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5/21/2008
Frank Lasee: The Magic Wand of government
Last week I spelled out some of the relative costs of energy sources for electricity. Most people who read my weekly newsletter got it. (See the article here.)
A few people refused to believe that wind energy could be more expensive than the traditional alternatives. Because after all, wind is free. But the towers are not. If there weren’t heavy government (i.e., taxpayer funded) subsidies, no one would build a windmill. Because no customer would pay the extra price for the very expensive electricity they make.
Over the past week, while out talking to people, gas prices have been the number one topic on many people’s minds. They wonder why their government can’t just fix the prices, or take away the profits of the oil companies, or invent the next greatest transportation energy source, and soon. Somehow. Many people believe that those of us elected to government office have the magic wand of government.
I have been told that the party that invents (as though political parties can invent anything other than hot air) the energy solution will be way ahead in elections this fall and in the future. Somehow. Harness the waves, harness the sun, some new energy source and affordable, too. Somehow.
It bothers me that the belief of the magic wand of government is held by right-minded people, not only the lefties who believe in government for all and all for government.
I wonder where they get these false ideas?
If Thomas Edison were employed by the Federal Bureau of Invention, would they have let him follow three thousand theories and test thousands of different materials before coming up with a practical light bulb?
If the government had been in charge, would we still be reading by kerosene or natural gas lamps or scarce whale oil? If the government had subsidized the natural gas industry in 1878, would the incandescent light bulb have been able to compete?
The fact is that the vast majority of the great inventions did not originate in government committees. Inventions and innovations usually come from individuals who are extremely hardheaded and unreasonable because they believe in something that isn’t a reality yet. They often get the job done without a government subsidy. Often they are motivated by profit or their investors are. Somehow.
I believe that many Americans have been indoctrinated by our public schools and lefty media to believe our government is able to solve all our problems. Somehow.
If anyone has the magic wand of government, please send it to me. I have many uses for it. I will do my best to keep the magic wand from getting in the hands of a government committee.
Frank Lasee is a Republican and represents the 2nd Assembly District.
COMMENTS
If you are really looking for a magic wand for Wisconsin, Rep. Lasee, you’ll get behind campaign finance reform and quit taking special interest money. It is this money that is driving policy, which drives subsidies (even windmill subsidies) and spending and the high taxes you supposedly resent.
Yes, I agree. As an inventor of a patented medical device I know that it is private industry that designs product and creates jobs. But I resent it when someone can gain ground ahead of me because of who they paid off in government.
On your energy issue it’s my guess that nuclear power makes the most sense, but then again, if money were not flowing on both sides of the isle our state legislators would do the right thing and implement it.
But forgive me. I’m one that you described as being “extremely hardheaded and unreasonable because they believe in something that isn’t a reality yet.”
Jack Lohman (Wed May 21 05:19:37 2008)
Excuse me, but I have a self-sufficient friend who put up HIS OWN wind tower with HIS OWN money, who figured he'd recoup the cost in 5-7 years. And he sells electricity back to his utility co.
I also know a neighbor (in another county) who put one up, and he told me how much it cost him; he never mentioned a subsidy, and if you know farmers, we're always out for a deal, and we tell all our neighbors. So if he'd been subsidized, he'd have been telling me how he managed to get it!
emily matthews (Wed May 21 07:04:51 2008)
Frank,
What studies do you have that show the externalized costs of coal and other non-renewable resources. The dirty producers get away with polluting our air, water and soil and also loading us up with Co2. If you add those costs to the cost of the power it will likely be out of sight. Wind Power has none of those externalized costs. Total cost is the only relevant measure.
dave allen (Wed May 21 07:19:19 2008)
Frank Lesee is 'right on' with his assessment of "the magic wand of government". Although government doesn't have a magic wand there is clearly a growing trend of "BIG" business getting "BIG" government to help them produce "BIG" profits, and here's the rub, AT TAX PAYERS EXPENSE.
A perfect example is the one Frank used concerning "industrial" wind energy projects. According to a recent presentation to the U.S. Senate by Senator Alexander, we've been heavily subsidizing big wind energy companies since 1992, and it is still only eight-tenths of 1 percent of all the electricity produced in the United States. The American tax payer has paid the tab to put up thousands of giant wind turbines (billions of dollars) and we're getting a drop in the bucket in terms of the amount of electricity needed because it occurs only when the wind blows. Senator Alexander went on to state that "we spend $24 per Megawatt hour for wind and $1.59 for nuclear. Nuclear produces 70 percent of our clean electricity." Frank is right, let's get back to the marketplace deciding what technology works and what doesn't. Sorry, I'm not buying the idea that "BIG" government should decide what we need and then give the money to "BIG" businesses with GUARANTEED "BIG" profits.
Ric Van Sistine (Wed May 21 09:25:15 2008)
Ric, your point [is/perhaps/may be] correct, and that gets to my point.
I don’t think our government leaders even know the right answer, they just follow the campaign contributions. And that means their decisions are usually going to be wrong (because right decisions and the passing of good laws don’t need campaign cash to grease the wheels).
If the development of power is truly private, the CEOs will do the most efficient thing and your comparison of wind versus nuclear will get sorted out. Of course, if it is private, they’ll then gouge the public as we are seeing with oil and the total lack of oil regulation. But if you follow oil money you’ll see why. (Heaven forbid they start controlling our water!)
But if power is going to be funded by the taxpayers through subsidies (and sometimes it should be), then I want a qualified and non-conflicted commission making the decision, NOT politicians who are bought off by the industry.
Jack Lohman (Wed May 21 10:44:31 2008)
Frank, could you please bring up the idea of having tours of the big wind farm over by Fond Du Lac. I'm sure the lefties would be in amazment of what our taxes are going to. The magic wand your looking for is over at Steve Kagens office. He calls it HR6074. Great article, keep us informed.
Paul Socha (Thu May 22 06:24:17 2008)
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