Environment

The real free lunch: Markets and private property
29
Jul
By Bob Weeks

The real free lunch: Markets and private property

As we approach another birthday of Milton Friedman, here's his article where he clears up the authorship of a famous aphorism, and explains how to really get a free lunch. Based on remarks at the banquet celebrating the opening of the Cato Institute’s new building, Washington, May 1993. I am delighted to be here on the occasion of the opening of the Cato headquarters. It is a beautiful building and a real tribute to the intellectual influence of Ed Crane and his associates. I have sometimes been associated with the aphorism “There’s no such thing as a free lunch,” which…
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13
Feb
By Guest Author

Who decides? When it comes to planning, is it the people, the politicians, or the bureaucrats?

By Karl Peterjohn, Sedgwick County Commission The Wichita Eagle editorial page is unhappy with the county commission’s decision to terminate the county’s participation in the federal government’s “sustainability planning grant.” When this controversial grant was first voted upon by the county in 2010, it was rejected by a vote of three to two. This also led the county to withdraw from the Regional Economic Area Partnership (REAP). In 2011, a new county commission reversed this decision and decided to participate in this joint federal grant from three often controversial national agencies: Housing and Urban Development, Environmental Protection Agency, and Department…
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Wichita geologist sees problems with city water plan
16
Oct
By Guest Author

Wichita geologist sees problems with city water plan

The following was written by local geologist Karma Mason, who also serves on the State Water Board. What are the implications of moving forward with a rushed, poor plan? Mason explains what Wichita voters should consider as they vote in the proposed one cent per dollar sales tax. $250 million of the projected $400 million five-year sales tax is earmarked for a new water supply. Over the past year, the city of Wichita has evaluated potential new water supply options. Recently, the city revealed enhancement of the aquifer storage and recovery project (ASR) as the preferred new supply. Although ASR…
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Voice for Liberty Radio: Hydraulic fracturing: A conjured-up controversy?
09
Aug
By Bob Weeks

Voice for Liberty Radio: Hydraulic fracturing: A conjured-up controversy?

In this episode of Voice for Liberty Radio: Dwight D. Keen is former chairman of the Kansas Independent Oil and Gas Association. He spoke to the Wichita Pachyderm Club on the topic "Hydraulic Fracturing: A Conjured-up Controversy" on August 8, 2014. In the shownotes for this episode you can find the link to the short video that was shown as part of his talk. Also, you will find links to the handouts he distributed. Here's Dwight Keen at the Wichita Pachyderm Club on August 8, 2014. Shownotes Link to video shown during the presentation: Hydraulic Fracturing Handout: A fluid situation:…
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For Rep. Tiahrt, Cash for Clunkers was a good spending program
28
Jul
By Bob Weeks

For Rep. Tiahrt, Cash for Clunkers was a good spending program

When the Obama Administration needed additional funds for the Cash for Clunkers program, Todd Tiahrt was agreeable to funding this wasteful program. As summarized by the Congressional Research Service: "Makes emergency supplemental appropriations of $2 billion for FY2009 and FY2010 to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the Department of Transportation (DOT) for the Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Program (Cash for Clunkers Program)." This bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 316 to 109. Among House Republicans, the vote was 78 to 95 in favor of passage. Todd Tiahrt was one of the…
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24
Jul
By Bob Weeks

Wichita’s vampires and monsters

In this excerpt from WichitaLiberty.TV: The City of Wichita urges citizens to take steps to stop "vampire" power waste. But before hectoring people to introduce inconvenience to their lives in order to save small amounts of electricity, the city should tackle the real monsters of its own creation. Originally broadcast June 29, 2014. View below, or click here to view at YouTube. For more on this issue, see "Forget the vampires. Let’s tackle the real monsters."
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Examining Wichita’s water future
02
Jul
By Bob Weeks

Examining Wichita’s water future

From Kansas Policy Institute. A proposal before the Wichita City Council would raise the sales tax in the city by 1% to fund several projects. The biggest piece of the proposal would be to fund additional water capacity for users of the city water system. On Thursday 17 July, come hear from the City of Wichita and others on the scope of the problems, possible solutions, and the perspectives of several experts in the debate. Click here to register for this event. Date: Thursday 17 July When: 7:30 a.m. registration and 8:00 a.m. start to presentations Where: Wichita State University…
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Forget the vampires. Let’s tackle the real monsters.
21
Jun
By Bob Weeks

Forget the vampires. Let’s tackle the real monsters.

Public service announcements on Facebook and Wichita City Channel 7 urge Wichitans to take steps to stop "vampire" power waste. But before hectoring people to introduce inconvenience to their lives in order to save small amounts of electricity, the city should tackle the real monsters of its own creation. People are probably vaguely aware that many modern electrical and electronic devices consume electricity even when switched off. One source estimates that a cell phone charger consumes 0.26 watts of electrical power even when a phone is not plugged in. While in sleep mode, a flat panel computer display consumes 1.39…
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05
Jun
By Bob Weeks

Misguided faith

A big "thank you" to Mike Smith for his rebuttal to an op-ed printed in today's Wichita Eagle. In the commentary, which was signed by more than 60 members of the clergy from across the state, the writer states: "As people of faith, we believe it is our moral responsibility to care for all that has been entrusted to us." I think the moral responsibility of people of faith is to refrain from telling lies. And while we're at it, people of faith should stop using the coercive power of government to force others to conform to their prescriptions for…
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