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Friday Roundup 8-6-21
Barry Fagin, a Senior Fellow at the Independence Institute in Denver, correctly notes that conservatives are very confused about the meaning of property rights. As examples, he cites Florida Gov. Rick DeSantis’ ban of “vaccine passports” and conservative calls to regulate social media companies like Facebook and Twitter. Fagin concludes that property rights have fallen…
A Phanatic Conflict
Imagine the following scenario: You buy a house and over the next forty years the property significantly appreciates in value. The previous owner then threatens to terminate the sale unless you renegotiate the deal. This might sound absurd, but this is precisely what is happening to the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team. In 1978, the Phillies…
Common Errors in Defending Property Rights, Part 2
In Part 1 of this series, we examined why the claim that a proposal will violate property rights often falls on deaf ears. In this post, we will examine a similar error in defending property rights. Often, when a proposal is made that will violate property rights, the victims state that they support the general…
The Bathroom Bill Debate
One of the items on the agenda for the special session of the Texas Legislature is a “bathroom bill.” Hotly debated during the regular session, the bill would mandate that individuals use the public bathroom that corresponds with the gender on their birth certificate. The legislation is a response to local ordinances, such as the…
Principles as a Policy
With low taxes and fewer regulations, Texas is known as a business friendly state. But it really depends on what business you are in. This was evident in the 2017 legislative session when law makers imposed new restrictions on small breweries. Craft brewers who produce more than a specified amount of beer and sell directly…
Resolving Social Conflicts with Property Rights: Land Uses
Two of the stated purposes of zoning are preventing “incompatible” land uses and protecting neighborhoods. Both of these issues can be addressed without the coercive means of zoning. Deed restrictions (or covenants) provide the means to limit land uses through voluntary, contractual means—by respecting property rights, and hence, preserving the freedom to choose. Deed restrictions attach…