Are you obtuse?  Who is it demanding we the 95% of the population cut back on our piddly energy use when the 5% of the population represented by Al Gore and Edwards uses as much residentially as most of the US population (i.e. the 95% of us)????  If Gore and Edwards along with the rest of the 5% of the population (15 million people) would voluntarily cut back even 10% of their energy consumption, the savings would be enormous!!!!

Just to give you a little perspective:  It would take 200 households of the average American (95% or 285 million) saving 10% of their energy just to offset Al Gore's house!  The size of Edwards house basically means instead of using 20 times the electricity as Al Gore does, Edwards probably uses 40 times the electicity of the average house hold.  It's mind boggling. 

BTW- please explain to me how living in a 28,000 sq ft house is environmentally sustainable?  Or for that matter carbon neutral?   The only way to even approach carbon neutrality would be for Edwards to power his home from solar panels and wind turbine.  Buying from the electric company doesn't cut it since at his rate of consumption, Edwards would be displacing smaller consumers buying green power not agumenting.

“The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.” – Marcus Aurelius

NAUGHTY!

Thank you for bringing up that point. I haven't heard one Repub or Conservative brag about being Carbon Neutral as Al Gore or John Edwards.  Not one has made the pretense about themselves demanding all of us cut back when they themselves should do it first.  In fact, President Bush's house in Crawford TX is an energy efficient house with passive solar heat and geothermal cooling but he doesn't crow about it.  Hmmmm, Repubs walk the walk and Dems just talk.  Thanks for pointing that out.

And this points out what leadership is all about, President Bush lives the lifestyle and Al Gore and John Edwards talk about but don't do it.  A leader doesn't ask his followers to do what he is unwilling to do himself.  A leader shows leadership by doing first what he is asking others to do.  Neither Al Gore or John Edwards has shown any leadership when it comes to saving energy, they just talk, talk, talk.  Buying carbon offsets doesn't cut it.  If you talk the talk you must walk it as well.

“The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.” – Marcus Aurelius

Yes, and everyone knows that not one single republican lives in a big house, mansion, or plantation.

I'm sure there are plenty of republicans who live in big houses and use energy like there's no tomorrow. And as long as they do this without lecturing me on the need for me to reduce my energy consumption, I say more power to them. That goes for democrats and libertarians as well.

But Senator Edwards is telling me that I need to make sacrifices that he isn't willing to make, which makes him a hypocrite.

And....?

Exactly, you are finally discovering what "Conservatism" is all about.  Using your resources wisely and cost effectively, that's why liberals call us conservatives - CHEAP.  Lavish spending on oneself is contrary to conservatism.  In the process, the environment also benefits as we conservatives live on a smaller footprint than you liberals by our very nature.  But don't confuse us Conservatives with RINOs, they are liberals who don't embrace conservatism only the Repub name like John McCain or Arlen Spector.

“The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.” – Marcus Aurelius

What I'm seeing here are a lot of bitter, jealous, whiney little people who just can't stand to see a good looking democrat have more than they do. It really has nothing to do with energy.

George Bush looks like a monkey!! Nyah, nyah, nyah! So there!!!

BAD BUSH! NO BANANA!

Oh, another obtuse person.  You chose not to see that Al Gore and John Edwards consumption is typical of the rich.  You do the math for yourself, 5% of the population (15 million people) owns 70% of the personal wealth of the country.  That leaves us the 95% (285 million people) to own 30% of the personal wealth.   Gore and Edwards are typical of the 5%.  If Gore uses 20 times the electricity of the average household it becomes glaringly obvious who uses most of the electricity in residential use. Gore uses less energy than Edwards based on elementry physics, 10k sq ft versus 28k sq ft.  

Come on Chumly, I know you can use a calculator.  Multiply 15 million by 20, you get 300 million.  You know very well the implication of this.  So you explain to me why 285 million people should be made to sacrifice with higher taxes when all it takes is 15 million people to cut back their energy demands to the consumption level of the rest of us?  In fact, I'm not even requiring them to use less energy, all they have to do is get off the electric grid.  Are you going to argue that people of means such as Al Gore and John Edwards can't buy solar panels and wind turbines?  Why should we the 285 million people pay for the ravenous energy consumption of 15 million people?  Explain to me how this is fair??  Explain to me why the 285 million of the poor and middle class should pay for the lifestyles of 15 million rich people?

“The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.” – Marcus Aurelius