An Interview with Al Gore

Digg Dialogg: Al Gore

The voting period has ended and you've picked the top questions that Digg founder Kevin Rose asked Al Gore during this Digg Dialogg.

Why is the drug that kills nobody the illegal one? (+347 diggs, view question, submitted by DeloreanDank)
Since Obama won the 2008 Presidential Election, would there be a possibility that he'll offer you the position to be the head of the EPA, and if he did, would you take the offer? (+338 diggs, view question, submitted by Mist0r_Wiggles)
Would you be willing to accept a cabinet level position under President Obama? (+166 diggs, view question, submitted by Altanar)
What's your view on Net Neutrality? (+292 diggs, view question, submitted by alex361)
What is your response to the latest MIT study that contradicts the claim that global warming is man made? (+226 diggs, view question, submitted by Reaktor5)
What are your thoughts on opening up the election process for 3rd party candidates? (+195 diggs, view question, submitted by ozz109 )
Do you feel as though a two-party system is sufficient for our country, or would you encourage more third-party involvement? (+90 diggs, view question, submitted by Venste)
What is your opinion on clean-coal technology, off-shore drilling, and nuclear energy as solutions to America's dependence on foreign oil? (+137 diggs, view question, submitted by Bloake)
I was wondering if you could elaborate on your long term strategy for spreading ManBearPig awareness (+113 diggs, view question, submitted by barryiggins)
Do you feel Obama will do enough to fix the energy crisis? (+110 diggs, view question, submitted by TJ11240)
When are you going to create a Twitter account, and can you please commit to updating on a consistent basis? (+93 diggs, view question, submitted by tastethevenom)
Do you think the U.S. will ever be ready for an atheist president? (+92 diggs, view question, submitted by artofwar420)
Are you going to be in any more Futurama episodes? (+92 diggs, view question, submitted by Tomholius)

The question and voting period has ended We've collected the Digg counts when voting ended and you can no longer add new questions.

1486 Questions

inactive, on 11/05/2008, -120/+635Tobacco deaths per year - over 450,000
Alcohol deaths per year - nearly 100,000
Marijuana deaths per year - 0
Why is the drug that kills nobody the illegal one?
barryiggins, on 11/05/2008, -140/+601I was wondering if you could elaborate on your long term strategy for spreading ManBearPig awareness
Mist0r_Wiggles, on 11/05/2008, -52/+480Since Obama won the 2008 Presidential Election, would there be a possibility that he'll offer you the position to be the head of the EPA, and if he did, would you take the offer?
alex361, on 11/05/2008, -30/+443What's your view on Net Neutrality?
mattluiz, on 08/28/2009, -87/+354What is your response to the latest MIT study that contradicts the claim that global warming is man made?
ozz109, on 11/05/2008, -23/+273What are your thoughts on opening up the election process for 3rd party candidates, At the moment they have to jump through hoops to get on the ballot and can't get the airtime on the presidential debates as there closed for just the two parties.
Altanar, on 11/05/2008, -57/+248Would you be willing to accept a cabinet level position under President Obama?
Bloake, on 11/05/2008, -19/+191What is your opinion on clean-coal technology, off-shore drilling, and nuclear energy as solutions to America's dependence on foreign oil?
TJ11240, on 11/05/2008, -37/+171Do you feel Obama will do enough to fix the energy crisis?
artofwar420, on 11/05/2008, -37/+170Do you think the U.S. will ever be ready for an atheist president?
tastethevenom, on 11/05/2008, -43/+156Al, you recently said at Current that you would start a Twitter account.

( Others please see here: http://mashable.com/2008/09/26/al-gore-twitter/ )

It would be incredibly inspiring to see that level of transparency from one of the world's most prominent environmental leaders.

When are you going to create a Twitter account, and can you please commit to updating on a consistent basis?

