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The “Right” to Housing
Material values must be created. And to create material values, individuals must be virtuous. They must adhere to certain moral principles if they are to successfully create the values that we want and need. Morally, those who create material values are the rightful owners of those values. Those values are their property, to use, trade,…
Conflicting Values?
With the 2019 legislative session just a few months away, the proposed bullet train between Dallas and Houston is once again gaining increased attention. In both 2015 and 2017, both opponents and supporters of the project descended on Austin to argue their positions. To many, the bullet train represents a conflict of values. For example,…
Injustice in the Name of Justice
In 2015, The Texas Legislature passed a bill that prohibits local governments from forcing landlords to accept housing vouchers. Sen. Royce West has submitted a bill that would repeal that prohibition and make it illegal to refuse to rent to an individual on the basis of his source of income. West’s proposal would apply across…
Productiveness and the Pilgrims
Productiveness is the virtue of creating the material values that life requires. The first Thanksgiving was an implicit celebration of this virtue. It was a celebration that almost didn’t occur. The Pilgrims’ first years in America were filled with suffering. And this isn’t surprising, for land was owned and farmed in common–there was no private…
The Ends do not Justify the Means
We are often told, whether implicitly or explicitly, that the ends justify the means. Modern politics is founded on this premise. A goal that many find desirable is announced, and a campaign is launched to pass a law or regulation to achieve that goal. What is frequently ignored is that these laws and regulations compel…
Property Rights in Space: A False Framework
In 1967, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union signed the Outer Space Treaty. While the treaty states that no country can claim sovereignty over outer space or any celestial body, it says nothing about what individuals may do. With a growing number of private companies making successful launches into space, pundits…