Jerry Taylor: Old vs. New (what would Bill Niskanen say?)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- April 1, 2015 9 Comments

Jerry Taylor has written a lawyer’s brief for climate alarmism and open-ended forced energy transformation via the tax code. Might he like to demolish his new ideas in a second White Paper–“The Libertarian Case Against ‘The Conservative Case for a Carbon Tax'”? It is in his head and can be put on paper–if his emotions can get out of the way.

The intellectual case for government control of greenhouse gas emissions–the all-in cause of the anti-industrial neo-Malthusians–has always been suspect, not unlike earlier man-versus-earth outcries. But climate alarm has become weaker since its heyday (1988–98) for several reasons.

First, temperature rise has slowed significantly in the last 18 years (the warming “pause” or “hiatus“). Second, sensitivity estimates have been coming down toward long-held “skeptic” levels. Third, “fat tail” extreme-warming scenarios for risk analysis are under  assault. …

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Cronyism vs. Kids: High School Solar in Georgia ($7.5+ million for $3.5 million)

By Benita Dodd -- March 17, 2015 3 Comments

“The $3.7 million system is projected to reduce power bills by $3.5 million over the 25-year lease agreement. Unfortunately, as PSC Commissioner Stan Wise pointed out, ‘By the end of the agreement, Dublin taxpayers will actually pay $7.5 million in SPLOST sales taxes for debt service, and this does not include other costs such as operations and maintenance and insurance.’”

Solyndra was a visible black eye for the Obama administration in 2011, when the solar panel manufacturer went bankrupt after taking in more than $500 million from taxpayers and private investors. Closer to home, the silence is deafening: Few even know of the failure of Mage Solar, a company that set up shop in Middle Georgia with great fanfare in 2011.

What started out as a Georgia Public Policy Foundation commentary (by me) to mark Sunshine Week (March 15-21), and the two-year anniversary of Dublin High School’s award-winning solar array, led to a trail of lofty projections, broken promises, unpaid bills, questionable math, and taxpayers left on the hook.…

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Senator Sullivan to Obama: Approve Keystone XL (maiden speech from new AK senator)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- March 16, 2015 2 Comments

“We built the 1,700 mile Alaska-Canadian Highway (ALCAN highway) through some of the world’s most rugged terrain in less than a year. We built the Empire State Building in 410 days; the Pentagon, we built it in 16 months. Mr. President, there is NO reason that Keystone should have been studied for six years.”

Mr. President, today I stand in support of the Keystone Pipeline Project.

As an Alaskan, I feel it’s important to talk about this bill and the importance of American energy infrastructure. I live in a state with one of the world’s largest pipelines. In 1973, after bitter debate, similar to the debate about Keystone, Congress passed a bill that led to the construction of the trans-Alaska pipeline system– what we in Alaska call TAPS.

It almost didn’t happen.…

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The Climate Debate: Ad Hominem Will Just Not Do

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- February 24, 2015 27 Comments

“It is time to welcome the good news about climate science–the exaggeration of warming and harm by too-hot climate models. It is past time to hurl ad hominem at those intellectuals who reject neo-Malthusians on theoretical and empirical grounds.”

“Ad hominem—is that all you got? I happen to hold my views because I believe in them. Is there something wrong with that?” Such was my response to a professor who complained about an opinion-page editorial I published in the Daily Oklahoman: “Rob Bradley: Is Sourcewatch wrong? We simple folks in Oklahoma just like to know who butters your bread.”

And another comment:

So no bias at there being your boss is Koch, huh? Sure. we TOTALLY believe you are not carrying water for the Koch brothers and that if you had a totally different opinion, you wouldn’t loose that kushy job… I have a bridge in Brooklyn you might be interested in.

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Not In Their Minds: Denial in the Wind/Health Debate

By Sherri Lange -- February 18, 2015 8 Comments Continue Reading

Cooling the Climate Models: Briggs, Legates, Monckton, Soon Go Simple

By Sterling Burnett -- February 9, 2015 No Comments Continue Reading

The ‘General Interest Effect’: Why the Free Market is a Hard Sell

By Roy Cordato -- February 6, 2015 No Comments Continue Reading

On That ‘Global Warming’ Blizzard

By Chip Knappenberger -- February 2, 2015 No Comments Continue Reading

Demand-Side Planning: Utility Rent-Seeking Meets Ecostatism

By Jim Clarkson -- January 29, 2015 No Comments Continue Reading

AWED Energy & Environmental Newsletter: January 26, 2015

By -- January 26, 2015 1 Comment Continue Reading