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Transparency isn’t the Solution
In recent years, transparency has become a popular political buzzword. From legislators to taxpayers, everyone seems to want government to be more transparent. As one example, the eminent domain reform bill recently passed by the Texas Senate is aimed at making the process more transparent. As another example, a bill introduced by State Senator Lois…
A Sign of the Times?
ByjbpThis was originally posted on Live Oaks on June 26, 2009. Comments have not been migrated. On Wednesday a federal judge declared Houston’s 1993 sign ordinance unconstitutional. The ruling concluded a trial in which Houston Balloons & Promotions sued the city. The company was awarded damages of $927,841 with an additional $187,000 for expenses and…
Principles and Property Rights
Both history and the contemporary world provide us with countless examples illustrating the importance of property rights to individual flourishing. From Plymouth Colony to Pyongyang, from Venezuela to China, when property rights are respected and protected, individuals prosper and thrive. When property rights are violated, misery and suffering is the inevitable result. Why is this…
The Bathroom Bill Debate
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…
Justice and Intellectual Property Rights
Libertarians have long expressed disdain for intellectual property rights. As an example, Jeffrey A Tucker writes that “ownership is impossible as regards ideas, and no one has a right to profit as such.” Tucker is correct that nobody can own an idea. He is grossly wrong when he claims that no one has a right…
The Gridlock Economy
In The Gridlock Economy: How Too Much Ownership Wrecks Markets, Stops Innovation, and Costs Lives, Michael Heller argues that Private ownership usually creates wealth. But too much ownership has the opposite effect—it creates gridlock. Gridlock is a free market paradox. When too many people own pieces of one thing, cooperation breaks down, wealth disappears, and…