When Dominion issued a request for bids this spring to erect experimental wind turbines off Virginia Beach, senior executives knew the project would be expensive. Offshore wind farms are built most economically on a scale of dozens or hundreds of turbines. But this project would have only two, and both would...
The trucking industry is opposing current proposals to expand the use of toll financing to reconstruct and widen aging and inadequate Interstate highways. To some observers, this appears paradoxical, since the trucking industry depends critically on the Interstates as their most important infrastructure—yet this vital infrastructure is reaching the end...
Earlier in July, U.S. Court of Appeals wrote that water pollution in the Chesapeake Bay is a complex issue in a major case affecting all agriculture. It says “…the winners are environmental groups, the states that border the Bay, tourists, fishermen, municipal waste water treatment works, and urban centers. The...
Jeb Bush recently ignited a political firestorm by making the following comments about economic growth and work: “My aspiration for the country—and I believe we can achieve it—is 4% growth as far as the eye can see. Which means we have to be a lot more productive, workforce participation has to rise...
Now that the Supreme Court has determined that the Obamacare entitlement is here to stay, let’s work toward reforming our health care system in ways that make sense. Virginia is one of 36 states that still has Certificate of Public Need laws (COPN) on the books. This law stems from...
College tuitions have soared over the past several decades, and so have federal grants and subsidized student loans. Many observers of the higher ed scene believe that easy credit has been a driving force behind the tuition hikes: The more Uncle Sam subsidizes student participation in higher education, the greater the...
The Clean Water Act prohibits the discharge of pollutants into waters of the United States. Pollutants can come from direct discharges or from dredging and filling material being dumped into waters of the United States. EPA and the Corps of Engineers’ apparently believe that “navigable waters” cover virtually any area...
The unemployment rate is dropping and jobs are becoming more plentiful, but that doesn’t mean workers are in their ideal jobs. Some people who are working are “underemployed.” The Bureau of Labor Statistics officially defines underemployment as someone who wants to work full-time and can only find part-time work. Arizona...
From the outset, President Obama directed his powerful government agencies and congressional allies to help him “fundamentally transform” the United States. It was thought that the people would go along with these new directions. Today, however, pervasive signs certainly portend a different and newer revolution. Indeed, the reactions of some...
Jefferson Journal: Health Care Should Be Reformed
The Supreme Court decided Obamacare is here to stay. It has given its “constitutional seal of approval” twice in two years, and that means any changes will have to be accomplished legislatively and not through the courts. But it’s time to have a serious discussion about how to change the...