Competitive Enterprise Institute Won't Compete

You probably haven't heard of the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), and, if I weren't so easily amused by self-important goofballs, it would probably be best to keep it that way. They're one of those "think tanks" that are simply an over-staffed group blog - a group of like-minded cranks who passionately want to think they are influential, but whose influence is measured by statements nobody paid any attention to. Their history page acknowledges that they haven't done anything noteworthy since 2006, when George Will mentioned a failed lawsuit they had used to clog up our courts.

It's attention they want, and I ought not to reward them with the bright light of instant celebrity that comes with a mention on Gone Mild.

But they issued a challenge yesterday that was so pathetic in its delusional self-importance that it truly amused me. They issued a press release (picked up by nobody but me, I'd wager) offering Al Gore $500 "together with the proceeds of a world-wide email pledge-a-dollar drive" if Gore would engage in a global-warming debate with "Lord" Monckton. "Lord" Monckton is an English guy who got his "Lordship" from his Dad, and is running around telling people that Obama is going to sign a treaty in December imposing Global Communism.

Let's face it - Al Gore is a wealthy man. You'd expect that a "think (sic) -tank" on Competitive Enterprises would come up with a more competitive enterprise than a $500 check and a pig in a poke when seeking the attention of a multi-millionaire and very busy person like Al Gore.

I responded in kind by email, and I hereby repeat my challenge on the internet. I hereby challenge "Lord" Monckton to a debate on whether gravity really exists, and I offer him $10 to come to Kansas City and debate me.

In response to my competitive challenge, I heard from the General Counsel of the CEI. He refused to take me up on my challenge, but instead attached two articles by someone other than "Lord" Monckton questioning the science of global climate change. Seemed like a pretty pathetic dodge to me.

Undeterred, I hereby challenge "Lord" Monckton care to come to Kansas City and debate those two articles with me, and I offer the same $10 as bait.

For good measure, I also offered the General Counsel of the CEI a buck to come to Kansas City and debate the intellectual integrity of "Lord" Monckton (who has previously argued for quarantine of all persons with the HIV virus, together with mandatory universal annual HIV testing). I couldn't justify offering the full $10 for that one, since. let's face it, the debate wouldn't last very long.

Will the Competitive Enterprise Institute compete?