Topic: Energy

The New (Old) Threat of “Runaway Bureaucracy”

– July 27, 2023

“The notion of ‘independent’ agencies was a holdover conceit of the Progressive era—the FTC was founded in 1914—based on the idea that citizens were faced with large, concentrated forces they had no hope of dealing with, but which could be managed with the seraphic wisdom of benevolent experts.” ~ Michael Munger

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Sailing the Blue Sea? We’d Rather Propel Through…

– July 18, 2023

“Like many other witty machinations, environmentalist intentions to ‘overhaul’ transportation in international trade will not succeed, because it does not reduce costs or increase speed. ” ~ Luis Carlos Araujo Quintero

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The Spurious Efficiency of Dishwashers 

– June 2, 2023

“To economists, labor is a resource that is to be used efficiently, just like any other resource.” ~ James Hanley

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The Gas-Powered Banning Bandwagon: Why Politicians Should Leave Leaf Blowers Alone

– April 23, 2023

“Given that there is already a severe shortage of labor in the landscape sector, the concern won’t be over what equipment is being used, but rather who will even opt to use it.” ~ Kimberlee Josephson

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An All-Electric-Vehicle Industry? Really?

– April 7, 2023

“Our future with electric vehicles will have some unexpected bumps in the road, too. We see some already — problems getting critical materials, attracting consumers, building a national charging network. But at least we know the federal government will be with us.” ~ Jane Shaw Stroup

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Through the Eyes of Greed

– March 16, 2023

“Politicians don’t care whether oil companies are greedy, or altruistic, or neither. Politicians care about using oil companies as a smokescreen to hide from the voters’ wrath.” ~ Antony Davies

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The “New Study Finds” Approach to Overregulation

– February 13, 2023

“The distinction between correlation and causation is not important to those who want to expand governmental power. An aggressive bureaucracy needs only an affectation of justification for a regulation or ban already in the works.” ~ Jon Sanders

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Take Your Foot off the Gas

– January 22, 2023

“If environmental zealots in the Biden administration were to get their way, then something would have to answer the call for such a huge increase in electricity demand. Do they have an answer for this challenge?” ~ Jon Sanders

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The New-Normaling of Blackouts

– December 28, 2022

“Before, rolling blackouts were a California problem, then they also became a Texas problem. Blackouts are spreading faster than even Imperial College London modelers would find believable.” ~ Jon Sanders

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Reddy or Not, Winter Is Coming

– December 13, 2022

“Any time, but especially in the depths of the cold, electricity consumers must still be able to count on electricity ‘always there/with lots of power to spare’ as they have for 100 years.” ~ Jon Sanders

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There’s No Natural ‘Carrying Capacity’ for the Human Population: An Essay Inspired by the Happy News that the Human Population Has Reached Eight Billion

– November 30, 2022

“We don’t obtain resources from an existing stock created for us by nature, leaving fewer resources available for use tomorrow each time we withdraw some amount for our use today. Instead, resources are ultimately fruits of the human mind and effort.” ~ Donald J. Boudreaux

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