Government regulation:
The taxicab union is lobbying lawmakers in hopes that the state will begin to crack down on ride-sharing companies like Uber and Lyft. Among other things, the union is pushing for regulations and restrictions that would essentially kill many of the features that make ride-sharing companies so attractive to consumers. For example, the union wants to impose a minimum “wait time” for pickups — meaning companies would be required to wait at least 10 minutes before picking up customers who have requested a ride. The union also wants lawmakers to prohibit “excessively low” pricing. (Read more)
Education:
Traditionally, Nevada lawmakers have been extremely reluctant to expand educational choice within the Silver State. Compared to Colorado or Arizona, for example, Nevada’s charter school program is positively anemic. And yet, strangely, the National Association of Charter School Authorities ranks Nevada highly. According to Matthew Ladner with Education News, the reason for this disparity is likely because NACSA’s rating seems “overly concerned with bureaucratic compliance rather than performance.” (Read more)
Asset forfeiture:
In 2009, the local police department in Tewksbury, Massachusetts used a federal rule to seize the property of a privately owned inn without even having to file criminal charges against its owners. Ostensibly, the seizure was part of the department’s crackdown on illegal drug operations. But that explanation didn’t make much sense to the owners of the Caswell Inn, given that a nearby motel was notorious for drug dealing and prostitution — and yet had remained untouched by authorities. When the owner asked a police official why they had targeted the inn instead of the seedy motel, the answer was brutally honest: the Caswell Inn was worth more money. (Read more)
Socialism:
“Democratic socialism” is a concept that has been increasing in popularity in America — particularly among younger voters. These voters describe socialism as some sort of utopian system, where poverty, hunger and even sickness are practically a thing of the past. Meanwhile, in countries that are actually afflicted by these policies, the public has a very different opinion. Ami Horowitz recently filmed a documentary in Venezuela to expose the horrors brought on by such policies. When asked what she thought about America’s admiration for socialism, one woman — waiting in line for several hours just to receive paltry rations — warned, “don’t commit to that madness.” (Read more)
Classical liberalism:
The problem with modern politics isn’t necessarily that different factions have competing concepts of governance — it’s that we’ve lost sight of the classical liberalism that gave rise to such astounding prosperity and progress. And it’s no wonder we’ve lost sight of it. Nearly every political faction has corrupted and manipulated classical liberalism to suit its own hunger for power and control. (Read more)
