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Adjectives don’t Change the Essence of Socialism
Socialist presidential candidate Bernie Sanders recently attempted to distinguish democratic socialism from the socialism being practiced in Venezuela. During the recent debate in Houston, Sanders called Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro a “vicious tyrant.” He went on to call for “for free elections in Venezuela so that the people of that country can make, can create…
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…
Fighting Zoning in Houston
This post is the third in a series. In early January 1990 (I think it was January 1) the local newspaper carried a story that a Houston City Councilman was going to introduce a zoning ordinance. A friend called me that day and suggested that we fight the ordinance. I immediately agreed. Over the next…
Property Rights without Morality
Libertarians believe that individual liberty is compatible with virtually any moral code. However, politics is the application of morality into a social context. To separate the two is to place liberty on a foundation that cannot support freedom. In a piece titled, “Native Americans Had a Lot More Private Property Than You Think,” Daniella Bassi,…
Judge Rules for “Property Protest Rights”
Last week, a Travis County District Court judge voided two Austin City Council votes to rewrite the city’s land-use regulations. The ruling found that city council had not provided adequate notice of public hearings to property owners impacted by the new regulations. In doing so, the judge found that owner’s “property protest rights” were not…
Picking the Wrong Enemy
Rancher and columnist Amanda Radke correctly notes that freedom and property rights are inseparable. And then she promptly attacks property rights because she picks the wrong enemy: We have a real David and Goliath story happening in agriculture right now. Independent farmers and ranchers are being thrown to the wolves in favor of the corporate…