DOPL and Dyslexia
Last week, the Administrative Rules Review Committee met to discuss the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing‘s assertion that dyslexia can only be assessed and treated by psychologists licensed by the state....
Compulsory Education Violates Freedom
The law in Utah notes that parents have a “fundamental liberty interest” regarding the care of their children—including their children. And yet, Utah also enforces compulsory education laws that violate that...
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...
Lawmakers, or Economic Developers?
Why are legislators elected? For what purpose do they wield their power? Perhaps more fundamentally, what is the proper role of government? These questions were all implied in a simple question I asked a few Senators last month...
A Government Permission Slip to Braid Hair?
When Jestina Clayton sued the state of Utah (and won), it brought to the public’s attention an absurd and alarming detail: the government prohibits people from braiding hair, for pay, without a license. This license, in the...