T. Boone Pickens: A fool with a plan

Questions for T. Boone Pickens - In the Air - Interview - NYTimes.com

As a Texas oilman and major contributor to the Republican Party, you’ve just launched yourself, at 80, into green stardom by devising an energy plan that relies mainly on wind power.
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Why do you think your energy plan is superior to others’ plans? My dad once said to me, “Son, a fool with a plan can beat a genius with no plan.” I’ve used that here in this plan that I have — I’m the only one with a plan. Nobody else has a plan.

What about President Bush’s plan? Just last month he lifted the executive ban on drilling for oil in offshore areas. Yeah, but that’s not going to fix our problem. I don’t call that a plan. You’ve got to cut the imports, because if you’re importing 70 percent of your oil, you have a security problem. Can you imagine how crippled the country would be if you had it cut off?

Your plan calls for harnessing the breezes in the wind corridor that runs from West Texas up to Canada. What about the two coasts? People don’t generally want it on the coast.

Because the wind turbines are massive eyesores? Yes, that’s what they believe.

A related excerpt from Newsweek:

But even Pickens isn't averse to the sort of NIMBY-ism that has impeded new energy infrastructure. "There are no turbines on my ranch, because I think they are ugly."