Update, 5-13-10: All of what I write below rests on the idea that the all-you-can-drink ban would lead to some reduction in tavern drinking, as proponents certainly hope. If that’s not true, and their lack of confidence is an inability to reduce tavern drinking, then the ordinance is an exercise in futility, and an embarrassment…
Laws/Regulations
City, Laws/Regulations
Whitewater’s Ban on Drink Specials: Bad Origins and False Empiricism
by JOHN ADAMS •
I’m not surprised that a majority on Whitewater’s Common Council made the mistake of banning drink specials at Tuesday night’s Common Council meeting. I wrote about the proposal a few months ago, and I did so in the belief that the ban would be passed. (For remarks on the topic, see, The New Prohibition –…
Laws/Regulations, School District
Tribal Symbols for Schools and Legislative Over-Reach
by JOHN ADAMS •
Whitewater’s high school has the whippet as a mascot, following the tradition of many schools to choose impressive animals as symbols. There are, though, some schools in Wisconsin that have chosen tribal leaders or tribes as symbols, including some nearby (the Blackhawks of Fort Atkinson come to mind). Governor Doyle has signed legislation that allows…
Laws/Regulations, Liberty
Reason’s Nanny of the Month: Flag Banning at the North Carolina State Capitol Building
by JOHN ADAMS •
Free Markets, Law, Laws/Regulations, Liberty
CNN: Rights Groups Say They Will Challenge New Arizona Immigration Law
by JOHN ADAMS •
A legal challenge is right and inevitable: Arizona’s law will lead to abuse of citizens and non-citizens, and will inhibit a free market in labor, making Arizonans poorer and life there harsher. The law is destined for failure and obloquy, as were the restrictive efforts in California under Gov. Pete Wilson years ago. (That’s something…
Free Markets, Laws/Regulations
Private Space Exploration – Absence of Regulation Helped Early Aviation, Would Help Now
by JOHN ADAMS •
Laws/Regulations
Regulatory Failure: Flea Infestation Shuts Down Ohio Health Department
by JOHN ADAMS •
Law, Laws/Regulations, Liberty
A Proper American Response
by JOHN ADAMS •
Over at the Washington Post, columnist Michael Gerson summarizes nicely what’s wrong with Arizona’s anti-immigration law: This law creates a suspect class, based in part on ethnicity, considered guilty until they prove themselves innocent. It makes it harder for illegal immigrants to live without scrutiny — but it also makes it harder for some American…
Free Markets, Laws/Regulations, Liberty
Cosmetology Nannies, Part 2: Expensive Courses for Eyebrow Threading
by JOHN ADAMS •
Here’s the second of two posts on cosmetology. (I’ll tackle all manner of topics at FREE WHITEWATER.) The post is about a Texas salon owner who is among those who brought a venerable practice, eyebrow threading, to the Lone Star state. It may seem new to us, but it has been practiced safely abroad, and…
Free Markets, Laws/Regulations, Liberty
Cosmetology Nannies, Part 1: Banning Fish Pedicures
by JOHN ADAMS •
Readers can guess correctly that I don’t spend much time considering cosmetology. Unfortunately, some bureaucrats spend too much time regulating cosmetology. These regulations often inhibit new procedures, favor incumbent businesses over newcomers, and insist on unnecessary and expensive licensing. (The price for mandated coursework benefits, first and foremost, those who are in the business of…
Laws/Regulations
Tonight on Stossel: Earth Day Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity
by JOHN ADAMS •
Over at the Fox Business Channel, tonight’s 7 PM Central episode of Stossel will consider Earth Day Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity. Host John Stossel is scheduled to interview documentary film director Stephanie Soechtig about her film, Tapped. Stossel will have a chance to ask the directory about the many false and hysterical claims that…
City, Development, Free Markets, Government Spending, Laws/Regulations, Planning
A Bigger Walmart Proposed for Whitewater, Wisconsin
by JOHN ADAMS •
I wrote once about the Walmart, No. 1274, in Whitewater. (Walmart now uses a name without a hyphen in advertising. I’m guessing they consider it both simpler and more upscale than “Wal-Mart.”) I wrote about Walmart a while ago, and a lot has changed. Walmart now sells both beer and liquor, there’s no east side…
Laws/Regulations, Libertarians, Liberty
The Institute for Justice
by JOHN ADAMS •
I’ve added a link to my blogroll for the Institute for Justice, a civil liberties law firm. A tagline from their website tells their tale succinctly: “Litigating for Liberty.” Their motto, “We change the world, and have fun doing it,” tells how much they enjoy their work. If you’ve not visited their site, it’s surely…
City, Laws/Regulations, Libertarians
Could a Libertarian Run a Competitive Campaign Against President Obama? Yes.
by JOHN ADAMS •
Over at Rasmussen Reports, there’s a poll asking about a matchup in 2012 between President Obama and libertarian-oriented Ron Paul. The results aren’t surprising – there’s a considerable support for a libertarian-leaning candidate, even if people don’t always refer to support for free markets, individual liberty, and limited government by using the term libertarian. In…