Topic: Regulation

Books, Economic History, Policy, Property Rights, Regulation

Locked Down: What Do We Really Need Collective Action For?

– August 30, 2023

“Locke’s view, reflected in our Founding documents, is that preserving our freedoms requires one type of collective action: the preservation of our rights. No more. Actions beyond that benefit some at the expense of others.” ~ Gary M. Galles

Books, Property Rights, Regulation

A Review of M. Nolan Gray’s “Arbitrary Lines: How Zoning Broke the American City and How to Fix it”

– August 27, 2023

“While most cities in the United States continue to constrain themselves with zoning as we have come to know it, Gray points out that there are some notable exceptions where zoning has been reformed or removed and the early results are promising.” ~ H. Sheldon Weeks

Books, Policy, Property Rights, Regulation

Should We Abolish Zoning?

– August 25, 2023

“Many people consider zoning part of the ‘property right’ they bought in their home. They really should set up covenants if they want that security.” ~ Jason Sorens

Crisis, Government, Regulation, Science

The Three-Headed Monster Giving Us Lousy Public Policy

– August 24, 2023

“The prosperity we enjoy is constantly under attack by a political monster that never stops putting obstacles along the road to riches.” ~ Art Carden

Capitalism, Economic Education, Free Markets, Regulation

Protecting Competition or Preventing It?

– August 23, 2023

“If you can’t reduce competition in the sense of harming rivals, you cannot engage in rivalry seeking to benefit consumers. ” ~ Gary Galles

Economic History, Government, Regulation

In the Land of the Free, Americans are Still Fighting for the Freedom to Pump Gas

– August 21, 2023

“The claim that pumping fuel is some kind of safety hazard is of course even sillier today than it was in 1949.” ~ Jon Miltimore

Economic Trends, Free Markets, Regulation, Technology

The Opportunity Costs of FTC Merger Meddling

– August 20, 2023

“Success is never guaranteed in a market economy, and business failure is not uncommon for industry leaders. Blockbuster and Kodak had near monopolistic status in their respective sectors but that couldn’t save them from tech innovations that took them down.” ~ Kimberlee Josephson

Capitalism, Economic Education, Free Markets, Regulation

Maximizers and Monopolies, A Benefit to Society

– August 13, 2023

“Consumers do not care that there is only one primary zipper manufacturer, they only care that their zippers work. Thus, if market needs are being met, competition isn’t a concern.” ~ Kimberlee Josephson

Economic Education, Regulation, Technology

The Economics of Data Privacy

– August 11, 2023

“Striking a balance that protects individuals’ privacy while fostering an environment conducive to innovation is crucial for nurturing a vibrant, competitive marketplace.” ~ Spence Purnell

Economic Education, Property Rights, Regulation

Rent Control Recidivism

– August 8, 2023

“The campaign to tighten rent controls in California, as in every other jurisdiction where the issue is in play, relies on voters’ ongoing ignorance and misunderstanding of the realities of the rental housing market.” ~ Gary Galles

Economic Trends, Free Banking, Regulation

In Defense of Interchange Fees

– August 7, 2023

“Interchange fees, long derided as a cost center for vendors that accept credit cards, may serve as a check on hyper-politicized consumer businesses.” ~ Dave Birnbaum

Books, Classical Liberalism, Philosophy, Regulation

Two Sheep, a Wolf, and Auberon Herbert

– August 5, 2023

“In other words, Herbert wanted the independence of mankind from all overreaching government, not the mere replacement of one pack of wolves for another, even a smaller or less voracious pack.” ~ Robert E. Wright