Why Pickens' Plan Is No Surprise

Who's supposed to love Boone Pickens and who's supposed to hate him? This is no longer simple; he's breaking rules and it's frankly a little too taxing for those of us who would prefer to lump people into Green or Not Green.

As Dealbreaker points out, it is simply thrilling that a former oil man would be pushing alternative energies. Titillating. Intoxicating.

They then link to Tim Carney's story on just why oh why T. Boone Pickens might be pushing for a subsidized wind power plan. To wit, an excerpt from the delightfully-titled "Shocking! Windmill owner wants subsidies!:"

WASHINGTON (Map, News) - Would a major newspaper editorialize with surprise that "even Kraft Foods says we need to eat more macaroni and cheese"? Would guests on The McLaughlin Group get away with saying that "even Budweiser is lobbying for more beer consumption"?

Then why do talking heads and journalists exclaim with surprise that "even T. Boone Pickens" is lobbying for greater U.S. reliance on wind power? Don't they know he owns the largest wind farm in the world?

The "Pickens Plan," the legendary oilman's public relations and lobbying blitz billed as a way to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, has its virtues and its flaws, but it should be presented in an honest light -- a billionaire heavily invested in currently unprofitable (without subsidies) wind power wants the government to further subsidize, mandate or otherwise help wind power be more profitable.

Read the full story here

-OR-

::Catch up with other billionaires.