Galbraith: train wreck legislation demonstrates the need for public testimony

Train Wreck Legislation Demonstrates the Need for Public Testimony

By Brad Galbraith

Shutting out Oklahomans’ voices in the legislative process leads to uninformed public policy. A recent hearing of the House Transportation Committee serves as just one example of the testimony deficiency in Oklahoma’s legislative process.

The committee recently considered House Bill 1048, sponsored by Representative Kerbs, which requires private railroads to maintain at least “two crewmembers in the control compartment of the lead locomotive unit of a train.”

Limited to the knowledge and testimony of the bill’s sponsor and the Secretary of Transportation, the committee unanimously voted to approve a simple bill that it believed was an innocuous codification of current standards that would protect public safety indefinitely into the future.

1889 Institute: Guide to governments regulation of land use

BASIC GUIDE TO GOVERNMENTS REGULATION OF LAND USE PUBLISHED

The 1889 Institute counts the ways government impacts property rights.

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (February 3, 2021) – The 1889 Institute has published “Land and Prosperity: A Primer on Land Use Law and Policy,” which describes the many ways state and local governments regulate the use and disposition of private property. The publication first discusses the need to establish order among individuals whose actions impact others, then describes the benefits of private property, and then describes the many ways government interferes, justifiably or not, with property owners’ decisions in how property is used and developed.

“The study is a description of the many ways government inserts itself into the decisions property owners make about the use of their property,” said 1889’s Land Use Fellow, Brad Galbraith, the study’s author and relatively recent addition to the 1889 Institute’s staff. “It’s important to fully understand how government impacts prosperity through its influence on property rights, under which the rights to life and liberty are subsumed,” he said.

The new study makes few value judgments or arguments regarding the various types of land use regulation on government’s part, whether the subject is the common law of nuisance or zoning, or comprehensive planning.

1889 Institute: Californians relocating to Oklahoma, please do so responsibly

I stumbled across this shirt online, which fits the below column very well

Be Careful What You Wish For

By Brad Galbraith

The state of Oklahoma has California in its sights.

Persistently bad policymaking in California has resulted in a heavy tax burden, an outrageous cost of living, and, consequently, a mass exodus. The ensuing tyranny and oppression should be a clarion call to California emigrants to execute an abrupt about-face and abandon public policies and elected officials that created this condition.

To connect the dots between policy and affordability, consider one aspect of the cost of living – the price of gasoline. In the modern economy, transportation is a necessity and the price of gas is likely one of the transportation costs with which almost everyone can relate.

California and Oklahoma are similarly situated in household and individual relationships to automobiles. In California, 93.1% of households had access to at least one vehicle compared to 94.4% of Oklahoma households. 83.3% of California commuters chose to drive or carpool to work, compared to 92.2% of Oklahoma commuters. According to one study, per 100 residents, California had 38.1 vehicles registered while Oklahoma had 32.8. This similarity will help paint a clear picture of the extent to which public policy has burdened Californians.

At the time of this writing, the average price per gallon of gas in California was $3.17 per gallon, more than a dollar higher than the national average. This is crazy, especially for Oklahomans accustomed to an average price of $1.81. A recent publication by the American Petroleum Institute gives some insight into the dramatic difference. Spoiler – it has a lot to do with public policy. 

California tax policy places a high burden on drivers. State-specific taxes and fees amount to a nation-leading 81.2 cents per gallon of gasoline. By contrast, Oklahoma is a quarter of that amount, coming in at 20 cents per gallon. Additionally, California’s politicians have been antagonistic toward gasoline-fueled automobiles, such as a recent executive order demanding that all new cars sold in California have “zero-emissions.” 

This, along with numerous other examples, should serve as a wake-up call, a realization that public policy matters. It can either preserve freedom or impose tyranny. So, Californians who relocate businesses to Oklahoma, please do so responsibly.

Take the time necessary to reflect on why you are leaving California. Contemplate how public policy has contributed to the condition from which you flee. Then observe how free enterprise policies foster an environment of freedom within which businesses and residents can thrive.

As the tendencies toward paternalistic governance, aversion to free markets, and love of hyper-regulation begin to dissipate and the fresh, crisp air of freedom has filled your lungs, take action. Vote to preserve liberty for yourself and others for generations to come.  

1889 Institute: Eliminate social distancing, focus resources to protect the vulnerable

Eliminate social distancing and focus resources to protect the vulnerable

By Brad Galbraith

In the military, reliable intelligence is a critical component of reducing risk in engagement. Knowledge reduces risk and minimizes casualties and collateral damage. Similarly, in the fight against COVID-19, governments must continually gather information and respond with greater agility as new knowledge necessitates a policy change.

Upon the outbreak of COVID-19, little was known about it. Symptomatically, it was challenging to confirm one had the disease given the expanding list of symptoms. Despite what little information existed, numerous state and local governments began imposing extreme measures to “flatten the curve.” Meanwhile, bona fide experts prepared for the worst while acknowledging a significant lack of knowledge.

However, over the last several months, our knowledge about the coronavirus has grown. Initial policies, arising from swift action, must now yield to better strategies founded on reliable science and which are responsive to new knowledge. For example, we now know that universal lockdowns have significant repercussions on our economic, mental, and physical health. We also know of one crucial attribute of COVID-19 – it has an asymmetric fatality rate. That is, the virus is particularly dangerous for the aged and individuals with specific pre-existing adverse health conditions while the risk to life is almost nonexistent for the young.