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A Generation of Second-handers
A recent survey found that 44 percent of Generation Z and 46 percent of Millennials are “obsessed with the idea of being rich.” While there is nothing wrong with the desire to be wealthy, obsessing over it can lead to some bad choices. That appears to be happening with younger adults, and not surprisingly, some…
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Protecting Property Rights is Moral and Practical
Shortly after taking office, Argentina President Javier Milei issued an executive decree that repealed the country’s rent control laws along with a host of other economic regulations. The results were predictable and almost immediate. The supply of rental housing soared, and prices significantly declined. Protecting property rights is moral and practical. Introduced in 2020, Argentina’s…
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Claims without Evidence
Progressives Regresssives are renowned for making claims and not providing evidence. Propogandist Patrick Range McDonald provides an example in an article titled “Corporate landlords’ misinformation campaign to stop rent control.” Including the headline, on eight occasions McDonald claims that opponents of rent control are engaged in lies, disinformation, or misinformation. Despite the repetitive claims, he…
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Negating the Principle of Property Rights
Like most conservatives, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis claims to support property rights. And, like most conservatives, he carves out exceptions. In doing so, DeSantis and his fellow conservatives are negating the principle of property rights. As an example, DeSantis recently defended the use of eminent domain when it serves a “public purpose”: So sometimes you…
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Cherry-picking Facts
Over the last six months, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has raised $19 million. He has suggested that he will use the money to help primary candidates running against Republicans who voted down school choice legislation. Reform Austin suggests that Abbott funnel that money into government schools. Like most Leftists, the writers at Reform Austin are…
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Love It or Leave It
After a fifty-year career in construction, George Sheetz wanted to retire near Lake Tahoe. He planned to build his retirement home on a lot he had bought. However, when Sheetz went to the county to obtain a building permit, he was told that he first had to pay a $23,000 “traffic impact mitigation” fee. When…
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Is Property Harmful to Society?
Is Property Harmful to Society? A recently published book by Rowan Moore, Property: The Myth That Built the World, argues that, while private property might benefit individuals, it is ultimately harmful to society. The book’s description on Amazon states that the book “offers hope for how things could be better, with reform that might enable…
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Texas is Becoming More Like California
Unlike California, Texas has a reputation for being a business-friendly state. Unfortunately, Texas is becoming more like California. Whereas California legislators like to dictate what businesses can legally do, Texas legislators are increasingly dictating what businesses can’t do. California requires its pension funds to follow environmental and social governance (ESG) policies. Texas lawmakers are prohibiting…
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Ag-gag Laws Protect Property Rights
A federal appeals court recently ended two injunctions that blocked Iowa laws that prevent animal “rights” activists from using deception to gain entrance to agricultural production facilities. Activists have lied on job applications and used other deception in an effort to document alleged abuse of farm animals. The so-called “ag-gag” laws were challenged on free…
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