Many Americans, including President Biden, believe that wearing a mask in public should be mandated by law. Violators should be subject to criminal prosecution. Wearing a mask, the argument goes, will protect the wearer, as well as those around him. If this is true, and there is substantial evidence supporting it, then why aren’t we…
For the past ten months, the American economy has been slowly decimated by government edicts and lock downs. Countless businesses have been forced to close, and many will never reopen. Millions were thrown out of work and are unable meet their financial obligations, such as rent, a mortgage, or medical expenses. Despite this economic carnage,…
The Texas Constitution was written to protect individual rights—the freedom of individuals to live as they choose, so long as they respect the freedom of others to do the same. This was accomplished by limiting the powers of government and explicitly affirming that individuals have the right to assemble, the right to worship, and the…
Property rights suffered unprecedented attacks in 2020. These attacks came from a variety of sources and took many different forms. Virtually nobody was spared from the destructive consequences. The assault was started by local and state governments when they restricted our freedom to produce and trade. Businesses were forced to close, and many will never…
With new COVID cases in Texas routinely surpassing 10,000 per day, it is crucial that we re-evaluate how the pandemic is being handled. When lock downs were first imposed in March, less than 1,000 new cases were being confirmed each day. We were told that the lock downs were necessary to “flatten the curve.” But…
The lock down imposed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated a fundamental truth: Without the freedom to produce and trade, we cannot live happy, flourishing lives. Millions have lost their jobs and been forced to consume their savings or depend on government payments, not because of irresponsibility, but because government has prohibited them…
When the lock downs were first enacted, we were told that it was a necessary step to “flatten the curve.” If everyone stayed home, spread of the coronavirus would slow. Eight months later new cases are now hitting 200,000 a day (versus less than 30,000 a day when the lock downs started). Clearly, the lock…
Defenders of lock downs often claim that individuals won’t do the “right” thing without such coercive measures. They believe that if individuals aren’t forced to stay home, many—if not most—will engage in irrational and irresponsible behavior. We must compel them to do the “right” thing. But when it comes to our individual lives, the right…
Many Americans wonder why some countries, such as China, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea have dealt with the pandemic effectively while other nations are suffering massive deaths. This question was recently asked on Quora, and one response stated: It’s not rocket science. There is no mystery here. China isn’t doing anything that any other sensible…
Writing for Forbes, Dr. Paul Hsieh notes that both the National Basketball Association and Disney World have been able to re-open and prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The key was rigorous testing, contact tracing, and isolation of the infected. The economic self-interest of both organizations motivated them to take precautions for employees, vendors, guests,…
Dr. Amesh Adalja, Senior Scholar at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security, offers President-elect Biden advice for dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. As COVID-19 has demonstrated, new deadly viruses can spread quickly and easily around the globe, causing significant loss of life and economic ruin. With nearly 200 epidemics occurring each year, the…
Philosopher Ben Bayer rejects the common notion that refusing to wear a mask is inherently selfish. In fact, he argues, wearing a mask is often the selfish thing to do. The problem, he says, arises from a widely held misconception about the meaning of selfishness. But if selfishness also means the dedicated pursuit of one’s…