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    Morning Bell: The Green Graveyard of Taxpayer-Funded Failures

    Solar-cell manufacturer Solyndra became a household name when it collapsed, taking $627 million in American taxpayer dollars with it. It’s the poster company for the government picking winners and losers—or really, just losers—in the energy market. But there are 12 more “green energy” losers that have declared bankruptcy despite attempts … More

    “No More Solyndras Act” Shows Addiction to Energy Subsidies Is a Bipartisan Problem

    The latest political squabbling over the No More Solyndras Act is a reminder that politically entrenched energy subsidies enjoy bipartisan support. The No More Solyndras Act prohibits any new loan guarantees from Title XVII of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. For applications that are already under consideration or have … More

    Biomassive Energy Subsidies in Farm Bill

    The farm bill, which passed in the Senate yesterday, has little to do with farming and a lot to do with handouts. Energy subsidies? The farm bill’s full of ‘em, particularly in the Title IX energy section, and they all need to go. The legislation includes direct handouts and loan … More

    Bailed-out General Motors to Receive Another Wasteful Handout

    The Department of Energy is awarding $54 million for energy projects that should help manufacturing companies be more energy efficient. If your immediate response is, “If these technologies are going to lower a business’s costs, why aren’t they investing their own money?” then you’re asking the right question. Bailed-out General … More

    Obama’s All-of-the-above Energy Plan: Same Slogan, Different Version

    Both Republicans and Democrats love the “all-of-the-above” slogan, because they can make it mean pretty much anything they want. Democrats use it to support pet projects in their districts. Republicans do the same. Too often politicians use this popular motto when discussing energy policy, and too often they use it … More

    Morning Bell: Did You See the Senate’s Gas Price Sideshow?

    In case you missed it, there was quite a performance in the U.S. Senate yesterday. Liberals put on an election-year show, with the personal encouragement of President Barack Obama, in which they attempted to impose higher taxes on the oil industry as punishment for their profits while gas prices are … More

    A Crossroads for American Energy Policy

    Two of the amendments offered as attachments to the highway transportation bill are completely at odds with one another. Senator Debbie Stabenow’s (D–MI) amendment continues the status quo of government dependence, technological stagnation, and wasted taxpayer dollars by extending tax credits for a whole host of energy sources: wind, cellulosic … More

    Industry-Funded NATGAS Act Is Financial Fairy Dust

    Senate Democrats and Republicans are negotiating a number of amendments to attach to the highway transportation bill, including a possible vote on the NATGAS Act. The bi-partisan NATGAS Act provides a host of subsidies for producing and buying natural gas vehicles and refueling infrastructure. Similar legislation was introduced in the House … More

    End—Don’t Extend—the Wind Energy Tax Credit

    The Hill reports that a bipartisan group of Senators is urging lawmakers to extend the wind energy production tax credit, which is scheduled to expire by the end of this year. Congress should let the tax credit expire and offset the resulting tax hike with reductions elsewhere. The wind energy … More

    We Need Wind Subsidies Like We Need VHS Subsidies

    Remember VHS? Imagine this: VHS has been a staple of the American way of watching television and movies. VHS has supported countless manufacturing jobs, and even though there are better products out there, let’s face it: We need a variety of ways to watch our programs. The states and local … More