How Did Alaska Avoid the Resource Curse? Can Anyone Else Do So?
Dan made a useful point the other day about the possibility that increased energy production could yield a resource curse, i.e. an increase in unproductive and oligarchical rent-seeking when an economy becomes based upon resource extraction. One might add that this rent-seeking also tends to underdevelop a country's human capital, as it has in Saudi Arabia: a nation's leaders can simply buy off the population with partial rent payments instead of trying to make them an...
CONTINUE READINGRomney Versus Disaster Assistance
In assessing Romney's argument that disaster response should be a state or private responsibility, we should consider his record in Massachusetts. In his last year as governor, Romney refused to provide state assistance when major floods hit western Massachusetts., even though the state government had ample funds. Romney had already begun to run for President, and was frequently out of state. Here's what a local conservative newspaper had to say: It's been two months...
CONTINUE READINGKeynesian Mother Nature: The Case of Hurricane Sandy
My parents, my brother and his family are all getting ready to face Hurricane Sandy. Warned about the Storm's likely path, they have taken a series of precautions. My parents have stocked up on supplies and won't be leaving their 11th floor apartment for a day or two. They expect to lose electric power soon.Viewing this anticipated shock as a research lab, I have a few questions. Given that tens of millions of people will be exposed to this risk, how much can sel...
CONTINUE READINGRomney’s Opposition to Federal Emergency Assistance in Disasters
The federal role in disaster response dates back to the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, when General Funston sent troops from the Presidio to deal with the city's desperate emergency. Governor Romney seems dubious about this century-old federal role. During one of the GOP primary debates, Governor Romney was asked what he thought about the idea of transferring FEMA's responsibilities to the states. This is what he said: Absolutely. Every time you have an occasion to t...
CONTINUE READINGNew Climate Denial Talking Point!
Or at least one that I've never heard before. On Friday night, I was lucky enough to be the "left" in a local version of NPR's "Left, Right, and Center" with Matt Miller. We did it at my local synagogue, where Miller (and I) are members. The "right" was my old friend Larry Greenfield, who is a very good fellow in every way except for an insane world view (what can you do). One question centered on climate change. I emphasized the overwhelming scientific consens...
CONTINUE READINGThe Unintended Consequences of an Oil Boom
The idea of booming oil production sounds great, at least if you put aside environmental issues. For instance, in the current presidential race, one of the candidates has touted the advantages of becoming another Saudi Arabia. But economists seem to delight in telling us why something that sounds terrific will actually come back to bite us. In the case of an oil boom, there are actually two perverse effects that can impact a country. They're called the Dutch d...
CONTINUE READINGNaomi Klein on Geoengineering
Here is her NY Times piece and here is a direct quote: "Mr. George and his ocean-altering experiment provides an opportunity for public debate about an issue essentially absent during the election cycle: What are the real solutions to climate change? Wouldn’t it be better to change our behavior — to reduce our use of fossil fuels — before we begin fiddling with the planet’s basic life-support systems? Unless we change course, we can expect to hear many more rep...
CONTINUE READINGU.C. Davis Law School’s California Environmental Law & Policy Center Publishes Proposition 37 White Paper
The U.C. Davis School of Law’s California Environmental Law and Policy Center (CELPC) has published a new white paper examining California’s Proposition 37, formally titled “The California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act.” Proposition 37 is an initiative measure that will appear on California’s November 6th general election ballot. The U.C. Davis white paper, which can be accessed here, is entitled “California’s Proposition 37: A Legal &a...
CONTINUE READINGHow to Act Like a Windmill: Spin Quickly While Standing in One Place
1. Shawn McCoy, a spokesman for Romney’s Iowa campaign, told The Des Moines Register, “He will allow the wind credit to expire, end the stimulus boondoggles, and create a level playing field on which all sources of energy can compete on their merits. “ (July 31,2012 Wall Street Journal) 2. "We will support nuclear and renewables, but phase out subsidies once an industry is on its feet." ( E&E News today). He happened to be in Iowa, a swing state where the ...
CONTINUE READINGRomney verus Obama: Showdown at the Auto CAFE
Perhaps lost in the media focus on the Republican convention, the Obama Administration created CAFE standards two months ago. (CAFE stands for Corporate Average Fuel Economy, a fancy name for gas mileage rules.) Romney immediately attacked the rules. It's a very revealing - not to mention acrimonious -- dispute. According to the Administration, the new standards will save the average consumer about $8000 in fuel prices at an up-front cost of $2-3,000. As the N...
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