Worried About Climate Change? Promote Free Markets!
by Todd Wynn
Every day more and more Americans are growing skeptical of the climate change doomsday claims and plans to ration energy through cap-and-trade type proposals. Despite this, many environmentalists still claim that far-reaching government intervention is needed to achieve greater energy efficiency and lower greenhouse gas emissions to reduce the threat of global warming. Although there has been no statistically significant global warming since at least 1995, the same groups often claim economic growth and lack of comprehensive environmental regulations have created a society that wastes energy and pays no regard to greenhouse gas emissions. But what if less energy use and lower greenhouse gas emissions are a byproduct of limited government and economic freedom? What if environmentalists’ goals can be reached by freer markets and prosperity? Recent Cascade Policy Institute research shows that very phenomenon.
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by Steve Buckstein
The Downside of Measure 68
At first glance, Measure 68 on this year’s Oregon Primary election ballot seems harmless enough. It would allow school districts to borrow money for capital improvements, including “land and other assets associated with acquisition, construction, improvement, remodeling, maintenance and repair.” The measure also would allow the state to borrow money and to match bonds approved by local voters.
Southern Oregon Senator Doug Whitsett worries that Measure 68 will enable the state, in effect, to max out its credit card more easily than it can now. With the state facing huge financial pressures in the next biennium, he is concerned that we may be “…one little disaster away from not having any credit rating at all.”
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Florida Steps Up Their School Choice Scholarship Program
By Kathryn Hickok
On April 9 the Florida legislature passed a major expansion of one of the nation’s prominent school choice programs, Step Up for Students. This program provides scholarships to Florida children from low-income families to attend a private school or an out-of-district public school, whether or not their local public school is judged by the government to be “succeeding” or “failing.” . . . Read more!
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by Karla Kay Edwards
Click here for a printable version of this QuickPoint!
Statewide Open Houses Promote a Water Future for Oregon
Water is an economic driver in all communities. Taking a hard look at Oregon’s water resources and today’s economic, social and ecological demands is important. Most surface waters are fully allocated in the summertime. In many areas groundwater basins face diminishing supplies.
Economic Freedom: A No Regrets Strategy for Reducing Global Energy Consumption
A new report from Todd Wynn of Cascade Policy Institute
Summary:
This empirical study exposes a relationship between greenhouse gas intensity, energy intensity and economic freedom. The level of a country’s economic freedom is a statistically significant and negative determinant of both energy intensity and greenhouse gas intensity. Countries with higher levels of economic freedom not only have more energy efficient and less carbon intensive economies, but over time these countries continue to decrease the amount of energy used and the amount of carbon dioxide emitted per unit of production. The merits of free markets and economic prosperity should not be overlooked as a potential method for reducing carbon emissions.
