Did you know Al Gore is a backer?

Obama backers are getting rich on green causes

Over the holidays, the New York Times reported: “Fisker Automotive is recalling all 239 of its 2012 Karma luxury plug-in hybrid cars because of a fire hazard.”

Not mentioned in the report was the fact that the Obama administration had given this tiny car company a Solyndra-sized loan of $529 million. Banks loans the money with the understanding that if the company flops, taxpayers will repay the loan. That Fisker received a loan at all was odd, since Fisker builds its cars in Uusikaupunki, Finland. But the Wall Street Journal reported that Al Gore is a backer of Fisker. That may explain why the Obama administration approved the loan.

To be fair, its competitor in the electric/hybrid luxury cars is Tesla. It received a $465 million loan from the Obama administration to make cars in Britain. Tesla was co-founded by Elon Musk, a frequent donor to the Obama campaign and a critic of Republicans for what he calls “NASA pork.” Musk also founded SpaceX, which received a $75 million under a NASA program to develop commercial spacecraft. Republicans want to cut funding to this program.

Both Tesla and Fisker are headquartered in California.

I mentioned Solyndra. Billionaire George Kaiser and his tax-exempt family foundation own about 37 percent of it. Solyndra was the showcase for President Obama’s efforts to create 2 million green jobs. It made solar panels and received a $535 million loan from the Obama administration. The company went bust this summer, which put more than 1,000 people out of work. Taxpayers likely will eat that loan.

I should mention that Kaiser was a bundler — a man who raised hundreds of thousands for Obama’s campaign in 2008. He also made 16 trips to the White House before the deal was sealed, although he denies he participated in any loan discussions.

Alternative energy is one of the best boondoggles going. Who can be against saving the planet and creating 2 million green jobs? This beats defense contracting by miles. The green company does not have to produce a thing for the government.

Apparently recharging electric cars can involve a fire hazard. Besides the Karma, the Chevy Volt has had recharging fires. My take on electric cars is that if Thomas Edison could not get them to work, no one can. But if Al Gore wants to spend his money chasing this idea down the wind, let him. He shouldn’t do it with our money.

One more thing: While the federal government is demanding that appliances operate with less electricity and phasing out the incandescent light bulb (which Edison did get to work) in the name of saving electricity, why is the government working to increase demand for electricity by throwing billions at luxury electric car companies?

I would rather stick with the light bulb I have and a gasoline-powered automobile.

Besides, if I trade in my Mustang for a Tesla Roadster or Fisker Karma, won’t I be increasing my carbon footprint by using so much more electricity from the coal-fired John Amos plant?

In May 2010, President Obama visited the Solyndra plant in California.

“The promise of clean energy isn’t just an article of faith — not anymore,” Obama said at the time. “The future is here.”

I guess that means America’s future is in bankruptcy court.