February 18, 2009 3:32PM 

# Department of Energy Boondoggles 

By [Chris Edwards](https://www.cato.org/people/chris-edwards) 

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[*The Wall Street Journal* recently looked at](http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123448815417580333.html) the trouble the Department of Energy will have efficiently spending all the extra cash allocated to it under the stimulus bill. The article noted: “The Energy Department has had limited experience pulling off big, transformative energy projects.”

Actually, the department has undertaken big projects many times, but the *Journal* is correct that it sure as heck hasn’t pulled them off. Indeed, the [history of big federal energy projects is one of boondoggle, boondoggle, boondoggle](http://www.downsizinggovernment.com/energy/cuts/boondoggles).

Unless President Obama has a magic formula that fundamentally changes the nature of government management, Americans can expect a horribly wasteful energy spending spree in coming years.

##### Related Tags 

[Energy and Environment](https://www.cato.org/research/energy-environment), [General](https://www.cato.org/general), [Tax and Budget Policy](https://www.cato.org/tax-budget-policy) 

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