Former Vice President Al Gore is correct about one thing. "The survival of the United States of America as we know it is at risk," he said last week.
But what Gore won't admit is that if the nation pursues the agenda he is pushing, Americans will pay dearly.
Unfortunately, too many policy makers and public opinion molders seem to be in Gore's corner. It's too bad they aren't paying attention to more thoughtful, realistic leaders such as West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin.
Manchin believes that coal is the answer to our nation's energy dilemma. He has proposed modest government programs to make more use of various technologies that would allow more use of coal - while not harming the environment. One of the governor's campaigns involves a network of coal liquefaction plants here in the Mountain State.
U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., also understands the need for the United States to rely more, not less, on coal. She has proposed legislation that would boost the coal liquefaction industry in much the same way as an existing law has helped ethanol producers.
Gore's reaction to proposals such as those by Manchin and Capito has been flat, unquestioning rejection. He is proposing that the nation engage in a massively expensive 30-year program to eliminate use of all fossil fuels. He claims the price tag would be $1 trillion - but that undoubtedly is just a fraction of the true cost of what he proposes.
The former vice president believes - or claims he does - that it is possible for Americans to rely solely on sources of energy such as wind solar power, within 30 years. That is absurd. It also is dangerous. Putting the nation's energy eggs into Gore's basket would cost enormous sums of money - and leave Americans not just in debt, but also without the liquid and gaseous fuels that are essential to our society and economy.
Wishful thinking such as that advocated by Gore already has gotten Americans into a serious problem involving energy. He's right about just one thing: our very survival as a prosperous nation is at risk if rational ideas such as those advocated by the likes of Manchin and Capito are not heeded.