In Part 1, we saw that housing advocates are advocating four “rights” pertaining to housing. In this post, we will examine the first of these alleged rights, the “right” to choose. We will see that, if put into practice, this “right” will eliminate the freedom of choice. Housing advocates state that, The right to choose…
Gresham’s Law holds that “bad” money drives out “good” money. For example, if legal tender laws declare that a one ounce brass coin and a one ounce gold coin are both worth $10, the more valuable gold coin will disappear from circulation. While Gresham’s law pertains to economics, the same principle applies to rights. When…
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,…
In the late 19th and early 20th century, a series of laws were enacted, primarily in Southern states, that mandated racial segregation. Blacks and whites could not stay in the same hotel, eat in the same dining room, or ride in the same railroad car. Interracial marriage was forbidden, and blacks could not own or…
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…
The law of supply and demand is a fundamental economic truth. One of its tenets is that when the demand for a value exceeds its supply, prices will rise. Conversely, when the supply of a value exceeds the demand, prices will fall. The willingness of producers to manufacture a value for a particular price constitutes…
In the early nineteenth century, textile workers in Britain burned mills and destroyed equipment to protest the increasing use of machinery. The machines were displacing them, allowing lower skilled workers to produce textiles more efficiently than previous methods. The Luddites, as the protesters were called, were opposed to the progress that technology was making possible….
A growing movement across the nation claims that housing is a human right. Indeed, in March 2020, Representative Pramila Jayapal introduced the Housing is a Human Right Act of 2020. The bill aims to “address and end root causes of homelessness; transition communities towards providing housing for all; and ensure full democratic participation of persons…
Destruction has a negative connotation, but in fact, destruction can be a good thing. For example, since January 2020, much of the world’s focus has been on containing and destroying the coronavirus. Only a misanthrope would regard the destruction of the deadly virus to be bad because doing so means the elimination of something that…
Housing advocates are increasingly demanding more affordable housing for low-income individuals and families. They are doing this under the guise of “tenants’ rights.” But all individuals—including tenants—have rights. Specifically, they have the right to produce or earn more affordable housing. Like any value, housing must be produced. Like any value that one desires, one can…
In any discussion regarding public policy, we must consider the full context. In regard to affordable housing, the full context includes the choices that individuals make. Housing advocates conveniently ignore this issue. They point to poor families paying a large percentage of their income for housing, but fail to address the choices that have led…
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…