The Crime of a Commercial Exchange
When Jestina Clayton was threatened with legal action for braiding hair, bureaucrats made clear that her supposed crime was that she had been braiding hair for pay. Think about that for a moment: it was legal for her to braid...
Why Economics Should Matter To You, Part Two
For part one in this series, click here. One useful device to understand basic economic concepts is to first consider the actions of a single market participant in a closed system with limited raw materials, and then expand to...
Thou Shalt Not Sell Vehicles on the Sabbath
Controversy erupted in Utah County last fall as citizens in Highland, Utah, attempted (and succeeded) to overturn an action by their city’s council to allow all businesses to operate on Sundays. Previously, certain (but not...
The Ideal of Informed Consumerism
A free enterprise system is predicated upon informed consent and the right of contract. To the extent that public policy or social custom may interfere with these foundational elements of the market, they should be corrected. A...
Should Utah Taxpayers be Forced to Fund the Arts?
Utah has a long tradition of enjoying the theatrical arts. From the early days of the Salt Lake Theatre—the crown jewel of Western theaters—to the world famous Utah Shakespearean Festival, Utahns have valued wholesome...
In Opposition To An Internet Sales Tax
“In levying taxes and in shearing sheep it is well to stop when you get down to the skin.” —Austin O’Malley, Keystones of Thought Over the decades, Americans have been programmed to believe that they all must...