A Free-Market Energy Blog

Why We Fight (Part I: AEA is ‘Big Liberty,’ not ‘Big Oil’)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- April 2, 2012

[Editor Note: Tomorrow’s post,”A Free Market Energy Vision,” explains the philosophy behind the Institute for Energy Research/American Energy Alliance.]

The New York Times is upset with “Big Oil,” including the advocacy group American Energy Alliance (AEA). This is evident in their Saturday opinion-page editorial, Big Oil’s Bogus Campaign, subtitled “Industry spends heavily to preserve tax breaks and blame Mr. Obama for rising gas prices.”

What is the philosophy behind AEA, what are the Times’s complaints, and what is a free-market response?

American Energy Alliance

The American Energy Alliance is the C4 (advocacy) arm of the C3 (educational) Institute for Energy Research. I am founder and CEO of IER.

AEA’s “About” section on its website reads as follows:

Founded in May, 2008, The American Energy Alliance (“AEA”) is a not-for-profit organization that engages in grassroots public policy advocacy and debate concerning energy and environmental policies.

Continue Reading

Rocket Science is the Easy Part: How Government has Grounded Space Propulsion

By Deborah Sloan -- March 30, 2012

“The Apollo moon landing was 42 years ago, and at the time many Americans thought it only a matter of time before they made their way to the next frontier. Is it simply that the problem of space travel is too difficult technologically? No–it’s that government policy has made it too difficult politically.”

Ever floated through space, 200 miles above the earth’s surface at a comfortable cruising speed of 17,500 miles per hour, while watching the earth whirl beneath you in a full revolution every 90 minutes?

Ever stood on the surface of the moon and gazed at the tiny blue-green ball where you had spent most of your life, nearly 240 thousand miles away?

Neither have I. To date, only a handful of super-wealthy individuals, paying enormous sums of money, have experienced the thrill of a trip into low earth orbit.…

Continue Reading

'Human Achievement Hour': Leave the Lights On and Celebrate this Saturday March 31st

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- March 29, 2012

“During Human Achievement Hour, enjoy the benefits of capitalism and human innovation. To celebrate participants need only to spend the 8:30pm to 9:30pm hour on March 31 enjoying the benefits of free enterprise and human innovation: gather with friends in the warmth of a heated home, watch television, take a hot shower, drink a beer, call a loved one on the phone, or listen to music.”

The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) is a feisty bunch. Their global warming realism team of Marlo Lewis, Myron Ebell, Chris Horner, and William Yeatman is crack.

And really, who would you rather have a beer with: Marlo Lewis or that guy Joe Romm over at Climate Progress? Heck, Marlo might bring his Mandolin and Old Town Tradition band to entertain you!

I think we win the ‘good guys’ award in the highly contentious global warming debate, not only the intellectual case for climate livability and public policy inactivism.…

Continue Reading

'Wind Farm Realities' Website

By Wayne Gulden -- March 28, 2012
Continue Reading

"More of the Above" Energy Policy

By Lance Brown -- March 27, 2012
Continue Reading

Oil Obama: Political Misdirection (remember Al Gore in 2000)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- March 26, 2012
Continue Reading

Diminished Climate Alarmism: Lessons from L'Affair Heartland

By Robert Murphy -- March 23, 2012
Continue Reading

Solar is Not An Infant Industry (Part II: Twentieth Century)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- March 22, 2012
Continue Reading

Solar is Not an Infant Industry (Part I–Pre-Twentieth Century)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- March 21, 2012
Continue Reading

U.S. Has 60+ Times the Oil Reserves Claimed by Obama

By E. Calvin Beisner -- March 20, 2012
Continue Reading