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Without Property Rights, No Other Rights are Possible
Nearly forty years ago I read Ayn Rand’s essay “Man’s Rights,” for the first time. I was new to Rand’s writing, and indeed free market thought in general. Rand’s claim that, “Without property rights, no other rights are possible,” struck me as a gross exaggeration. I became determined to discover whether that claim was true….
Givings vs. Takings
It is rare that an opinion piece provides me with three distinct issues to address in separate posts. A piece at Capegazette.com, which “covers Delaware’s Cape Region” does just that. The first issue is “givings” vs. takings. The article claims that those who object to government regulations as a “taking” ignore the fact that they…
Saving Trees, Destroying Property Rights
Residents in Victoria recently sought to expand the city’s preservation ordinance to include trees. They want to prevent property owners from removing trees. The Victoria Advocate reports: [Bernard] Klimist, who has run a law firm from a historic building he renovated on Santa Rosa Street since 1991, said the property owner’s rights must be tempered…
A Principled Way to Stop the Bullet Train
Once again, Texas lawmakers will consider bills aimed at a single, specific company–Texas Central. Of course, the three bills introduced so far do not specifically mention Texas Central . The bills address high speed rail. But there is only one high speed rail line proposed in the state, and it has been proposed by Texas…
Complaining vs. Rights
State Representative Ernest Bailes has pre-filed a bill that will allow property owners to file a complaint with the state over eminent domain misconduct. Bailes said, The process for landowners to file complaints and express their concerns should be clarified. The power of eminent domain should never be used as a threat, and those who…
Theft is Theft
Imagine for a moment, that a neighbor’s young daughter desperately needs surgery to save her life, but her family can’t afford the medical expenses. If her father broke into homes in the neighborhood and stole money to pay for the surgery, we would recognize his actions as theft. His tragic circumstances do not change the…