This essay originally appeared as a blog post on TheAtlantic.com on May 22, 2012. Thanks to Megan (McArdle) for inviting me to spend some time over here. As she mentioned, much of my work focuses on environmental law and policy. I also do a fair amount on “administrative law” more generally (aka the law governing administrative […]
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Here is a true, empirical, generalization about people’s understanding of political economy: when well intended, smart, honest, and alert individuals observe government’s operation over time, they eventually separate hopes for reform from expectations regarding outcomes. They develop an intuitive understanding of Public Choice economics. Here’s what they often see: when government expands beyond the limited […]
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I’ve had the great good fortune to meet and work with some of America’s nicest and most highly respected public intellectuals. These people have a mission, to advance human freedom and well-being. They do so through their knowledge of human propensities and ambitions. They work to understand society’s organization and coordination and then explain it […]
Read MoreAs we approach the 42nd Earth Day, environmental data accumulates and wisdom grows, however unevenly. Most measures of America’s environmental quality show major improvement, notably air and water pollution. The increasing plenty of natural resources is also something to celebrate. Environmentalism has become many people’s preferred religion. It’s unseemly to criticize people’s faith but this […]
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The 1973 Yom Kippur War pitting Israel against Syria and Egypt motivated an Arab petroleum boycott, instigating congressional passage of the 1975 Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards. Known by its acronym, CAFE, the program does not mandate that every car sold in the United States be parsimonious but defines an average that each manufacturer’s cars […]
Read MoreBozeman is nationally recognized for being first on many dimensions, best retirement town for active people, best ski town, exemplar of civic culture, and more. It’s also the founding epicenter of “Free Market Environmentalism” (FME). This disciplined, analytic approach to conservation and environmental management has captured the intellectual high ground. However, despite its success […]
Read MoreAs the upcoming elections draw closer, let me make three predictions that I personally guarantee. First, they will set a record as being the most expensive ever, even accounting for inflation. Second, all the usual do-gooders and reformers will complain that this money undermines “democracy” and something must be done. Third, all efforts to curtail […]
Read MoreEach January, my colleagues and I design FREE’s summer seminars. We select and refine topics, then identify speakers, and finally invite participants. These tasks are easy when creating programs explicitly for federal judges. There are only a thousand and we know exactly who they are. All know us directly or have colleagues who have attended […]
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FREE just completed a conference for religious leaders, “The Environmental Economics of Creation Stewardship.” Participants came from a dozen states and even more denominations. All agreed we are indeed blessed to live here. Hiking, riding, and rafting near Gallatin Gateway testify to an environment worth conserving. And this is a great place to learn how […]
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We recently joined friends in exploring unused railroad lines in northern Idaho. This is part of my new research project on the economic and cultural history of a changing West. The “rails to trails” concept has the potential to counter fiscal constraints. The conversion of railroad rights of way to bike trails illustrates creative and […]
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