In a long article published in early June, the New York Times details a long series of mistakes made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention during the coronavirus pandemic. The C.D.C., long considered the world’s premier health agency, made early testing mistakes that contributed to a cascade of problems that persist today as…
The government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic was a failure on nearly every level. Initially dismissive of the threat posed by the novel coronavirus, government officials quickly reversed course and went into panic mode. Their response to impose a lockdown. This is the not the American way. “A Pro-Freedom Approach to Infectious Disease: Planning for…
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, infectious disease expert Dr. Amesh Adalja wrote that the impending crisis was entirely avoidable. Despite warnings from Dr. Adalja and other experts, public officials refused to listen until it was too late. Driven by panic at a crisis they ignored for too long, policy makers are considering imposing…
All of us must make choices in life. All of us must choose the values that we believe will bring us happiness. We must choose the means for attaining those values. And we must also weigh the risks associated with our pursuit of those values. Infectious disease expert, Dr. Amesh Adalja addresses this issue in…
Many people believe that sacrifice is a necessary part of life. They believe that if they give up something today in order to have something better tomorrow, that is a sacrifice. But that isn’t a sacrifice. It’s delayed gratification, and that is a very different thing. To sacrifice means to give up a value for…
During the lockdown, businesses that were declared “non-essential” were prohibited from opening. In Texas, liquor stores were considered essential, but hair salons weren’t. By what standard was a business considered essential? Like many aspects of the lockdown, government officials weren’t very transparent regarding their criteria and standards. Instead, they issued dictates and expected the masses…
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton recently defended the property rights of Williamson County property owner John Yearwood. Yearwood’s property is home to the Bone Cave Harvestman, a spider that lives in only two Texas counties. Because the spider is protected by the Endangered Species Act, Yearwood’s use of his property is severely restricted. Paxton is…
The economic shut down has exposed a fundamental truth that few are willing to acknowledge: Without property rights, flourishing is impossible. This is true of individuals, and it is true of societies. The right to property means the freedom to create, use, keep, trade, and dispose of material values. This is precisely what the shut…
For nearly two months, Americans have allowed government to shut down businesses, destroy jobs, and wreck the economy. For nearly two months, Americans have tolerated an unprecedented destruction of values. This isn’t a new occurrence in American history. In the 18th century Great Britain enacted a series of laws that shut down businesses, destroyed jobs…