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The Importance of Real Alternatives, Part 2
In Part 1, we briefly examined the prevalence of false alternatives in controversial political issues. But how do we know when false alternatives are being presented? How do we know that there are other alternatives? The clearest indication is when we actually know of real alternatives. If we are aware of an alternative that isn’t…
Adding Insult to Injury
Property owners in Maui have suffered tremendously because of the recent wildfires. Now, Hawaii’s governor proposes adding insult to injury. He has directed the state attorney general to draft a moratorium on the sale of damaged properties in Lahaina. The stated goal is to protect property owners from being “victimized” by investors, i.e., protect owners…
Property Rights and Pollution, Part 1
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…
An Eminent Domain Debate by Non-essentials
A recent “debate” on San Angelo Live! provides an illuminating example of focusing on non-essential issues when discussing property rights issues. On August 6, Brian McLaughlin, a director at the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, wrote a piece that claimed: Unfortunately, landowners facing the threat of eminent domain stand little chance of being treated…
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….
A “Fairness Doctrine” for Big Tech?
In 1949, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued the Fairness Doctrine. This policy required broadcasters to present controversial issues of interest to the public, and to present both sides of the issue in a manner that was fair and equitable. The policy was rescinded in 1987, and it ushered in conservative talk radio. Radio station owners…