This post is the second in a series. Before I could determine if Ayn Rand was correct in claiming that “without property rights, no other rights are possible,” I had to understand what property rights really means. Sure, I could recite the definition: “The right to property means the freedom to produce, use, and trade…
In August, the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA) announced plans to drain four lakes beginning September 16. GBRA said dewatering was necessary to avert potential failure of spillgates on the dams creating the lakes. Two other lakes have already been drained. GBRA says that it doesn’t have the funds to repair the spillgates. Property owners along…
Education in America is a virtual monopoly of the government. As such, it is a highly politicized topic and controversy surrounds nearly every discussion about education. From funding to curriculum, from test scores to text books, there is little agreement between politicians, educators, taxpayers, and parents about how the nation’s schools should be operated and the…
When legislators convene in Austin next week, reducing the tax burden on property owners will be near the top of the to-do list. But no matter what schemes that lawmakers concoct, we can be certain that fundamental reform won’t occur. Government schools in Texas are funded primarily through property taxes. State officials will be faced…
Close Public Libraries Permanently Nearly a year after Harvey flooded many of Houston’s public libraries, six remain closed and virtually no repairs have been performed at the others. The city is still waiting for insurance money and FEMA checks. Now would be a good time to consider closing down the entire public library system. There…
This is an excerpt from Individual Rights and Government Wrongs. To meet budget shortfalls, a growing number of municipalities and state governments are considering some form of privatization for their parks. These proposals are usually met with indignant opposition. Private companies, it is claimed, would despoil the parks by building condos on the rim of…
This is an excerpt from Individual Rights and Government Wrongs. Perhaps no government institution is the object of more jokes and frustration than the United States Postal Service (USPS). Long lines, surly clerks, and “going postal” draw the ridicule of patrons and late-night comedians. Yet, despite the complaints and jokes, any suggestion that the USPS…
Politicians and pundits regularly decry the increasingly divisive nature of American politics. From the Tea Parties to Occupy Wall Street, Americans are not happy with their government, and they are making their displeasure known. Individual Rights and Government Wrongs examines two fundamentally different views regarding what type of nation America should be. Using examples from…
This was originally posted on Live Oaks on September 8, 2010. Comments have not been migrated. If you made a list of the places that you spend the most time waiting in line, I suspect that virtually all of those places would be some government agency or department. These government agencies have no incentive to…
This was originally posted on Live Oaks on July 21, 2010. Comments have not been migrated. In 1976, some concerned Houstonians formed a group call the Houston Parks Board (HPB). According to the group’s web site: They wanted to contribute to the city’s parks system through a private organization that would respect their needs and…
This was originally posted on Live Oaks on July 1, 2010. Comments have not been migrated. It is summer in Texas and that means that it is time for the annual chorus of voices decrying “deregulation” of the electric industry in the state. As an example, Bay Area Houston (BAH) declares that “Electricity deregulation has…
This was originally posted on Live Oaks on February 17, 2010. Comments have not been migrated. It is not uncommon for the enemies of capitalism to throw out a flurry of “facts” that demonstrate the alleged shortcomings of the free market. Taken out of context, these claims might appear to be true. For example, it…