Similar Posts
Taking Aim at the Bullet Train
Once again, Texas legislators have filed bills aimed specifically at a single company–Texas Central–in an effort to stop the proposed high-speed railroad between Dallas and Houston. As an example, State Rep. Ben Leman has filed a bill that would require the line to be “compatible with more than one type of train technology.” These bills…
Thuggery in Dallas
In late May, one of the items on the agenda of the Dallas City Council was a proposed settlement with a property owner regarding an eminent domain case. Councilwoman Sandy Greyson spoke against the settlement, I’m not blaming anyone that we’re settling this case, but it’s just infuriating that if you’re rich enough you can…
Rent Control is a Taking
A group of New York City landlords is challenging the city’s rent control laws. They contend that such laws constitute an unconstitutional taking of private property. In an OpEd piece, two legal scholars argue that rent control does not physically take the landlord’s property, and therefore, rent control is not a taking. The authors go…
Without Property Rights, Flourishing is Impossible
The economic shut down has exposed a fundamental truth that few are willing to acknowledge: Without property rights, flourishing is impossible. This is true of individuals, and it is true of societies. The right to property means the freedom to create, use, keep, trade, and dispose of material values. This is precisely what the shut…
The “Bundle” Theory of Property
The dominant view of property today is the “bundle” theory. According to this view, property consists of a number of separate rights, such as the rights to use, disposal, and trade. Metaphorically, property consists of a “bundle of sticks.” One of those sticks can be removed, but a bundle remains. Similarly, one of rights of…
The Freedom to Trade and Use Vaccines
Last Friday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave Americans permission to receive Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. The FDA’s action came three weeks after the company submitted a request for Emergency Use Authorization. During those three weeks, nearly four million new COVID-19 cases were confirmed in the United States, and more than 40,000 Americans died from…