Most rights—such as the right to free speech and the right to practice one’s religion—enjoy widespread support among politicians and the citizenry. Few explicitly call for measures to restrict free speech or freedom of religion. The right to property, however, comes under widespread attacks from both Progressives and conservatives. As an example, Sen. Elizabeth Warren…
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…
Many libertarians and conservatives lament the constant violations of property rights. Sadly, they don’t realize that their attempts to defend property rights often do more harm than good. And that is because they often embrace the same premises as those attacking property rights. Consider a recent article by Brad Polumbo as an example. In the…
For the past several months, public officials in Seattle have been considering an ordinance that would legalize theft, assault, and nearly one hundred other misdemeanors. While critics have argued that the law would invite a dramatic increase in crime, they are failing to address the fundamental issue—the premise that individuals have a right to a…
We frequently hear individuals claim that their property rights are being violated. It happens when the government uses eminent domain to seize property for the border wall. It happens when zoning is used to prohibit or severely restrict short-term rentals. It happens when a preservation ordinance is used to prohibit modern buildings. Yet, in these…
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…
Nearly a week after Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine began being used in Great Britain, the vaccine will start being used in America today. The delay was caused because Pfizer had to obtain approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before it could release the vaccine. In the meantime, an unknown number of Americans died from…
Government programs and policies may help some low-income individuals survive, but they do not and cannot lift anyone from poverty. Only the protection of property rights enables individuals to improve their economic status, and this is particularly true of those who have little or no property. The right to property means the freedom to create,…
A Florida attorney says that he is on a crusade for people with disabilities. Since 2018, about 750 lawsuits have been filed against Texas businesses under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Douglas Shapiro has filed about half of those lawsuits. Shapiro and his group of activists have recently been targeting businesses in the Fort…
In 2019 during her campaign to become the Democrat nominee for President, Sen. Elizabeth Warren promised to use the antitrust laws to reverse “illegal and anti-competitive tech mergers.” As examples, she cited Amazon’s merger with Whole Foods, Facebook’s merger with Instagram, and Google’s merger with DoubleClick. “To restore the balance of power in our democracy,”…
Civil asset forfeiture is a process by which law enforcement agencies can seize private property that they suspect has been obtained by or used in the commission of a crime. The property owner must then fight to regain his property. Unlike criminal cases, in civil asset forfeiture, the burden of proof is on the property…
For decades, the government has been preventing property owners from using their land as they choose. Under the guise of protecting “wetlands” and endangered species, government agencies have prevented development on parcels of land across the nation. But under the Trump administration, government agencies are wildlife preserves, both public and private, along the border to…