Recently at the Rio Grande Foundation, we have been working harder than ever to get our message out in the community and around the state. A particular emphasis of our work is to reach out to those in areas, like Deming, that are often forgotten by denizens of Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Recently, I had [...]
Read MoreCotton Pickens Wind Subsidies
T. Boone Pickens is a smart man. He’s made billions of dollars in the oil and gas industry and should be applauded for engaging in economically-productive behavior that has benefited all of us. Unfortunately, now Pickens is looking to make money in a less honorable way — by putting his hands in taxpayer pockets. Pickens [...]
Read More Energy and EnvironmentEye on New Mexico
If you missed today’s episode of “Eye on New Mexico,” I discussed the proposed arena/convention center expansion with UNM professor Kate Krause this morning. Video of the show is available here. Considering that she was supposed to be a supporter of the project, Krause certainly comes off as sharing my healthy skepticism of the proposed [...]
Read More Economics in FocusAl Gore and His Supporters Still Energy Hogs
I’ve recently blogged about Al Gore and his out-of-control energy usage — all while he tells the rest of us to eliminate our carbon footprints. At his recent speech, some folks from the free market advocacy group Americans for Prosperity talked to Gore supporters and questioned them for their own energy usage. Check the video [...]
Read More Energy and EnvironmentBig Gov Health Care
In case you haven’t heard, Governor Richardson has called for a special legislative session to begin on August 15. While the session was originally to be exclusively on the topic of health care, he has since broadened his agenda to include other issues including an economic stimulus known as the CARE Package. It is certainly [...]
Read More Health Care, UncategorizedBen Chavis NPR Interview
As previously mentioned on this blog, the Rio Grande Foundation and Educate New Mexico are hosting a free showing of the new film “Flunked” on July 31 in Albuquerque. Following the showing, Ben Chavis, the former administrator of the American Indian Charter School in Oakland, CA, will be presenting his ideas on education reform. Chavis [...]
Read More EducationQuestioning Mayor Marty’s Trolley
Although taxpayer activists managed to beat back previous efforts by the Mayor and many on City Council to put a $28 million a mile streetcar down Central, bad ideas never die. The Albuquerque streetcar is one that has recently resurfaced via a consultants report outlining how the project should, in their minds, move forward. View [...]
Read More TransportationOil and Gas Drilling and More
Today’s Albuquerque Journal front page included a silly headline “Oil, Gas Drilling Practices Questioned” that attempted to lead the casual reader to assume that oil and gas drillers are doing something wrong by choosing not to drill on certain leased federal lands. While the article goes on to explain that permitting and the lack of [...]
Read More Energy and EnvironmentRGF on Energy in the Alibi
The anti-modernity, anti-drilling environmentalists seem to have latched onto two basic strategies in opposing more domestic drilling and innovative energy exploration at home. First is to blame speculators for all of our problems. The other is that additional drilling won’t bring oil and gas prices down and therefore won’t solve our problems. Laura Sanchez makes [...]
Read More Energy and EnvironmentCoverage of RGF Comments at Arena/Hotel Town Hall
As mentioned in previous postings, I spoke at the New Mexico First town hall on the proposed taxpayer-financed arena and hotel in downtown Albuquerque. The event was covered in both the Albuquerque Journal and on KOB TV (article and video available).
Read More Economics in Focus