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THE LIGHTHOUSE: Wal-Mart & Eminent Domain | Latin American Left |
Memorial Day | Terrorism & History (5/30/06)
THE LIGHTHOUSE
"Enlightening Ideas for Public Policy..."
Vol. 8, Issue 22; May 30, 2006
-------------------------------------------------------------
IN THIS WEEK'S ISSUE:
1. Eminent Domain Roulette
2. Can Lula Stop Chavez?
3. Ivan Eland on Memorial Day
4. Terrorism and History
-------------------------------------------------------------
EMINENT DOMAIN ROULETTE
Wal-Mart has often been criticized for benefiting from eminent domain, but it
now appears to be its victim. The city council of Hercules, Calif., recently
voted to seize land owned by the retail giant in order to make it available to
stores more conducive to the "village-like atmosphere" it hopes to foster. Yet
the same businesses it hopes to attract forfeited an earlier opportunity to open
stores on that property when an earlier owner tried to develop it.
Are city planners better at predicting what kinds of businesses would thrive at
a given location than the prospective businesses themselves? That assumption,
held by the Hercules city council, illustrates the economic folly of eminent
domain, according to Benjamin Powell, director of the Independent Institute's
Center on Entrepreneurial Innovation.
"Eminent domain not only violates property rights, it's also bad economics,"
writes Powell. "Seizing someone's private property to give it to another private
party actually harms economic development, by switching it to less valuable
uses."
In November, California voters will have the opportunity to curb eminent domain
by voting for the Protect Our Homes Initiative. "Ironically, by protecting
homeowners from Wal-Mart, voters would also be protecting Wal-Mart from
Hercules's central planners," Powell concludes. "The initiative will be
beneficial in either case because eminent domain is not good for our economy
whether Wal-Mart is the goose or the gander."
See "Eminent Domain Roulette," by Benjamin Powell (INVESTORS BUSINESS DAILY,
5/26/06) http://www.independent.org/newsroom/article.asp?id=1735
SPANISH TRANSLATION:
"La ruleta del dominio eminente" http://www.elindependent.org/articulos/article.asp?id=1735
Center on Entrepreneurial Innovation (Benjamin Powell, director) http://www.independent.org/research/coei/
-------------------------------------------------------------
CAN LULA STOP CHAVEZ?
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva is the national leader best
positioned to oppose Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in the current battle for
the soul of Latin America's left. The battle is comprised of two very different
camps of leftists, according to Alvaro Vargas Llosa, director of the Independent
Institute's Center on Global Prosperity: "The 'vegetarian' left is somewhat
sympathetic to free markets and believes in democracy. The 'carnivorous' left
promotes populist, authoritarian regimes. Lula is the natural leader of the
vegetarians. Chavez has replaced Castro as the leader of the carnivores."
In the face of Chavez's recent effort to undermine Lula's plan for the economic
integration of South America, Lula will have to display stronger leadership than
he has so far provided, Vargas Llosa argues. "A few weeks ago, President Lula
told me, 'I want to make it clear that I do not have any type of ideological
resistance against FTAA" (the Free Trade Area of the Americas, a treaty derided
by the hard left). In contrast, Chavez has joined Cuba's Fidel Castro and
Bolivia's Evo Morales in a trade pact intended to counter free markets -- a move
which constitutes "a slap in the face of Brazil's integrationist plans," writes
Vargas Llosa.
"To make matters worse, Chavez has been getting close to Argentina -- a country
run by another populist president -- through the purchase of that nation's
sovereign bonds, knowing full well that Buenos Aires is in a permanent state of
tension with Brazil simply because Brazil has gotten its economy relatively in
shape and has a trade surplus with Argentina," Vargas Llosa continues. "Brazil's
integration plan is a desirable goal, but the absence of Brazilian leadership
means Chavez's plan is the only one standing."
See "Can Lula Stop Chavez?" by Alvaro Vargas Llosa (5/24/06) http://www.independent.org/newsroom/article.asp?id=1733
THE CHE GUEVARA MYTH AND THE FUTURE OF LIBERTY, by Alvaro Vargas Llosa http://www.independent.org/store/book_detail.asp?bookID=61
LIBERTY FOR LATIN AMERICA: How to Undo Five-Hundred Years of State Oppression,
by Alvaro Vargas Llosa http://www.independent.org/store/book_detail.asp?bookID=55
Center on Global Prosperity (Alvaro Vargas Llosa, director) http://www.independent.org/research/cogp/
Spanish-language Blog:
El Independent: El Blog del Centro Para la Prosperidad Global de The Independent
Institute http://independent.typepad.com
-------------------------------------------------------------
IVAN ELAND ON MEMORIAL DAY
"On Memorial Day, we should honor those who are buried after dying in the
country's wars, but be a little more skeptical of the U.S. government actions
that put them there," writes Ivan Eland, director of the Independent Institute's
Center on Peace & Liberty, in his latest op-ed.
