Adam Smith Has Something for Everyone

From the American Founders to communist meme creators, people have long claimed Smith’s endorsement for their ideas.

There’s a reason that everyone still wants a piece of the odd Scottish bachelor after all these centuries. In an age when one can make the case to melt down nearly every statue of a once-revered figure, Adam Smith remains startlingly unproblematic. He was scathing about the slave trade as well as the mistreatment of Native Americans. His compassion for underdogs and his delight in the improvement of the circumstances of the poor shine though the archaic prose, as does the sincerity of his self-scrutiny. 

https://reason.com/2023/06/01/adam-smith-has-something-for-everyone/

The Socialist Generation Debate

Lange and the other socialists went out, saw the enormous, terrifying challenge of Mises, and then went back to the Ministry of Central Planning, and said, “You’re going to need a bigger computer.”

This mistaken interpretation of the Misesian “calculation” problem persists to today, and it’s getting worse.

Major Unanimous Supreme Court Victory for Property Rights in Tyler v. Hennepin County

The Supreme Court ruled that home equity theft qualifies as a taking, and that state law is not the sole source for the definition of property rights. The ruling is imprecise on some points, but still sets an important and valuable precedent.

https://reason.com/volokh/2023/05/25/major-unanimous-supreme-court-victory-for-property-rights-in-tyler-v-hennepin-county/

Tesla Solar Factory Not Living Up to New York’s $1 Billion Investment

The enormous expenditure on a private company is dispiriting for many reasons, not the least of which is Musk’s public rhetoric on subsidies. In the past, he has spoken quite eloquently about the problems with taxpayer funding for private projects, saying in 2021 that “the role of the government should be that of a referee, but not a player on the field.” And yet he and his companies have benefited significantly from government largesse, to the tune of billions of dollars since 2010.

https://reason.com/2023/07/07/tesla-solar-factory-not-living-up-to-new-yorks-1-billion-investment/

Lessons from Honolulu’s New Train System

Skyline opened with five days of free service through July 4, when daily ridership peaked at 18,108. The elevated train system with its unique views proved to be something of a tourist attraction during the holiday weekend. But when Skyline began to collect fares on Wednesday, July 5 ridership plummeted to only 1,245

https://www.cato.org/blog/lessons-honolulus-new-train-system

Maine Legalizes the Sale of Prostitution Services

Maine’s policy is a step in the right direction, but as with laws that legalize drug possession but not production or sale, removing criminal penalties from only one side of the market is a minor step that can be worse than no legalization at all.

https://www.cato.org/blog/maine-legalizes-sale-prostitution-services

A New Underground Market in E‑Cigarettes Will Soon Begin Flourishing in Australia

As with all black markets, consumers will be less sure about the purity and quality of the products they buy or whether they contain deadly compounds. This will make vaping more hazardous.

https://www.cato.org/blog/new-underground-market-e-cigarettes-will-soon-begin-flourishing-australia

Help wanted: More bright minds in Dayton

Dayton has a rich history as an innovation leader — once boasting the most patents per-person in the country. Skilled immigrants tend to hold patents at astonishingly high rates, so increasing skilled immigration can help restore that reputation.

But Uncle Sam stands in the way.

https://www.daytondailynews.com/ideas-voices/voices-help-wanted-more-bright-minds-in-dayton/K7ERIKKV5VHG3KRXW2AJJE2FGE/

Fifth Circuit Affirms Just Hours After Oral Argument: Criminal Libel Arrest for Criticizing Police Officer …

…Louisiana law had never been revised to comply with the First Amendment…

https://reason.com/volokh/2023/08/16/fifth-circuit-affirms-just-hours-after-oral-argument-criminal-libel-arrest-for-criticizing-police-officer/#more-8245547

Texas School District Threatens to Seize 79-Year-Old Man’s Home for Stadium Parking Lot

The Houston-area Aldine Independent School District is considering the use of eminent domain to seize a one-acre property owned and occupied by Travis Upchurch.

In April, the Aldine Independent School District voted to authorize the use of eminent domain to seize the home and surrounding acre of land currently owned and occupied by 79-year-old Travis Upchurch, reported the Houston Chronicle in July.

https://reason.com/2023/08/18/texas-school-district-threatens-to-seize-79-year-old-mans-home-for-stadium-parking-lot/