Companies like Airbnb and Vrbo have captured a lot of business that would have previously gone to hotels and resorts. Unable to compete with short-term rental (STR) companies like Airbnb, hotels and resorts are using their political connections to ban, regulate, and/or tax STRs. Nevada is the latest state to consider regulating and taxing STRs….
In a capitalist society, government is limited to defending the rights of individuals—the freedom of individuals to act without coercive interference from others. But that is not what occurs when cronyism is practiced. Cronyism is the practice of dispensing political favors to some at the expense of others. With altruism and collectivism serving as the…
Many decry cronyism as a form of capitalism. In truth, cronyism and capitalism are incompatible. Capitalism is the social/political system that recognizes and protects individual rights—the freedom to live as one chooses so long as one respects the freedom of others to do the same. Individual rights pertain to freedom of action. They protect an…
Both leftists and conservatives embrace the crony ideology. That they apply that ideology differently is merely a matter of detail. So, what is the crony ideology? The essence of the crony ideology is the belief that government force should be used to compel or prohibit certain actions. Every act of cronyism ultimately rests on this…
In recent years, individuals from across the political spectrum have condemned cronyism. Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, once remarked that she felt sad “for the American people, who have had their lives affected by the culture of cronyism and corruption that exists in Washington.” Former Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan, similarly denounced cronyism:…
Virtually everyone, no matter their political persuasion, denounces cronyism–dispensing political favors for political support. Yet, cronyism continues to dominate political issues in Texas and across America. As a few examples, we see evidence in attacks on Uber, ordinances to protect trees, and attempts to regulate, restrict, or ban short-term rentals (STRs). In each of these…
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…
Cronyism is the exchange of political favors for political support. Voters and donors scratch the backs of politicians, and the politicians reciprocate by supporting legislation favorable to the voters and donors. In most instances (but not all) the political favors involve placing restrictions on how others may use their property. For example, low-income voters (and…
Both “progressives” and conservatives embrace the crony ideology. That they apply that ideology differently is merely a matter of detail. So, what is the crony ideology? The essence of the crony ideology is the belief that government force should be used to compel or prohibit certain actions. Every act of cronyism ultimately rests on this…
In recent years, individuals from across the political spectrum have condemned cronyism. Former Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, once remarked that she felt sad “for the American people, who have had their lives affected by the culture of cronyism and corruption that exists in Washington.” Current Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan, similarly denounced…
The Dallas Morning News reports that government officials in Cedar Park recently approved a plan to create a special tax zone in the city’s downtown area. The plan is expected to generate $160 million in investments in the area. Such tax zones are used throughout the state to generate funds to improve the infrastructure in…