Eland argues that governments have often propagandized about their role in
various wars in the hope of shielding their citizens from some of the
humiliations of wartime. Eland cites two examples he has seen first-hand: a
World War II memorial in Paris that recognizes the French resistance but ignores
the allies who liberated France from Nazi occupation -- and a Canadian military
fort which was taken by Americans during the War of 1812.
Eland also notes some of the terrible unintended consequences of U.S.
intervention in various wars. For example, President Woodrow Wilson, Eland
writes, "provided aid to the Russian government as long as they fought in World
War I against the Kaiser's Germany. If the Russian government had pulled out of
the war earlier, Vladimir Lenin wouldn't have been able to ride the unpopular
war to power."
See "On Memorial Day, Honor the War Dead but Question America's Wars," by Ivan
Eland (5/29/06) http://www.independent.org/newsroom/article.asp?id=1738
THE EMPIRE HAS NO CLOTHES: U.S. Foreign Policy Exposed, by Ivan Eland http://www.independent.org/store/book_detail.asp?bookID=54
THE WAY OUT OF IRAQ: Decentralizing the Iraqi Government, by Ivan Eland http://www.independent.org/store/policy_reports/detail.asp?id=16
Center on Peace & Liberty (Ivan Eland, director) http://www.independent.org/research/copal/
-------------------------------------------------------------
TERRORIST PLOTS -- THEN AND NOW
As historians often attest, history often repeats itself in recognizable -- and
startling -- patterns. Of course, no two historical episodes are exactly alike
in every respect, but there are enough ominous parallels to justify George
Santayana's famous dictum about the hazards of ignoring the lessons of history.
In his provocative and amusing article, "Discovery of a Terrorist Plot, Then and
Now," Independent Institute Senior Fellow Robert Higgs illustrates this theme by
comparing two terrorist plots and their aftermath -- that of 9/11 and that of
the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, a failed plan to assassinate King James I of
England.
All the more remarkable is that Higgs exposes the similarities of these episodes
simply by replacing a few key words in an account of King James's England with a
few words familiar to virtually everyone who has read a newspaper or watched a
television news program semi-regularly in the past four-and-a-half years.
See "Discovery of a Terrorist Plot, Then and Now," by Robert Higgs (5/18/06)
http://www.independent.org/newsroom/article.asp?id=1729
To purchase RESURGENCE OF THE WARFARE STATE: The Crisis since 9/11," by Robert
Higgs, see http://www.independent.org/store/book_detail.asp?bookID=60
To purchase AGAINST LEVIATHAN: Government Power and a Free Society, by Robert
Higgs, see http://www.independent.org/store/book_detail.asp?bookID=53
-------------------------------------------------------------
THE LIGHTHOUSE, edited by Carl P. Close, is made possible by the generous
contributions of supporters of the Independent Institute. If you enjoy THE
LIGHTHOUSE, please consider making a donation to the Independent Institute. For
details on the Independent Associate Membership program, see http://www.independent.org/membership/
or contact us by phone at 510-632-1366, e-mail at info@independent.org, or snail
mail to: The Independent Institute, 100 Swan Way, Oakland, CA 94621-1428. All
contributions are tax-deductible. Thank you!
-------------------------------------------------------------
For previous issues of THE LIGHTHOUSE, see http://www.independent.org/publications/the_lighthouse/.
THE LIGHTHOUSE: Wal-Mart & Eminent Domain | Latin American Left | Memorial Day |
Terrorism & History (5/30/06)
THE LIGHTHOUSE
"Enlightening Ideas for Public Policy..."
Vol. 8, Issue 22; May 30, 2006
-------------------------------------------------------------
IN THIS WEEK'S ISSUE:
1. Eminent Domain Roulette
2. Can Lula Stop Chavez?
3. Ivan Eland on Memorial Day
4. Terrorism and History
-------------------------------------------------------------
EMINENT DOMAIN ROULETTE
Wal-Mart has often been criticized for benefiting from eminent domain, but it
now appears to be its victim. The city council of Hercules, Calif., recently
voted to seize land owned by the retail giant in order to make it available to
stores more conducive to the "village-like atmosphere" it hopes to foster. Yet
the same businesses it hopes to attract forfeited an earlier opportunity to open
stores on that property when an earlier owner tried to develop it.
