If you think that the DUers at the Democratic Underground or the Daily Kos Kossacks would be mostly outraged over the fact that Al Gore tried to avoid paying his "fair share" of taxes on the wealthy when he attempted to sell his low rated Current TV to Al Jazeera before the beginning of the year, then I have some carbon credits I would like to sell to you. In addition, "Mr. Environment" sold his Current TV to a network that is owned by the oil rich sheikdom of Qatar. So much for worrying about carbon emissions in the atmosphere but, hey, the good news is that Gore can now afford a bigger private jet with his chunk of the $500 million sale which amounts to $100 million.
Although some questions were raised in both forums about the propriety and attempted timing of the sale of Current TV to Al Jazeera, it was overwhelmed in expressions of support for St. Albert as you can see starting with this DU thread which begins on a note of refreshing skepticism: Al Gore, progressive leader one minute, wanting to cash in big time the next...
As could be expected, this bit of "heresy" inspired a wave of angry reaction. Here are a few examples:
Do you think it was "socially irresponsible" for him to sell to Al Jazeera? They're a fine news organization. Much better reporting than F---ed News, CNN, and MSMBS.
Al Gore has done more for this planet than you will do for a lifetime
He is a private citizen who was f---ed out of the Presidency that he won. His family life has crumbled, he's getting old, he is no longer a public official and he hasn't been for some time now. He doesn't "owe" me a goddamn thing. If he wanted to try to hang on to more of his money, LEGALLY, I'm not going to carp at him for so doing.
One amusing excuse from the DUers claims that we are all hypocrites so no problem with Gore also being one:
In the end we're all hypocrites one way or another. Everybody wants to cash in. What matters is how much good we do to counter our innate greed.
The Kossack thread on this topic also bears a title too brutally close to the truth for comfort over there, Current TV sold to Feudal Lord. Al Gore sells out. Anger??? And, again, it inspired similar reactions as from their DU cousins on their own thread:
If he takes the money and invests in a revolutionary program to explode the spread of green technology, I'll forgive him.
And, finally, this laugh riot speculating on the generosity of St. Albert:
I wonder if Al Gore will share his gains with those at Current who will soon be unemployed.
He might share his chakra with the soon to be unemployed at Current TV but that might be all.
You can read more reactions from the DUers and Kossacks about Al Gore selling out to an organization backed by a big carbon footprint for hard cold cash at the DUmmie FUnnies.
