{"id":317623,"date":"2024-04-14T09:31:46","date_gmt":"2024-04-14T07:31:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=317623"},"modified":"2024-04-14T09:31:49","modified_gmt":"2024-04-14T07:31:49","slug":"on-the-history-of-ier-for-the-record","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=317623","title":{"rendered":"On the History of IER (for the record)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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From Master Resource<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Robert Bradley Jr.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ed note<\/strong>: The evolution of the Institute for Energy Research (IER), from a part-time to a full-time organization, is recounted below. (The earlier history of IER can be found here<\/a>, here<\/a>, and here<\/a>. ) From inception, the institute has been a classical-liberal organization in favor of economic freedom\u2013and thus consumers and taxpayers. In this regard, Wiki\u2019s (erroneous) entry on IER is rebutted here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In its 36th year, the Institute for Energy Research (IER) has a proud history that rebuts the erroneous ad hominem arguments hurled against its principles and principals. Ever since its humble beginnings, IER\u2019s rock-solid research into the economics, political economy, philosophy, and history of energy markets have stood the test of time. Energy markets need to be free of, not controlled by, government\u2014for human betterment and individual justice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under the direction of president and COO Tom Pyle, IER\u2019s Washington DC organization is a trusted free-market voice in today\u2019s contentious debates over subsidies for wind, solar, and batteries, ethanol mandates, and carbon-dioxide regulation. Thanks to our donors (thousands strong), IER\u2019s education efforts have reached the media, the public, academia, and federal and state legislators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Never has IER\u2019s educational mission been more important. Both major political parties have increasingly politicized energy away from what consumers really want and need for their homes, vehicles, and businesses. The Biden\u2019s Administration\u2019s \u201cwhole of government\u201d crusade against fossil fuels\u2014accounting for 82 percent of U.S. and global energy consumption\u2014props up uneconomic, unreliable, symbolic alternatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What F. A. Hayek called \u201cthe fatal conceit\u201d is alive and well with government energy planning, whether done in the name of promoting national security, creating jobs, or addressing global climate change (all misapplied rationales).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United States needs to shape and expand its domestic energy industry in accordance with profit\/loss signals in the marketplace. This is capitalism proper\u2014versus political<\/em> capitalism, where a special government regulation or subsidy overrides the consumer verdicts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Energy abundance, affordability, and reliability cut across class, race, and political boundaries. Artificial scarcity, price spikes, and Big Brother edicts (such as what light bulbs are legal to buy or sell) are the bane of government energy planning. Economic coordination and growth\u2014and in the present context, economic recovery<\/em>\u2014require the type energy policies championed by IER.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We look forward to your input and support in the months and years ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Look Back<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On June 26, 1989, the Institute for Energy Research (IER) was founded as a 501(c)3 public foundation in Houston, Texas. The original board members were:<\/p>\n\n\n\n