Are city planners better at predicting what kinds of businesses would thrive at
a given location than the prospective businesses themselves? That assumption,
held by the Hercules city council, illustrates the economic folly of eminent
domain, according to Benjamin Powell, director of the Independent Institute's
Center on Entrepreneurial Innovation.
"Eminent domain not only violates property rights, it's also bad economics,"
writes Powell. "Seizing someone's private property to give it to another private
party actually harms economic development, by switching it to less valuable
uses."
In November, California voters will have the opportunity to curb eminent domain
by voting for the Protect Our Homes Initiative. "Ironically, by protecting
homeowners from Wal-Mart, voters would also be protecting Wal-Mart from
Hercules's central planners," Powell concludes. "The initiative will be
beneficial in either case because eminent domain is not good for our economy
whether Wal-Mart is the goose or the gander."
See "Eminent Domain Roulette," by Benjamin Powell (INVESTORS BUSINESS DAILY,
5/26/06) http://www.independent.org/newsroom/article.asp?id=1735
SPANISH TRANSLATION:
"La ruleta del dominio eminente" http://www.elindependent.org/articulos/article.asp?id=1735
Center on Entrepreneurial Innovation (Benjamin Powell, director) http://www.independent.org/research/coei/
-------------------------------------------------------------
CAN LULA STOP CHAVEZ?
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva is the national leader best
positioned to oppose Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in the current battle for
the soul of Latin America's left. The battle is comprised of two very different
camps of leftists, according to Alvaro Vargas Llosa, director of the Independent
Institute's Center on Global Prosperity: "The 'vegetarian' left is somewhat
sympathetic to free markets and believes in democracy. The 'carnivorous' left
promotes populist, authoritarian regimes. Lula is the natural leader of the
vegetarians. Chavez has replaced Castro as the leader of the carnivores."
In the face of Chavez's recent effort to undermine Lula's plan for the economic
integration of South America, Lula will have to display stronger leadership than
he has so far provided, Vargas Llosa argues. "A few weeks ago, President Lula
told me, 'I want to make it clear that I do not have any type of ideological
resistance against FTAA" (the Free Trade Area of the Americas, a treaty derided
by the hard left). In contrast, Chavez has joined Cuba's Fidel Castro and
Bolivia's Evo Morales in a trade pact intended to counter free markets -- a move
which constitutes "a slap in the face of Brazil's integrationist plans," writes
Vargas Llosa.
"To make matters worse, Chavez has been getting close to Argentina -- a country
run by another populist president -- through the purchase of that nation's
sovereign bonds, knowing full well that Buenos Aires is in a permanent state of
tension with Brazil simply because Brazil has gotten its economy relatively in
shape and has a trade surplus with Argentina," Vargas Llosa continues. "Brazil's
integration plan is a desirable goal, but the absence of Brazilian leadership
means Chavez's plan is the only one standing."
See "Can Lula Stop Chavez?" by Alvaro Vargas Llosa (5/24/06) http://www.independent.org/newsroom/article.asp?id=1733
THE CHE GUEVARA MYTH AND THE FUTURE OF LIBERTY, by Alvaro Vargas Llosa http://www.independent.org/store/book_detail.asp?bookID=61
LIBERTY FOR LATIN AMERICA: How to Undo Five-Hundred Years of State Oppression,
by Alvaro Vargas Llosa http://www.independent.org/store/book_detail.asp?bookID=55
Center on Global Prosperity (Alvaro Vargas Llosa, director) http://www.independent.org/research/cogp/
Spanish-language Blog:
El Independent: El Blog del Centro Para la Prosperidad Global de The Independent
Institute http://independent.typepad.com
-------------------------------------------------------------
IVAN ELAND ON MEMORIAL DAY
"On Memorial Day, we should honor those who are buried after dying in the
country's wars, but be a little more skeptical of the U.S. government actions
that put them there," writes Ivan Eland, director of the Independent Institute's
Center on Peace & Liberty, in his latest op-ed.
Eland argues that governments have often propagandized about their role in
various wars in the hope of shielding their citizens from some of the
humiliations of wartime. Eland cites two examples he has seen first-hand: a
World War II memorial in Paris that recognizes the French resistance but ignores
the allies who liberated France from Nazi occupation -- and a Canadian military
fort which was taken by Americans during the War of 1812.
