Tim Phillips, president of Americans for Prosperity, discusses what he says are negative economic impacts of Al Gore's views on global warming Friday before a hot air balloon launch in Nashville.
Global warming skeptics launch air attack on Gore
Hot air balloon sent over his Belle Meade home
By RACHEL STULTS
A 70-foot-tall hot air balloon was launched and sent floating toward the Belle Meade home of former Vice President Al Gore Friday, emblazoned with large, white letters that read: "Global Warming Alarmism: Lost Jobs, Higher Taxes, Less Freedom."
The launch and flight over Gore's home was part of the national "Hot Air Tour," organized by the libertarian group Americans for Prosperity. Its aim was to point out what the organizers describe as the folly of concern over global warming.
But the flight of the big red balloon was not without incident, including what one park official described as a bit of chicanery on the part of the organizers.
The launch originally was supposed to take place at nearby Warner Park. But Friday morning, organizers were told they were running afoul of a Metro Parks ordinance prohibiting hot air balloon launches from any Metro park, and they scrambled to find another site, the backyard of a home at the corner of Sneed and Vaughn roads.
Organizers said the permit, which was obtained Wednesday, was revoked "under mysterious circumstances" and called the withdrawal a "politicized decision."
But Metro Parks Director Roy Wilson said the group misrepresented their plans when applying for a permit, omitting the fact that they would be launching from the park.
The request for the permit stated the event would be a small gathering of citizens and families to educate taxpayers on current bills being debated in Congress regarding energy and spending, and that the event was being promoted by word of mouth.
The application also stated the group would offer tethered hot air balloon rides, but did not mention any kind of launch.
Wilson said a legitimate launch would have required park board approval, but the permit was also revoked because the group intentionally misrepresented its plans.
"There were people who wanted to make sure this event didn't go off as planned, and I'm very proud it was able to go off despite the change of venue," said Drew Johnson, president of Tennessee Center for Policy Research, a libertarian think tank that partnered in the launch. "There have been a lot of attempts to quiet us in our findings about global warming alarmism so it's not surprising it would happen to this event.''
Organizers cited cap-and-trade systems used to limit pollution by providing economic incentives for reductions in emissions — a system they say will ultimately drive up prices for consumers and infringe upon American freedoms.
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