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Being Landlocked is not a Rights Violation
Parker County commissioners recently denied a landlocked resident’s request that the county build a road to his property. Jonathan Hobson inherited the property in 2015. He was allowed temporary access across adjoining property, but that access ended in June of this year after his legal suit was thrown out. After the ruling, Hobson stated: Our…
Preventing the Californiazation of Texas, Part 1
For years, Californians have been fleeing the high taxes, outrageous housing costs, stifling business regulations, and general political climate of the state. And Texas has been one of the most popular destinations. While Texans are generally a pretty friendly bunch, many aren’t eager to welcome those fleeing California. Such Texans fear that these immigrants will…
The Landlord Shrugged
In her epic novel, Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand dramatizes a world in which producers go on strike. Rand once commented that part of her motivation for writing the novel was so that it wouldn’t come true. Sadly, it is coming true and often in ways that few will notice. In the novel, government enacted a…
The Enemies of Property Rights: Eminent Domain
The term “eminent domain” was taken from a legal treatise written by the Dutch jurist Hugo Grotius in 1625. He used the term dominium eminens (Latin for supreme lordship) and described the power as follows: The property of subjects is under the eminent domain of the state, so that the state or those who act…
The Tragedy of the “Commons,” Part 1
In 1968, Garrett Hardin wrote a highly influential article titled “The Tragedy of the Commons,” in which he examined the problems that inherently arise when property is owned “in common.” Hardin tells the story of a pasture shared by a number of herdsmen: As a rational being, each herdsman seeks to maximize his gain. Explicitly…
Government vs. Government
The upcoming legislative Texas legislative session promises to include another battle between the state and local governments. Lawmakers have already introduced or plan to introduce bills to reign in local ordinances regarding mandated sick pay, regulations on short-term rentals, and local increases in property taxes. Municipal governments claim that such actions on the part of…