The curious task of economics is to demonstrate to men how little they really know about what they imagine they can design. - F.A. Hayek
Posted in Classical Liberalism on May 16th, 2008
Perhaps George Mason (really the first American to enumerate the rights to life, liberty and property in something resembling a constitution or declaration) should have added something like this:
Posted in Classical Liberalism on Apr 18th, 2008
Like many others that believe the tax code is unnecessarily complex, that tax rates are too high, that government spending and regulations are exhorbitantly excessive, I often point to research that shows how many billions of dollars and how many millions of hours Americans spend preparing their taxes each year.
But suppose I get to live […]
Posted in Classical Liberalism, Health Care on Mar 21st, 2008
… to report to you from Utilitarian La-La Land:
Posted in Classical Liberalism, Health Care on Mar 20th, 2008
Regular readers can probably guess my thoughts on this one. One way I like to think about this question is even if we agree that “health-care” (however you define it) is a right, how do you deal with a situation where an innovator discovers an incredibly expensive yet perfectly successful way to treat a major […]
Posted in Classical Liberalism, You Can't Have it Both Ways on Jan 28th, 2008
One of the most amusing things about living in Western Massachusetts, perhaps the least freedom friendly place in the United States, is how serious people take their politics. It is a way of life here, something by which people define themselves. Deval Patrick wins the governorship - people literally dance in the streets; George Bush […]
Posted in Classical Liberalism, Economic Illiteracy, Property Rights, Public Choice on Jan 1st, 2008
May the statists, stasists, technocrats, planners, idealists of all stripes consider the following during 2008 and beyond.
I will bear the burden of proof. Before advocating to grant a favored group or individual special privileges, or before imposing taxes and regulations on individuals or unfavored groups, I will recognize that the natural state of humans is […]
Posted in Classical Liberalism on Dec 25th, 2007
None comes into the world with a saddle on his back, neither does one come booted and spurred to ride him.
Merry Christmas all.
Posted in Classical Liberalism, Property Rights on Jul 12th, 2007
The US Supreme Court, in a 7-2 decision, rejected the claims of rancher Harvey Robbins who was suing government employees who trashed his property during a dispute over access to a road leading to a National Forest over his property.
As I read it, this decision is worse than the Kelo case in that:
The government no longer […]
Posted in Classical Liberalism on Jun 13th, 2007
Viewed by many to be the Gold Standard of Classical Liberalism.
The Virginia Declaration of Rights
Written by George Mason (1725-1792), who Thomas Jefferson regarded as the “the wisest man of his generation,” the Virginia Declaration of Rights was adopted by the Virginia Constitutional Convention on June 12, 1776. Widely copied by the other colonies (by […]
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