Environment Archives - Page 2 of 21 Voice For Liberty

May

Renewables portfolio standard bad for Kansas economy, people

A law that forces Kansans to buy expensive electricity is not good for the state and its people. A report submitted to the Kansas House Standing Committee on Energy and Environment in 2013 claims the Kansas economy benefits from the state's Renewables Portfolio Standard, but an economist presented testimony rebutting the key points in the report. RPS is a law that requires the state's electricity utilities to generate or purchase a certain portion of their electricity from renewable sources, which in Kansas is almost all wind. An argument in favor of wind energy requirementy from the Polsinelli Shugart law firm…

Cronyism is welfare for rich and powerful, writes Charles G. Koch

Apr

By Bob Weeks

Cronyism is welfare for rich and powerful, writes Charles G. Koch

"The central belief and fatal conceit of the current administration is that you are incapable of running your own life, but those in power are capable of running it for you. This is the essence of big government and collectivism." That's Charles G. Koch writing in the Wall Street Journal. The article is Charles Koch: I'm Fighting to Restore a Free Society, and is available to read without subscription or payment. In the article, Koch explains his involvement in public affairs: Far from trying to rig the system, I have spent decades opposing cronyism and all political favors, including mandates,…

WichitaLiberty.TV: For whose benefit are elections, school employment, wind power, unions, unemployment

Mar

By Bob Weeks

WichitaLiberty.TV: For whose benefit are elections, school employment, wind power, unions, unemployment

In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: The controversy over the timing of city and school board elections provides an insight into government. Then: Can a candidate for governor’s claims about Kansas school employment be believed? Wind power is expensive electricity, very expensive. A Wichita auto dealer pushes back against union protests. Finally, what is the real rate of unemployment in America? Episode 36, broadcast March 23, 2014. View below, or click here to view at YouTube.

Mar

By Bob Weeks

Why would the Washington Post do this?

John Hinderaker of Powerline reports on "sheer misinformation" found in a Washington Post newspaper story concerning Koch Industries, Canadian oil sands, and the Keystone pipeline. The article, The biggest lease holder in Canada’s oil sands isn’t Exxon Mobil or Chevron. It’s the Koch brothers, is authored by Steven Mufson and Juliet Eilperin. Hinderaker concludes: Why would the Washington Post embarrass itself by republishing a thoroughly discredited attempt to link the Koch brothers to the Keystone Pipeline? Because that is a Democratic Party talking point, and the Post is a Democratic Party newspaper. But the truth is a little worse than…

Mar

By Bob Weeks

Are you worried about global warming?

To the extent that global temperatures are rising, and the extent that mankind is the cause, we should be concerned about global warming. Climate change I meant to say, please excuse me. It's no wonder that the term global warming has been replaced by climate change. As the following two charts show, the models that are in common use by climate scientists have predicted rising temperatures, but actual observations of temperatures have not conformed to predictions. Temperatures have been level in recent years. Here's a simplified chart of the temperatures predicted by climate scientists compared to actual temperatures. A more…

Feb

By Bob Weeks

Wichita planning documents hold sobering numbers

This week the City of Wichita held a workshop where the Community Investments Plan Steering Committee delivered a progress report to the city council. The documents hold information that ought to make Wichitans think, and think hard. The amounts of money involved are large, and portions represent deferred maintenance. That is, the city has not been taking care of the assets that taxpayers have paid for. The time frame of this planning process is the period 2013 to 2035. Under the heading "Trends & Challenges" we find some troubling information. Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer hinted at the problem last year…

American economy is more competitive and carbon-efficient, says economist

Feb

By Bob Weeks

American economy is more competitive and carbon-efficient, says economist

The oil and gas boom in America boosts our competitiveness in the world economy while at the same time reducing carbon emissions, says economist Stephen Moore. Moore recently left the Wall Street Journal to accept a position at Heritage Foundation as chief economist. He presented to an audience at a conference titled "The Tax & Regulatory Impact on Industry, Jobs & The Economy, and Consumers" produced by the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity. A large portion of his presentation was on energy and its important role in the economy, and how radical environmentalists -- the "green" movement --…

Economic freedom, the key to improving lives

Feb

By Bob Weeks

Economic freedom, the key to improving lives

Economic freedom, in countries where it is allowed to thrive, leads to better lives for people as measured in a variety of ways. This is true for everyone, especially for poor people. This is the message presented in a short video based on the work of the Economic Freedom of the World report, which is a project of Canada's Fraser Institute. Four years ago Robert Lawson, one of the authors of the Economic Freedom of the World report, lectured in Wichita on this topic. The current video is made possible by the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation. One of the…

Oct

By Bob Weeks

Economic freedom improves our lives

Economic freedom, in countries where it is allowed to thrive, leads to better lives for people as measured in a variety of ways. This is true for everyone, especially for poor people. This is the message presented in a short video based on the work of the Economic Freedom of the World report, which is a project of Canada's Fraser Institute. Two years ago Robert Lawson, one of the authors of the Economic Freedom of the World report, lectured in Wichita on this topic. The current video is made possible by the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation. One of the…

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…