Similar Posts
A License to Steal?
Law enforcement agencies and prosecutors claim that civil asset forfeiture (CAF) is a crucial tool in fighting the “war on drugs.” CAF allows law enforcement agencies to seize property suspected of being involved in a crime. The Texas Tribune recently published a story that examines CAF in four Texas counties. Interestingly, in about 40 percent…
Friday Roundup 9-10-21
In April, Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez unveiled the Green New Deal for Public Housing Act. The bill would “invest” $172 billion over 10 years to upgrade over 950,000 public housing units. When the bill was announced, Sanders said, “It is unacceptable that our nation’s public housing is in a state of chronic disrepair and…
When Tenants Become Vigilantes
When cases of COVID-19 began to rise in March, governments responded to the crisis by ordering businesses to close. When millions lost their job and were unable to pay the rent, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) responded to that crisis by imposing a moratorium on evictions for non-payment of rent. But the…
A Lack of Consistency
In the most recent legislative session, Texas lawmakers passed several bills intended to strengthen property rights. At the same time, they passed at least one bill that represents a gross infringement of property rights. That inconsistency indicates that legislators really don’t understand what the right to property means. Property rights protect our freedom to create,…
Calling the Kettle Black
A recent story in the Texas Tribune details the difficulties that the holders of Section 8 vouchers have in locating landlords who will accept the federal housing subsidies. (The federal government pays a portion of the monthly rent for those with a Section 8 voucher.) Under Texas law, landlords are not required to accept the…