Public Policy about EnergY

Encouraging alternatives to Fossil Fuel-s seems like a good idea, but my perception is that Jimmy Carter's SynFuel-s initiative just pissed away lots of money.

Should taxes on Fossil Fuel-s be increased? On what basis?

Dick Cheney [Energy Task Force]/Energy Industry controversy

Regarding plan released publicly in May 2001.

http://www.house.gov/reform/min/inves_energy/energy_cheney.htm

http://foi.missouri.edu/execprivilege/gaosuit.html U.S. District Court Judge [John Bates] said the lawsuit filed by Comptroller General [David Walker] against the vice president is an unprecedented act that raises serious Separation Of Powers issues between the executive and legislative branches of government. "No court has ever before granted what the comptroller general seeks," wrote Bates, an appointee of President George W Bush... In courtroom arguments in September, Deputy Solicitor General [Paul Clement] of the Justice Department said Congress has other ways to seek the information other than relying on the GAO. Congress could subpoena them or seek information through the appropriations process, said Clement.

• the GAO chose not to appeal Bates' decision. Despite GAO's conviction that the District Court's decision was incorrect, further pursuit of the [NEPDG] information would require investment of significant time and resources over several years. At the same time, several private litigants are attempting to obtain much of the same information GAO has been seeking, and this information will be made available to GAO if they are successful in their cases.

  • [Henry Waxman] was not happy with this decision. When there is one-party control of both the White House and Us Congress, there is only one entity that can hold the Administration accountable . . . and that is the independent [General Accounting Office]. The real problem is that Republican congressmen won't support a demand for a Transparent Society.

Commentary by the scary [John Dean]. The Report shows that Cheney's claim to Congress, in the August 2, 2001 letter, that responsive documents were provided to GAO, was plainly false. A prior column argued that the GAO shouldn't have lost the suit.

Private FOIA lawsuits:

• [Judicial Watch] - http://www.judicialwatch.org/1270.shtml

• [Sierra Club] - http://ohio.sierraclub.org/tecumseh/enronpressrel.htm

• [Natural Resources Defense Council] ([NRDC]) - http://www.nrdc.org/air/energy/taskforce/tfinx.asp

Cato Institute on the Nov'2003 Pork Barrel bill.

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