Blue Jays veteran Max Scherzer mysteriously pulled after just two innings against Dodgers

Thumb surgery for Alejandro Kirk means an extensive absence for Blue Jays star catcher

Maple Leafs out of the race? Don't forget about that top-five pick

Trump's 51st state dream 'not going to happen' because of King Charles

WARMINGTON: Muslim street preacher foils potential stabbing outside Eaton Centre

Share this Story : Toronto Sun Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr

STOSSEL: Government can't own you unless you let it 

Such government control makes it harder to build anything.

You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.

Politicians tax what we earn, regulate what we build and often decide what we can do with our bodies and our money.

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.

Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.

Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.

Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.

Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.

Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.

Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.

Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.

Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Access articles from across Canada with one account.

Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.

Enjoy additional articles per month.

Get email updates from your favourite authors.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Access articles from across Canada with one account

Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments

Enjoy additional articles per month

Get email updates from your favourite authors

Don't have an account? Create Account

I like to think I own myself. But politicians increasingly act as if they do.

STOSSEL: Government can't own you unless you let it  Back to video

“People should not have power over other people’s lives,” says Timothy Sandefur, author of the book You Don’t Own Me.

In my latest video, Sandefur challenges the attitude that “freedom belongs to the government and it can parcel it out to us.”

He starts with building permits.

“A building permit really says you’re not allowed to build on your own property until the government gives you permission. And you have to pay for that permission. The government has essentially confiscated your land and sells it back to you in exchange for more rights.”

Such government control makes it harder to build anything.

“The Empire State Building,” Sandefur reminds me, “was built in a single year. Now it’s unimaginable that you could accomplish a project like that, or even just the paperwork, within a year.”

Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond.

There was an error, please provide a valid email address.

By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.

A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.

The next issue of Your Midday Sun will soon be in your inbox.

We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again

Interested in more newsletters? Browse here.

So vast sums of money are wasted. Take high-speed rail for example. Somehow, California has spent 16 years and $14 billion without laying down a single mile of high-speed track.

“How much would Californians have done with that colossal amount of money?” Sandefur asks.

Permission needed to do anything

Government forced me to get vaccinated and pay into Social Security.

If I want to buy a gun or get a hunting licence, I must ask government’s permission. I even have to get bureaucrats’ permission to start a business braiding someone’s hair.

“Two-thirds of businesses in America require some form of government permission slip for you to do your job,” complains Sandefur. “Everything from something as simple as barbering to something as complicated as engineering. If you want to earn a living, you first have to get permission. Often … this is not only unconstitutional, but a violation of the fundamental principle that you have the right to pursue happiness.”

Sandefur’s state is trying to do something about it.

“Arizona passed a universal licensing law that says that if you have an occupational licence from another state and you move to Arizona, you will automatically get the equivalent license. Which only makes sense. You don’t forget how to be an architect when you move from California to Arizona.”

Americans are free to move

Where regulation is heavy, Americans aren’t waiting for politicians to simplify things. They’re just leaving.

U-Haul records show people moving from blue states like California, New York and Illinois to freer states like Texas, Florida and North Carolina.

It’s a good thing that we Americans are free to move. We vote with our feet. We’re not totally stuck with the rules local politicians impose.

We libertarians like that.

“Libertarianism expresses the idea that the individual is in charge of his or her own life and has the right to achieve happiness or suffer the pains of making wrong decisions,” says Sandefur. “I’m a libertarian because I believe that freedom is the natural state of all human beings.”

“Seems right to me,” I reply. “Yet this is a tremendously unpopular political philosophy.

“Libertarianism hasn’t been sufficiently explained to people,” says Sandefur. “They think libertarianism consists of doing whatever you feel like. … The opposite is the case. A truly free society is one where people have to take a great deal of self-responsibility.

The core idea is simple: “You own yourself. Who else has a better right to own you or me? I’m the one who suffers if I make bad decisions,” says Sandefur. “I’m the one who gets to enjoy the rewards if I make good decisions. So why should somebody else have this right to decide the direction of my own life?”

“To protect me from myself if I’m making bad decisions?” I reply.

STOSSEL: A report card on Donald Trump's fifth year as president

STOSSEL: Where was the incentive to stop fraud in Minneapolis?

STOSSEL: Are we sexist for acknowledging differences between men and women?

“That’s always the excuse that’s given,” Sandefur says. “The kings never rode on top of the people because they wanted to, but because people were better off for being ridden upon.”

Let’s not buy into that.

“I don’t think government can ever really own you,” says Sandefur, “unless you let it.” Every Tuesday at JohnStossel.com, Stossel posts a new video about the battle between government and freedom 

Share this Story : Toronto Sun Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.

Blue Jays veteran Max Scherzer mysteriously pulled after just two innings against Dodgers Toronto Blue Jays

Blue Jays veteran Max Scherzer mysteriously pulled after just two innings against Dodgers

Thumb surgery for Alejandro Kirk means an extensive absence for Blue Jays star catcher Toronto Blue Jays

Thumb surgery for Alejandro Kirk means an extensive absence for Blue Jays star catcher

Maple Leafs out of the race? Don't forget about that top-five pick Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs out of the race? Don't forget about that top-five pick

Trump's 51st state dream 'not going to happen' because of King Charles Canada

Trump's 51st state dream 'not going to happen' because of King Charles

WARMINGTON: Muslim street preacher foils potential stabbing outside Eaton Centre Columnists

WARMINGTON: Muslim street preacher foils potential stabbing outside Eaton Centre

© Toronto Sun