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…
The following article was published in the Spring 2010 issue of The Objective Standard. $ $ $ For centuries, few have questioned the idea that waterways—streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans—are or should be “public property.” The doctrine of “public trust,” with roots in both Roman and English common law, holds that these resources should not…
This was originally posted on Live Oaks on November 9, 2009. Comments have not been migrated. IBM, along with the Intelligent Transportation Society of America, is offering a $50,000 prize for the best idea that will “produce smarter infrastructure.” (HT: Write On Metro) According to the New York Times: In the United States, highway problems…
This article was published in the March 1989 issue of The Freeman. $ $ $ In recent years, the benefits of the free market have been demonstrated as governments around the world have turned to the private sector to provide services more efficiently. However, critics of the free market argue that these benefits are isolated…
While visitors often marvel at the skyscrapers that dominate downtown Houston, many are unaware of one of the city’s hidden gems. More than six miles of pedestrian tunnels run throughout the central business district. The tunnel system is filled with restaurants, banks, retail shops, and a host of other businesses. Perhaps most amazing is the…