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Stop the Obama Aministration War on Coal
Tweet Share on Facebook September 21, 2012 CommentThomas J. Pyle is the president of the Institute for Energy Research.
For nearly four years, the Obama administration has directed an aggressive regulatory assault on American families, pumping billions of taxpayer dollars into failed renewable energy industries while actively harming the domestic coal industry. This war on coal—which is conducted by environmental extremists and bureaucrats who have publicly supported the "crucifixion" of fossil fuel industries—must be stopped. Defending America's most abundant source of affordable energy and protecting thousands of jobs is essential to our economic recovery and strengthening our position in the global market.
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Oil Markets Dismiss Attacks on U.S. Embassies
Tweet Share on Facebook September 19, 2012 CommentGregg Laskoski is a senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy.com
It was only one week ago that we learned of the slaying of U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens; Sean Smith, an information officer; and two U.S. Marines during an attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya. Eight other Americans were wounded. Stevens was the first U.S diplomat to die in the line of duty since 1979 and the assault came on the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 al Qaeda terrorist attack on the United States.
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Obama Should Waive the Ethanol Mandate
Tweet Share on Facebook September 13, 2012 CommentThomas Pyle is the president of the Institute for Energy Research.
When President Barack Obama was elected, we knew that—based on his previous public statements—we probably wouldn't agree with him on many energy issues. For example, President Obama was on record stating that electricity prices would "necessarily skyrocket" as a result of his plan to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. But if there was one issue where there was the potential for agreement with then-Senator Obama, it was that the renewable fuels standard was bad policy.
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The Costs and Benefits of Congress's Proposed Energy Policies
Tweet Share on Facebook September 13, 2012 CommentPete Sepp is executive vice president of the National Taxpayers Union.
What's the price of American energy policy? The answer to that question may not be clear-cut, but the nation's taxpayers must keep asking it of their elected officials. Fortunately, they need not depend solely on politicians' words for some solid clues about whether various energy proposals in Congress would improve the government's balance sheet or make it worse. Recently I asked my colleagues at National Taxpayers Union Foundation, the research and educational arm of National Taxpayers Union, to provide some perspective, courtesy of the foundation's BillTally system.
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U.S. Needs a Concrete Energy Policy to Remain Competitive Globally
Tweet Share on Facebook September 5, 2012 CommentGregg Laskoski is a senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy.com
With hurricanes, political conventions, and gasoline prices capturing American media and consumer attention, it would be understandable if you somehow missed a rather dense report from the World Economic Forum that assesses global competitiveness by comparing the "industry, infrastructure, labor market efficiency," and economic performances of nations large and small.
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Congress Must Address Ethanol Mandates in Farm Bill
Tweet Share on Facebook August 28, 2012 CommentPete Sepp is executive vice president of the National Taxpayers Union.
Taxpayers already have many reasons to oppose farm program reauthorization legislation currently worming its way through Congress. Actually, close to a trillion reasons: the multi-year price tags of both the House and Senate versions (including their provisions for entitlement programs like food stamps) approach one trillion dollars each. Yet there are other grounds for objection to these bills, owing to their close connection with energy policy. That link, unfortunately, leaves taxpayers, consumers, and food providers in an increasingly difficult bind due to drought conditions across a wide swath of America.
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The Real Reason Obama's EPA Targets Oil, Coal, and Natural Gas
Tweet Share on Facebook August 23, 2012 CommentDaniel Kish is senior vice president at the Institute for Energy Research.
Indicative of today's ideological schism over energy policy, Democratic Sen. Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia recently lectured the coal industry and his coal-mining constituents to embrace "a sustainable future … [and] stop denying science." Translation: Stop whining, side with climate alarmists, and support the Obama administration's coal-killing agenda.
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Iran Saber-Rattling Could Keep Gas Prices Rising
Tweet Share on Facebook August 22, 2012 CommentGregg Laskoski is a senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy.com
Whether there's good news or bad news, either way it seems to work against American consumers where oil and gasoline prices are concerned. All we can do is provide context that will do one of three things: (1) inform sufficiently so that patience prevails; (2) incur contempt and frustration; or (3) inspire indifference. We're shooting for No. 1 to help everyone roll with the punches.
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The Oil and Gas Industry Fuels the Economy, Not Just Our Cars
Tweet Share on Facebook August 16, 2012 CommentPete Sepp is executive vice president of the National Taxpayers Union.
Just days after presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney announced that Rep. Paul Ryan was his choice for running mate on the Republican presidential ticket, the candidates from both major parties hit the campaign trail in greater earnest. One of the first issues they stressed was America's energy policy.
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India Blackout Shows Government Failures in Energy Policy
Tweet Share on Facebook August 13, 2012 CommentMichael Lynch is the president and director of global petroleum service at Strategic Energy & Economic Research.
Aside from hearing "On, Wisconsin!" played thousands of times, the choice of Paul Ryan as a vice presidential nominee means a revival of the old debate between big government and minimal government, as usual with Democrats supporting the former and Republicans the latter. Well, kind of, or at least rhetorically. Republicans in recent years have too often honored their commitments for small government as they have fiscal rectitude: in the breach. Democrats vary their approach with budget realities (mostly). Addressing this issue has already taken books, but let me make a small effort to clarify one aspect.