Thank you!
Tomholius, on 11/05/2008, -80/+192Are you going to be in any more Futurama episodes?
Venste, on 11/05/2008, -23/+125Do you feel as though a two-party system is sufficient for our country, or would you encourage more third-party involvement? Was there ever a consideration to run in 2004 or in 2008 as an independent in order to push the issues you felt were being ignored by the democratic party, such as the environment?
Hanny26, on 11/05/2008, -38/+123"With the enormous success of An Inconvenient Truth, will you be working on any other projects or documentaries in the foreseeable future?"
ShuttleDisaster, on 11/05/2008, -41/+105Why didn't you do more to fight the outcome of the 2000 election? Do you think the country would be in a different position if you were elected, and if so, in what way(s)?
CptnEvilStomper, on 11/05/2008, -22/+73How do you feel about this last-minute wave of deregulation that Bush is pushing that will allow companies to pollute our land, air and water even more than they already do?
zwgraham, on 11/05/2008, -6/+54Please comment on the Oak Ridge National Lab report which concludes:
"The amount of Uranium-235 alone dispersed by coal combustion is the equivalent of dozens of nuclear reactor fuel loadings."

Particularly why do we continue to build coal plants when the world (and our Navy) seems to understand that nuclear energy is a safe, more efficient, and less polluting alternative to fossil fuels.

http://www.ornl.gov/info/ornlreview/rev26-34/text/ ...
TSCheredar, on 11/05/2008, -15/+61What role should the new Technology Officer have in Obama's administration?
Acrinimiril, on 11/06/2008, -4/+49During the 2008 elections Ron Paul was often quoted as saying we have 700 military bases around the world in 130 of the world's 190 countries. There are 6,000 more bases in the U.S. and it's territories. How much was the military reduced when you were in office and what was the overall net effect? Was this a reason the Clinton administration resulted in a $559 billion surplus? Dick Cheney played a role in greatly expanding military intervention and invasion around the world. Did he undo everything the Clinton administration accomplished, and how would you contrast your time in office to that of Dick Cheney?
dagamer34, on 11/05/2008, -15/+58Where do you see America going in the next 4-8 years?
DrShalafi, on 11/05/2008, -8/+50Are you serial?
StrangeFamous, on 11/05/2008, -11/+52Legalizing Marijuana would also mean legalizing Industrial Hemp. The act of doing so would introduce a MAJOR new competitor into the oil, paper, textile and pharmaceutical industries. After all, we're talking about (potentially) the most useful plant on the face of the Earth.

If Cannabis were legalized, it would become the #1 cash crop of our country, whether in the form of Marijuana or Hemp products.

Having a cheaper, more efficient alternative to all those corporate products would completely reshape the global market, taking much of the power away from those multi-national organizations and giving it back to the individuals who farm, process and distribute cannabis-based alternatives.

As long as federal legislation is dictated by the special interests of those corporations and industries, Cannabis will never be legalized.
GhostFreeman, on 11/05/2008, -18/+58What's your take on the free/open source software revolution?
mruzzi, on 11/05/2008, -10/+50What are the pros and cons of the Electoral College system? Considering the results of the 2000 election, do you feel it should be abandoned?
prk60091, on 11/05/2008, -20/+59What book(s) are you currently reading?
Leoniceno, on 11/05/2008, -21/+60What do you think about "clean coal"? Does the technology live up to the name?
4getaboutit, on 11/05/2008, -15/+51What do you think should be President Obama's first act as president?
inactive, on 11/05/2008, -27/+62I think there are a lot of people out to make money in the name of Global Warming. If I'm wrong, why am I? If I'm right, why shouldn't I be concerned?
Redge, on 11/05/2008, -12/+45Do you think that the financial crisis is an obstacle to the adoption of green technology?
robgreig, on 11/05/2008, -10/+42What do you say in response to criticisms that you consume excessive amounts of electricity and lead a lavish lifestyle, considering that you are someone who has advocated leading a 'carbon neutral lifestyle'? Why should people make compromises for the sake of the environment when you are unwilling to make any yourself? Are your actions hypocritical?
Fragnarg, on 11/06/2008, -9/+40Who would you like to see in Obama's Cabinet?
Forum, on 11/05/2008, -23/+54Do you see a 3rd party candidate ever being elected?
inactive, on 11/06/2008, -3/+29"Make the most you can of the Indian hemp seed. Sow it everywhere."
-- George Washington

http://digg.com/business_finance/Marijuana_Can_Hel ...

Also:

http://www.prohibitioncosts.org/execsummary.html

* The report estimates that legalizing marijuana would save $7.7 billion per year in government expenditure on enforcement of prohibition. $5.3 billion of this savings would accrue to state and local governments, while $2.4 billion would accrue to the federal government.

