The conventional view that economists play an important role in the public policy process is contrasted with "Chicago political economy." This strand of the Chicago School of Economics argues that government programs that survive in the political process are superior to available alternatives....

As is the case with most rural agricultural communities, western Colorado is dependent on fossil fuels transported from distant sources. This results in vulnerability to fuel supply disruptions and price shocks (Ederington et al., 2011; Yu, Wang, and Lai, 2008). A predictable and locally derived...