The following is an excerpt from The Innovator Versus the Collective. For seventy years, Americans were told that the AT&T monopoly was good for consumers, and as a result, competition in the telephone industry was prohibited. Yet, within a few years of legalized competition, consumers had far more choices and lower priced telephone service and…
If someone came onto your property without your permission or knowledge and began tearing out your landscaping, you would probably be upset. And rightfully so. On July 20, workers entered the privately owned National Butterfly Center in South Texas and began removing trees and vegetation that had been planted to attract butterflies. The workers were…
The Texas Tribune reports that Rep. Mike Conaway, a Midland Republican and chairman of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee, has begun laying the foundation for the next rendition of the farm bill. He recently hosted other congressmen during a tour of West Texas. Ostensibly, the tour was intended to give the congressmen an opportunity to hear about…
In Part 1, we examined the “tragedy of the commons.” In Part 2, we examined how property rights can be applied to water. In Part 3, we will examine how property rights can be applied to air. The following is an excerpt from The Innovator Versus the Collective. In the case of air, nuisance laws provide…
In Part 1, we examined the “tragedy of the commons.” In Part 2, we will examine how property rights can be applied to water. The following is an excerpt from The Innovator Versus the Collective. In some ways, water presents more complexity than air. Not only does water exist in oceans, lakes, rivers, and other…
The following is an excerpt from The Innovator Versus the Collective. For decades, the government has sought to reduce pollution through regulations. Those regulations have included restrictions on the emissions and discharges from factories and automobiles, as well as the products that consumers can use. While the results have been mixed at best, the costs…
We often hear exhortations that government officials should act on the “will of the people.” But since the citizens are not monolithic, which people should those officials be listening to? As an example, in 2012 El Paso voters approved a bond referendum to build an entertainment center in downtown. But when more detailed plans became…
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…
In a recent column about open carry, Houston Chronicle business writer Chris Tomlinson writes: Texas law prioritizes property and employer rights over the individual’s right to bear arms, he [attorney David Barron] explained. Property owners may prohibit the concealed or open carry of weapons if they post the appropriate sign at every entrance. According to…
Last week, the Houston Chronicle asked, “Where should Houston’s innovation district be?” The question implies that this is an issue for all Houstonians, or at least their elected representatives, to answer. Indeed, the article states: Two city task forces, one put together by city government, the other by the business community, recommended that the city…
Texas politicians have been pressuring the Trump Administration to fund the Ike Dike as a part of infrastructure improvements. On the surface, this might seem like a great benefit for Texans and a number of justifications have been offered, including issues of national security. But surface benefits are only a part of the story. While…
In November 2015, the Austin City Council passed a temporary moratorium on new licenses for Type 2, non-owner-occupied short-term rentals (STRs). A few months later, the moratorium was made permanent. At the same time, the city prohibited “assemblies” of more than six people between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m., effectively banning backyard cookouts and birthday…