* The report also estimates that marijuana legalization would yield tax revenue of $2.4 billion annually if marijuana were taxed like all other goods and $6.2 billion annually if marijuana were taxed at rates comparable to those on alcohol and tobacco.

* Whether marijuana legalization is a desirable policy depends on many factors other than the budgetary impacts discussed here. But these impacts should be included in a rational debate about marijuana policy.
zenithmbr, on 11/05/2008, -12/+38Considering the Federal Reserve's palpable role in causing the recession we are currently in by holding interest rates too low after the dot com bubble burst, why do you support the institution's continuation and what advantage does having a fiat money system have that a gold standard doesn't have, aside from the ability to print money whenever we need it?
t3hmyth, on 11/06/2008, -3/+28Do you believe that the current size of American government should be decreased?
richid, on 11/06/2008, -5/+29I cannot begin to explain my disappointment that this question is going to be asked to Gore. Nothing in the actual MIT study lays claim against anthropogenic climate change. The unknown increase in atmospheric methane and AGC are not mutually exclusive. The TGDaily "article" is an abomination and anyone who cites that as evidence is grasping at straws.
jeffko387, on 11/05/2008, -20/+44Do you have any plans to get back into politics, specifically as an advisor to President Obama?
andritchie, on 11/05/2008, -8/+31The internet, and more specifically sites like Digg, Twitter, and Facebook played a huge role in this years election. How do you think these factors swayed the election? And how is it different from when you ran in 2000?
nullcodes, on 11/05/2008, -5/+27Please let me answer this one on Al Gore's behalf. Response: "There is no study from MIT contradicting the claim. Always check the facts at the source and pair it with neutral analysis - be especially mindful when someone twists one or two studies whichmay not even be related to contradict mountains of other studies. Don't fall for spin. Next questiion please."

There is no such MIT study that contradicts the claim that global warming is manmade.
Here's a debunking of the recent propaganda twists and spin:

http://greenfyre.wordpress.com/2008/10/31/comforta ...
Ruqsaq, on 11/06/2008, -3/+24You have admitted to smoking pot in the past. Do you think you would be a better person if you had been arrested and prosecuted for such illegal activities? If so will you do jail time now, pay a fine, community service etc? If not, will you lobby to remove all punishment/consequences for current drug users?

doubt Rose has the balls to ask this one...
inactive, on 11/05/2008, -10/+31Solar energy as viewed as one of the forthcoming common infrastructures of the United States power grid and as well as a growing choice in private non-commercial use. What can be said though about the less than "green" process that goes into manufacturing solar cells?---is it okay to invest in such things which cause damage to the environment initially but have a benefit in the long run?
tke248, on 11/06/2008, -4/+25What type of transportation did you use to get here tonight?
AtraNoxVII, on 11/06/2008, -0/+20If Joe Biden seeks to limit freedom and enforce more regulation of the internet, will you stand up for net neutrality?
flyingclutchman, on 11/06/2008, -1/+21How do you feel about California's Prop 8?
911truthguy, on 11/06/2008, -11/+30Do you own or have any part in the global carbon credit bank, and does that constitute a conflict of interest to those interested in the truth about global warming?
XcentryK, on 11/06/2008, -2/+21EXCELSIOR!
Ruqsaq, on 11/06/2008, -1/+20I have a similar question:

You have admitted to smoking pot in the past. Do you think you would be a better person if you had been arrested and prosecuted for such illegal activities? If so will you do jail time now, pay a fine, community service etc? If not, will you lobby to remove all punishment/consequences for current drug users?
NYCEST124, on 11/05/2008, -23/+42If Barack Obama were to offer you a position dealing with the Environment and to lead the charge in clean energy would you accept it? Why or why not?
adameros, on 11/05/2008, -6/+25Often, during a recession or depression, countries turn to exploiting natural resources, at the expense of the environment, to get cheap raw materials to build industry up and recover from financial woes.

With the current recession and the threat global warming, do you see any overlaps where we could address both issues at once, or at least address the recession without resorting to tactics and technologies that increase pollution and further damage the environment?
Geek26, on 11/05/2008, -9/+27What are you hopes for the next four years of this country?
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