The Texas Constitution was written to protect individual rights—the freedom of individuals to live as they choose, so long as they respect the freedom of others to do the same. This was accomplished by limiting the powers of government and explicitly affirming that individuals have the right to assemble, the right to worship, and the…
The law of supply and demand is a fundamental economic truth. One of its tenets is that when the demand for a value exceeds its supply, prices will rise. Conversely, when the supply of a value exceeds the demand, prices will fall. The willingness of producers to manufacture a value for a particular price constitutes…
In the early nineteenth century, textile workers in Britain burned mills and destroyed equipment to protest the increasing use of machinery. The machines were displacing them, allowing lower skilled workers to produce textiles more efficiently than previous methods. The Luddites, as the protesters were called, were opposed to the progress that technology was making possible….
A growing movement across the nation claims that housing is a human right. Indeed, in March 2020, Representative Pramila Jayapal introduced the Housing is a Human Right Act of 2020. The bill aims to “address and end root causes of homelessness; transition communities towards providing housing for all; and ensure full democratic participation of persons…
Destruction has a negative connotation, but in fact, destruction can be a good thing. For example, since January 2020, much of the world’s focus has been on containing and destroying the coronavirus. Only a misanthrope would regard the destruction of the deadly virus to be bad because doing so means the elimination of something that…
Housing advocates are increasingly demanding more affordable housing for low-income individuals and families. They are doing this under the guise of “tenants’ rights.” But all individuals—including tenants—have rights. Specifically, they have the right to produce or earn more affordable housing. Like any value, housing must be produced. Like any value that one desires, one can…
In any discussion regarding public policy, we must consider the full context. In regard to affordable housing, the full context includes the choices that individuals make. Housing advocates conveniently ignore this issue. They point to poor families paying a large percentage of their income for housing, but fail to address the choices that have led…
Property rights suffered unprecedented attacks in 2020. These attacks came from a variety of sources and took many different forms. Virtually nobody was spared from the destructive consequences. The assault was started by local and state governments when they restricted our freedom to produce and trade. Businesses were forced to close, and many will never…
Housing advocates are increasingly calling for laws to protect the rights of tenants. But the fact is, tenants have always had rights. New laws protecting “tenants’ rights” will ultimately lead to the destruction of the rights of all individuals, including tenants. The Declaration of Independence declares that all individuals are endowed with certain rights, namely,…
In recent years, it has grown increasingly popular to attack real estate investors. Whether they are flippers, landlords, or developers, a coalition consisting of property owners, organizations like Black Lives Matter, and housing advocates denounce investors as villains who destroy neighborhoods and place profit before people. Unfortunately, many investors offer apologies for their actions, rather…
When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. In other words, if you have only one tool, you try to use it for everything. In part, this adage explains government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Government has only one tool—force. Every tool has a proper use. A screwdriver is great for…
Government officials frequently cite the government’s police powers as a justification for their policies. While this can seem plausible in some situations, the City of Houston has decreed that this includes dictating what color individuals may paint their home. This past week, the Texas Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Powell v. City of Houston….