Alex Epstein

Alex Epstein is a philosopher who applies big-picture, humanistic thinking to industrial and environmental controversies. He founded Center for Industrial Progress (CIP), a for-profit think tank and communications consulting firm focused on energy and environmental issues, in 2011 to offer a positive, pro-human alternative to the Green movement. He is the author of The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels and Fossil Future: Why Global Human Flourishing Requires More Oil, Coal, and Natural Gas—Not Less. He is the author of EnergyTalkingPoints.com featuring hundreds of concise, powerful, well-referenced talking points on energy, environmental, and climate issues. Follow him on Twitter @AlexEpstein.
“Net Neutrality”: Destroyer of Internet Freedom

“Net Neutrality”: Destroyer of Internet Freedom

Advocates of "net neutrality" are apoplectic amid reports that ISP Comcast slowed down file-sharing programs on its network. The FCC is threatening action against Comcast, while advocates of a new net-neutrality law sponsored by Congressman Edward Markey are taking...

Don’t Save Social Security

Don’t Save Social Security

With the first Baby Boomer collecting Social Security last week, on the heels of a Bush administration announcement that Social Security faces a $13.6 trillion shortfall, the issue of how to "save" Social Security is once again on the table. While we can expect fierce...

The Injustice of “Doing Something” about Subprime

As we witness large numbers of defaults on subprime loans--loans extended to those with no credit or bad credit--many are calling for the government to do something to stop the suffering. At the same time, many recognize that a bailout of struggling homeowners would...

“Open Access” and the Tyranny of the FCC

In January the FCC will auction off the prized 700 MHz spectrum of wireless bandwidth. But instead of offering the spectrum to the highest bidder to employ it however he judges best (for example, a mobile video-on-demand service), the FCC will force the winner to...

Why Businessmen Love Atlas Shrugged

If you ask any hundred successful businessmen chosen at random to name the book that has most inspired them, you will undoubtedly hear one title repeated over and over: Atlas Shrugged--Ayn Rand's epic novel, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this month. Why do...

Who Really Supports Our Troops?

In the aftermath of General David Petraeus's controversial report to Congress on the progress of the troop surge in Iraq, debate over what to do with our troops in Iraq is as strong as ever. And, as always, both liberals and conservatives claim that they, and only...

The Un-American Call for National Service

The lead article in a recent issue of Time magazine makes the case for "universal national service"--which the article describes as "the simple but compelling idea that devoting a year or more to national service, whether military or civilian, should become a...

Celebrating Income Inequality

Democrat and Republican candidates for President are debating one another on nearly every issue--but nearly all are united on one thing: America faces a crisis of "income inequality." The rich are getting richer, the refrain goes, while the poor and middle class are...

What to Do About Rising Gas Prices

With gasoline prices at their highest point in recent years, the knee-jerk response of many is to call for the government to "do something" to force prices lower. But no matter what the price of gasoline is, such calls are wrong. All market fluctuations in the price...

The Religious Right’s Culture of Living Death

Applauding the Supreme Court's decision to uphold a ban on so-called partial birth abortions, President Bush called it a victory for "building a culture of life in America." The idea of a "culture of life" has been a rallying cry for religious conservatives in their...

Neither Liberals nor Conservatives Support Our Troops

Supporters and opponents of President Bush's Iraq War are clashing in a furious debate over who truly supports our troops. The President's critics say they are supporting our troops by setting a timetable to bring them home from an "unnecessary" war. Supporters of the...

Repeal Sarbanes-Oxley

Imagine opening tomorrow's newspaper and reading this: "Citing all-too-frequent child abuse and neglect, Congress has proposed the Parenting Reform Act. Under the proposed law, all parents must swear that they have not 'caused unreasonable physical harm or danger' to...

What to Do About High Gasoline Prices

In response to recent rises in gas prices, we are once again hearing calls for the government to "do something" to force prices lower. But no matter what the price of gasoline is, such calls are wrong. All market fluctuations in the price of gasoline, up or down, are...

Social Security is a Monstrous Injustice

Social Security is a Monstrous Injustice

Throughout the nation, a fierce debate rages over Social Security. One side, led by President Bush, says the system is in crisis and must be saved via "partial privatization." The other side says the system is basically sound and can be saved with a little tinkering....

What to Do About Gasoline Prices

Now that gasoline prices are below $3 a gallon, calls for the government to "do something" to force prices lower have temporarily abated. But it is crucial for us to recognize that no matter what the price of gasoline is, such calls are wrong. All market fluctuations...

An Open Letter to CEOs: Defend the Profit Motive–or Perish

Dear CEO: As a grateful customer of America's productive businesses--as someone who knows that his well-being depends on yours--I implore you to stop apologizing to your attackers. Stop pledging to "reform," to become "better corporate citizens," to embrace crippling...

Keep Our “Addiction” to Oil, End Our Allergy to Self-Assertion

Politicians and commentators from both parties are decrying our "addiction to oil." They exhort us to embrace costly programs to reduce our consumption of oil as quickly as possible. The primary rationale for this is national security. Our oil consumption is dangerous...

A Victory for the Rule of Law

The Florida Supreme Court has just upheld an appellate court decision to throw out a $145 billion verdict in the case of Engle vs. Liggett Group. While the decision is being hailed as a major victory for tobacco companies, it is far more than that. The court...

Undermining the Rule of Law to Lynch an Unpopular Group

America is a nation that reveres the fact that ours is "a government of laws, not of men." Under this principle, members of government can use their power only to enforce known and clearly defined laws. As a result, we do not worry about losing our property or being...

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