Inauguration Footprint--

If you've already seen these numbers, I apologize, but for those of you who haven't and who have been reading since we wrote a couple of columns on the subject, here they are:

25,320,000 pounds of CO2: The approximately 600 private jets who fly in for the festivities will generate

262,483,000 pounds of CO2: The personal vehicles being driven in for the occasion

400 pounds of CO2: footprint left by the horses in the parade

The total is expected to be about a half a billion pounds and the Institute for Liberty who compiles the figures says: "However, it would be very hypocritical for the scores of celebrities, VIPs and political elites to lecture on environmental policy to middle America and small businesses that are merely trying to survive in these difficult economic times, and then turn around and contribute to the half-billion pounds of emitted CO2."

If I hadn't seen Al Gore prancing around like the party animal he'd like to be, I would never have looked for this information, but the real frosting on the cake for the day then becomes: Thank God that Gore was not elected when he thought he should be President. Can you imagine how much worse a recession would be had a President Gore pushed through and signed the Kyoto Treaty? His avowed objective and others like him, including the new Energy Czar, is to have America back off production of products and energy use so the rest of the world can have more of the pie.

With an effectively one party system in place for at least the next four years, we must be ever vigilant and our personal duty will be to be aware of what is going on and get the word out. When Tip O'Neil said all politics is local, he was right. It is up to us to make our marks locally by informing the public through letters to the editor, call in shows, blogs and all the other internet tools available.

See ya....

After writing this I went to RightMichigan.com and suggest you do the same. Nick is right on and although I didn't leave a message on his blog I want to say that he is right on target and a hearty AMEN!