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
David Morris discusses the new report, Energy Self-Reliant States, on CleanSkies.TV on November 10, 2008. Continue reading
Originally published in 1982, we’re making this book available as a free download since many of its discussions are as relevant today as they were 25 years ago. The first half discusses the century-long struggle by cities to gain autonomy and authority from state governments and create their own planning and service delivery capacities. The second part describes the first urban-based localization movements and the successes and challenges. As a standalone document, we’ve also included the new foreword and the book’s last chapter, The Ecological City given the current revived debate about the subject. Continue reading
Will the Economic Crash Take Down Our Hopes for Clean Energy? By David Morris, originally published in Alternet, October 29, 2008 A century ago French philosopher and writer Paul Valery observed, “The central problem with our times is that the future is not what it used to be.” He could have been commenting on current… Continue reading
Voter fraud? No, voter suppression. By David Morris, originally published in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, October 28, 2008 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… Continue reading
A few weeks ago I was at Iowa State University addressing 500 students and faculty at its engineering school. I was sharing a platform with former CIA Director Jim Woolsey. At one point, a student asked our views on the presidential candidates’ energy programs.
Iresponded that the essential difference between Obama and McCain is not in their goals as much as it is in the tools they would use to reach those goals. Obama believes in the active use of government authority; John McCain does not. McCain’s self-declared heroes, Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan, galvanized and led a movement whose principal thesis is that government is part of the problem, not part of the solution.
The Big Difference in Obama’s and McCain’s Plans for Our Energy Future By David Morris, originally published in Alternet, October 23, 2008 A few weeks ago I was at Iowa State University addressing 500 students and faculty at its engineering school. I was sharing a platform with former CIA Director Jim Woolsey. At one point,… Continue reading
The financial bailout bill passed by Congress may have once and for all put an end to T. Boone Pickens’ energy plan. Let me explain.
Until the financial meltdown obliterated all other news coverage, T. Boone and his energy plan were everywhere. His book, The First Billion Is the Hardest, is number two on the bestseller list. During the Republican and Democrat Conventions his press conferences were attended by a fawning media, virtually all of who filed stories with the theme "oil man turns wind energy advocate."
How T. Boone Pickens’ Energy Plan Just Got Killed The new bailout plan passed by Congress may have put the nail in the coffin on Pickens’ dangerous energy proposal. By David Morris, originally published in Alternet, October 9, 2008 The financial bailout bill passed by Congress may have once and for all put an end… Continue reading
Palin’s Self-Reliant Image of Alaska Is Bogus By David Morris, originally published in Alternet, September 15, 2008 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,… Continue reading
T. Boone talks a lot about wind, but gas is what he’s really about By David Morris, originally published in the St. Paul Pioneer Press, September 12, 2008 T. Boone Pickens visited St. Paul during the Republican Convention for the same reason he visited Denver during the Democratic Convention —to peddle his energy plan. In… Continue reading
Your download has begun in a separate window. Please take a minute to help us better understand who is viewing our work by filling out the form below.