't have Alito and Roberts on the Supreme Court, and our civil liberties would've been much safer! Maybe our national priorities would be different too. Instead of destroying the most effective federal agency, FEMA, our government could have averted much of the Katrina disaster--a hurricane detected & tracked several days before in struck the Gulf Coast--and when Congress would come back from its summer recess, its first action would have been to alleviate the suffering in New Orleans and elsewhere, and instead of the majority's first act to repeal the estate tax [what I call The Paris Hilton Benefit], the President would have pushed for a universal health care system.

Al Gore is running these days to promote his film, An Inconvenient Truth, which opens in select theaters on May 24th. Of course the bigger question is whether Al Gore is getting ready to run for the big office in 2008. This is a very interesting possibility that would change the status of the so-called frontrunner, Hillary Clinton, and change the dynamics in the Democratic party first, and the national campaign later. I, along with many progressive bloggers, would welcome Gore's candidacy. His pro-environment stance is a passion he lacked in 2000. He's grown not only in weight but in political development, though I still think he needs to relax further as he hasn't shed all of his stiffness when a news camera turns on.

Before he does anything, he needs to swear that he won't hire any of his former consultants, and the new ones he hires [hi Al, I'm available] shouldn't be allowed to over-handle him. He should be a lot more relaxed now; he's very rich, he's respected as an individual and as a leader, he's got a message, and he's proven that he can win on a national level. All I'm saying is that a new attempt at the presidency won't make or break Al Gore! "I'm a recovering politician on about Step 9," Gore told The Associated Press. "But I'm on a different kind of campaign now--to persuade people to take action to solve the climate crisis, and it's always easier when you're focused on one thing."

If Gore is on Step 9, the last 3 won't be hard to complete. I believe after the disastrous eight years of the Bush presidency and six or more years of Republican control of the Congress, America will be ready for an experienced pol with integrity. The progressive, netroots activists in the Democratic party are not thrilled with a possible Hillary candidacy. I think she's alienated many of us, though, as I said earlier, I'd support her against any Republican in a general election. However, I'll do what it takes to prevent her from becoming the nominee, unless it's a choice between her and Lieberman.

Speaking of that DINO (Democrat In Name Only), Gore needed to be smacked over the head for his vice-presidential selection in 2000--one of his many serious mistakes. This won't happen again if he runs in 2008. As a matter of fact, let's make sure that Mr. Lieberhosen loses in the Dem primary in Connecticut on August 8th. If you haven't heard of Ned Lamont, here's his site (and TV ads) and how you can help unseat a big Bush supporter and gain a Democrat in the Senate this November.

Climate change has and will affect everyone, but the most severe effects will be first experienced by the poorer humans, just like pollution has done since the industrial revolution. The big oil companies are launching an attack on Gore's message and much on the consensus in the scientific community that says human activities are contributing to global warming. Public sensitivity is increasing on this issue and that's good. A US president has lots of power, but much of it depends on how he exercises his leadership. He holds the biggest megaphone and can set the national agenda. I think there isn't a debate any longer on weather the BushCo presidency has failed; nor whether he's led our country into a treacherous path.

Every day Bush remains the President, Al Gore looks better and better.