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 … Read more
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.
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/
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 … Read more
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’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
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
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/
…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
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 … Read more
Expect more strikes, fewer government services, and more tax increases to pay for pension obligations. Let’s just admit to reality: Taxpayers actually work for our public employees rather than the reverse. As long as that’s the case, public services will never improve and your tax burden will only increase. https://reason.com/2023/08/18/public-employee-unions-rule-california/
Most people would be hard‐pressed to define the “American Dream” without some reference to economic freedom. From Benjamin Franklin’s dozens of inventions (bifocals! A flexible catheter!), to self‐made man Frederick Douglass, to serial inventor Joy Mangano’s miracle mop, Americans believe that with a good idea and enough hard work, anyone can enjoy … Read more
In 1973, Pink Floyd released The Dark Side of the Moon which included the single ‘Money,’ on which Roger Waters snarled: Money Get back I’m alright, Jack, keep your hands off of my stack ‘Money,’ according to one critic, “deals with crass materialism.” But by the time Pink Floyd recorded The Wall in 1979, they … Read more
As democracy is perfected, the office of the president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. We move toward a lofty ideal. On some great and glorious day, the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last, and the White House will be … Read more
Houston is not a free-for-all. It requires a minimum number of parking spaces for different uses, which encourages sprawl. Its complex development code limits how many homes you may build on an acre. But it has no zoning, and its density restrictions are less severe than in almost any other … Read more
X-Dumpsters owner Steven Hedrick rents roll-away dumpsters to people, but now his city forces residents to contract with the county. In his lawsuit, Hedrick contends that the ordinance constitutes a monopoly, which “violates the anti-monopoly clause and the due process clause of the Arkansas Constitution.” Article II, Section 19 of the Arkansas … Read more
The appeals court ruled that a Facebook post alluding to World War Z was clearly protected by the First Amendment. U.S. District Judge David C. Joseph dismissed his claims with prejudice, concluding that his joke was not covered by the First Amendment, that the arrest was based on probable cause, and that Iles was … Read more
Nigeria’s shantytowns are more functional than its centrally planned gated communities. This comparison speaks to a paradox I’ve found with African real estate. The more “formal” a project is—with master plans, institutional investors, and government involvement—the more slowly it materializes. The more “informal” it is, with minimal rules other than … Read more
A federal circuit judge writes that Detroit’s vehicle seizure scheme “is simply a money-making venture—one most often used to extort money from those who can least afford it.” Under civil asset forfeiture laws, police can seize property suspected of being connected to criminal activity, even if the owner is not … Read more
The losses in lifetime earnings are of course only part of the issue: “Empirical evidence has linked school closures to several factors, including rising mental health concerns, lower levels of engagement, reports of violence against children, rising obesity, increases in teenage pregnancy, rising levels of chronic absenteeism and dropouts, and … Read more
