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Free Trade is Fair Trade
Advocates of tariffs and other trade barriers often claim that their goal is “fair trade.” If another country imposes tariffs on American products, the argument goes, it is only fair for the American government to impose tariffs on products from that country. But this argument ignores a simple fact: trade does not occur between nations….
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An Open Letter to the Opponents of the Bullet Train
Texas Central Partners has threatened many Texas landowners with seizure of their property through eminent domain to build a proposed bullet train between Houston and Dallas. I share your concerns about the use of eminent domain. It is, as many of you have stated, a violation of your property rights. The right to property means…
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Picking Winners and Losers: The Trump Version
The Trump Administration recently unveiled a proposal that will require utilities to buy power from plants scheduled to be retired. The purported goal of this mandate is to allow coal-fired plants to remain in operation. This comes just a decade after then-candidate Obama vowed to bankrupt coal-fired plants. Through a combination of environmental regulations on…
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The Injustice of STR Regulations
Each weekend this summer, thousands of Americans will host a backyard barbeque. They will invite friends, family, and co-workers to enjoy the weather, pleasant company, and grilled meat. Most of these gatherings will bother nobody. But a few may last late into the night, with music and loud talking disrupting the neighborhood. In many situations,…
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Punish the Guilty, not the Innocent
Arlington has become the latest Texas city to consider regulating short-term rentals (STRs). In response to complaints about “party houses,” the city has been discussing what to do about the problem. The Forth Worth Star-Telegram reports: The city has already held town hall meetings where residents have complained that party houses pop up and cause…
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Defending the “Sharing Economy”
In recent years, much controversy has arisen over companies such as Airbnb and Uber. Airbnb and Uber are the poster boys of the “sharing economy”–a technological revolution that has allowed millions to become successful entrepreneurs. That revolution has been successful because it enables individuals to circumvent the regulatory cronyism that dominates many industries, such as…
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Lobbyists Aren’t the Culprit
We often hear claims that lobbyists have undue influence on the legislative process. These claims are usually accompanied with horror stories of how some industry has used lobbyists to enact a bill that harms consumers, home owners, or some other group. While there is an element of truth in these claims, they fail to identify…
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When “Big Business” is the “Little People”
In recent years, much controversy has arisen over companies such as Airbnb and Uber. These two companies are the poster boys of the “sharing economy”–a technological revolution that has allowed millions to become successful entrepreneurs. City governments (as well as some state and national governments) have fought back and enacted a multitude of restrictions and…
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How to End the Bullet Train Controversy
In 2015, Texas Central Partners announced that it had secured funding to move forward with a proposed high-speed railroad between Houston and Dallas. The project, which according to the company’s website will be funded by private investors, has attracted many opponents and generated great controversy, particularly among rural land owners along the proposed route. Opponents…
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Picking Winners and Losers
Anytime the government intervenes in economic affairs, it is picking winners and losers. Consider the tariffs recently imposed by the Trump Administration as an example. Those in certain industries, such as steel and aluminum, have been picked to win. The tariffs give domestic companies a competitive advantage over foreign companies. That advantage was achieved, not…
