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About David Morris

David Morris is co-founder of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance and directs its initiative on The Public Good. He is the author of New City States and four other non-fiction books. His essays on public policy are regularly published by On the Commons, Alternet, Common Dreams and the Huffington Post. More

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Article filed under Energy, The Public Good | Written by David Morris | No Comments | Updated on Jan 14, 2009

Green Citizenship vs. Green Pricing

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/green-citizenship-vs-green-pricing/

Green pricing requires a few customers to pay a substantial premium for relatively little power. A much better way for consumers to increase the supply of renewable energy is to exercise "green citizenship." If a significant majority of the customers of a given utility vote for green energy, the utility can purchase a larger amount of renewables and spread the costs over its entire customer base. Often 10 times the amount of green electricity can be purchased at a fraction of the cost for an individual household. Continue reading

Article filed under The Public Good | Written by David Morris | No Comments | Updated on Dec 31, 2008

We Forget What It Was Really Like Under the Clintons

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/post-2359/

Twelve days before the Iowa caucuses, the New York Times Magazine cover, in large white letters on a deep black background, carried the single word title of its lead article: Clintonism. In the article Matt Bai, the Times reporter on all things Democratic, with a big D, made one undeniable assertion and two highly debatable ones.

Bai’s contention that Bill Clinton’s "wife’s fortunes are bound up with his, and vice versa" is incontestable. The primaries and even more so the general election, if Hillary is the nominee, will be a referendum less on Hillary than on Clintonism, the philosophy and strategy that guided the White House for eight years. Hillary clearly welcomes such a prospect, as demonstrated by her constantly reminding voters that she was "deeply involved in being part of the Clinton team."

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Article filed under The Public Good | Written by David Morris | No Comments | Updated on Dec 31, 2008

NY Public Library ‘Trades Naming Rights’ to Greedy Hedge Fund Billionaire for Big Bucks

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/ny-public-library-trades-naming-rights-greedy-hedge-fund-billionaire-big-bucks/

Recently, the New York Public Library announced it would rename its main library the Stephen A. Schwarzman Library in return for his contribution of $100 million to its $1 billion capital fund drive. As a born and bred New Yorker, I recoiled at the news and the message it sends to future generations of New Yorkers.

The 42nd Street library is by all accounts the jewel in the crown of the New York Public Library system. In both form and function, it honors the word"public." Henry Hope Reed has accurately described the library as "a people’s palace of triumphant glory." Continue reading

Article filed under The Public Good | Written by David Morris | No Comments | Updated on Dec 31, 2008

Palin’s Self-Reliant Image of Alaska Is Bogus

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/post-2355/

In her latest comment on the "Bridge to Nowhere" controversy, Sarah Palin appealed to the self-reliant, individualist, rugged, anti-government image most Americans have of Alaska. "If we wanted a bridge," she declared, "we would build it ourselves."

Actually,much of Alaska long ago lost the tradition of self-help. Palin might be campaigning on an anti-government, do-it-yourself platform, but her state is the most dependent on the federal government of all 50 states. Washington sends Alaska more money per capita than any other state. Alaskans receive back from the federal government almost $2 for every$1 they send to Washington. It’s a sweet deal.

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Article filed under Energy, The Public Good | Written by David Morris | No Comments | Updated on Dec 22, 2008

Memo to President-elect Barack Obama on Democratizing the Energy System

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/memo-presidentelect-barack-obama-democratizing-energy-system/

Dear President-elect Obama,

Congratulations on your historic election. Now the truly heavy lifting begins. You have declared your intention to make "a new energy economy" your "No. 1 priority." We urge you to follow a path that leads not only to changes in the fuels underpinning our energy system but also to changes in the structure and dynamic of that system.

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filed under General | Written by David Morris | No Comments | Updated on Dec 18, 2008

David Morris

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/david-morris/

Dr. David Morris is co founder and vice president of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. His five non-fiction books range from an analysis of Chilean development to the future of electric power to the transformation of cities and neighborhoods. His columns have appeared in over 200 magazines, journals and newspapers, including the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Japan Times, International Herald Tribune, Smithsonian magazine and Journal of Commerce. He has been a consultant to local, state and federal governments in the U.S. and abroad. Continue reading

Article filed under The Public Good | Written by David Morris | 1 Comment | Updated on Dec 17, 2008

Voter fraud? No, voter suppression.

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/voter-fraud-no-voter-suppression/

Why are we hearing so much about voter fraud and so little about election fraud? After all, the odds of someone voting fraudulently are about the same as those of an American being struck and killed by lightning.

A microscopic evaluation of election data in the 2004 gubernatorial election in Washington state revealed that voter fraud occurred approximately 0.0009 percent of the time. An analysis of the 2004 presidential election in Ohio revealed a voter fraud rate of 0.00004 percent.

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Article filed under The Public Good | Written by David Morris | No Comments | Updated on Dec 15, 2008

Sunny Post-Partisanship Sounds Nice, but What’s Obama’s Larger Vision?

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/sunny-postpartisanship-sounds-nice-whats-obamas-larger-vision/

Responding to criticism that President-elect Barack Obama’s cabinet is composed largely of recycled Bill Clinton appointees, Obama’s close advisor David Axelrod told the New York Times, "He’s not looking for people to give him a vision. He’s going to put together an administration of people who can effectuate his vision." A few days later, after introducing his foreign policy team, Obama himself declared, "I will be responsible for the vision that this team carries out, and I expect them to implement that vision once decisions are made.”   

Which leads to the inevitable question: What is Obama’s overarching vision? What is the philosophical framework that will animate his administration and guide his cabinet officers to adopt policies different from those they embraced in the past? 

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Resource filed under Energy, The Public Good | Written by David Morris | 1 Comment | Updated on Nov 20, 2008

Meeting Minnesota’s Renewable Energy Standard Using the Existing Transmission System

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/meeting-minnesotas-renewable-energy-standard-using-existing-transmission-system/

This report, jointly authored with George Crocker of the North American Water Office and Michael Michaud of Matrix Energy Solutions, examines the implications that two recent distributed generation studies in Minnesota may have on the need for building new high-voltage transmission lines in the state. The authors conclude that project over a certain size be compared to alternative ways sufficient power transfer capability for dispersed renewable electricity generation may be available on the existing grid or with relatively modest, strategic enhancements to the existing grid system to meet the Minnesota’s 2025 renewable energy goal without building major new 345 kV transmission facilities. Continue reading

Article, ILSR Press Room, Resource filed under Energy, The Public Good | Written by David Morris | No Comments | Updated on Nov 10, 2008

Energy Self-Reliant States Interview on CleanSkies.TV

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/energy-selfreliant-states-interview-cleanskiestv/

David Morris discusses the new report, Energy Self-Reliant States, on CleanSkies.TV on November 10, 2008.  Continue reading