Eland also notes some of the terrible unintended consequences of U.S.
intervention in various wars. For example, President Woodrow Wilson, Eland
writes, "provided aid to the Russian government as long as they fought in World
War I against the Kaiser's Germany. If the Russian government had pulled out of
the war earlier, Vladimir Lenin wouldn't have been able to ride the unpopular
war to power."
See "On Memorial Day, Honor the War Dead but Question America's Wars," by Ivan
Eland (5/29/06) http://www.independent.org/newsroom/article.asp?id=1738
THE EMPIRE HAS NO CLOTHES: U.S. Foreign Policy Exposed, by Ivan Eland http://www.independent.org/store/book_detail.asp?bookID=54
THE WAY OUT OF IRAQ: Decentralizing the Iraqi Government, by Ivan Eland http://www.independent.org/store/policy_reports/detail.asp?id=16
Center on Peace & Liberty (Ivan Eland, director) http://www.independent.org/research/copal/
-------------------------------------------------------------
TERRORIST PLOTS -- THEN AND NOW
As historians often attest, history often repeats itself in recognizable -- and
startling -- patterns. Of course, no two historical episodes are exactly alike
in every respect, but there are enough ominous parallels to justify George
Santayana's famous dictum about the hazards of ignoring the lessons of history.
In his provocative and amusing article, "Discovery of a Terrorist Plot, Then and
Now," Independent Institute Senior Fellow Robert Higgs illustrates this theme by
comparing two terrorist plots and their aftermath -- that of 9/11 and that of
the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, a failed plan to assassinate King James I of
England.
All the more remarkable is that Higgs exposes the similarities of these episodes
simply by replacing a few key words in an account of King James's England with a
few words familiar to virtually everyone who has read a newspaper or watched a
television news program semi-regularly in the past four-and-a-half years.
See "Discovery of a Terrorist Plot, Then and Now," by Robert Higgs (5/18/06)
http://www.independent.org/newsroom/article.asp?id=1729
To purchase RESURGENCE OF THE WARFARE STATE: The Crisis since 9/11," by Robert
Higgs, see http://www.independent.org/store/book_detail.asp?bookID=60
To purchase AGAINST LEVIATHAN: Government Power and a Free Society, by Robert
Higgs, see http://www.independent.org/store/book_detail.asp?bookID=53
-------------------------------------------------------------
THE LIGHTHOUSE, edited by Carl P. Close, is made possible by the generous
contributions of supporters of the Independent Institute. If you enjoy THE
LIGHTHOUSE, please consider making a donation to the Independent Institute. For
details on the Independent Associate Membership program, see
http://www.independent.org/membership/ or contact us by phone at 510-632-1366,
e-mail at info@independent.org, or snail mail to: The Independent Institute, 100
Swan Way, Oakland, CA 94621-1428. All contributions are tax-deductible. Thank
you!
-------------------------------------------------------------
For previous issues of THE LIGHTHOUSE, see
http://www.independent.org/publications/the_lighthouse/.
-------------------------------------------------------------
For information on books and other publications from The Independent Institute,
see http://www.independent.org/publications/.
-------------------------------------------------------------
For membership information, see http://www.independent.org/membership/
-------------------------------------------------------------
To subscribe or unsubscribe, please go to The Lighthouse page:
http://www.independent.org/publications/the_lighthouse/. Enter your email
address, select "Subscribe" or "Unsubscribe", and click "Submit".
-------------------------------------------------------------
THE LIGHTHOUSE
ISSN 1526-173X
Copyright © 2006 The Independent Institute
100 Swan Way Oakland, CA 94621-1428
(510) 632-1366 phone
(510) 568-6040 fax
-------------------------------------------------------------
For information on books and other publications from The Independent Institute,
see http://www.independent.org/publications/.
-------------------------------------------------------------
For membership information, see http://www.independent.org/membership/
-------------------------------------------------------------
To subscribe or unsubscribe, please go to The Lighthouse page:
http://www.independent.org/publications/the_lighthouse/. Enter your email
address, select "Subscribe" or "Unsubscribe", and click "Submit".
-------------------------------------------------------------
THE LIGHTHOUSE
ISSN 1526-173X
Copyright © 2006 The Independent Institute
100 Swan Way Oakland, CA 94621-1428
(510) 632-1366 phone
(510) 568-6040 fax
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