Let's Compensate Bone Marrow Donors
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
&LAW 20years20 ating for libe litig rty April 2011 for newsletter Volume 20 Issue 2 Inside This Issue Board2020 Chairman Looksyears Back on MEan Streets: IJ’satin g20 fo Yearsr libe litig rty El Paso Targets Mobile Vendors 2 With Protectionist Regulations for site Robert Wilson Issues $10 Million Challenge Grant 3 IJ Client in USA Today: Compensate Bone Marrow Donors El Paso is trying to shut down street vendors like IJ client Maria Robledo by making it virtually impossible to sell food on city streets. 4 By Matt Miller in El Paso, you will quickly see how onerous this You’ve probably heard a lot of positive buzz restriction is. It has essentially turned El Paso into a about street vending lately. Vendors are the darling No-Vending Zone. of many food critics, and they now have their own This new restriction has absolutely nothing to reality television show. Consumers love the combi- do with protecting public health or safety. It is a Communications Team nation of eclectic menus and low prices. Budding transparent attempt to “protect” brick-and-mortar Stays on the Cutting Edge entrepreneurs love the low cost of entry and the restaurants from competition by forcing vendors out chance to start a business from scratch. And some of business. Notably, the head of the El Paso restau- 9 cities, like Austin with its recent “Gypsy Picnic,” have rant association and representatives of other brick- begun to embrace vendors for the life and vitality and-mortar restaurants served on the advisory board they bring to the local dining scene. that assisted the city in drafting the new law. Unfortunately, in many other cities, vendors The notion that restaurants—which enjoy numer- are being forced to fight for their very existence. ous advantages over street vendors, such as the abil- Nowhere is this truer than in El Paso, Texas, where ity to seat and serve more customers, greater stor- Published Bimonthly by the the city has banned vendors from operating within age space, and full on-site kitchens—cannot survive Institute for Justice 1,000 feet of any restaurant, grocer or convenience competition from street vendors without government store. If you imagine circles with a 1,000-foot radius assistance is silly. The government shouldn’t be in visit us online: drawn around every single business that sells food El Paso Vending continued on page 10 www.ij.org 20yearsyears20 ating for libe litig rty for newsletter &LAW 20yearsyears20 ating for libe litig rty 1991-2011 IJ: On Mission 20 Years Later for site By David B. Kennedy after the infamous Kelo ruling) by helping to IJ remains on mission to defend Twenty years ago this September—after change the law in 43 states to offer more school choice. In 1991, few had ever many years of thought-filled and careful robust protection from eminent domain even heard the idea of school choice and, preparation—the Institute for Justice was abuse where once there had been little or although it was intuitively a core American launched in Washington, D.C. Through none. IJ teamed up with legendary law value, few gave much thought to the idea hard work and adherence to principle, IJ professor Richard Epstein to file a series of that parents should or could direct the edu- has grown into an organization that con- amicus briefs with the U.S. Supreme Court, cation of their children. And so IJ went to sistently moves the nation toward greater thereby reining in regulatory takings. IJ is work putting that issue, too, in the nation’s respect for constitutional rights and indi- now hard at work challenging civil forfeiture consciousness, litigating all the way up to vidual liberty. What is the secret to the through litigation, research and advocacy in the U.S. Supreme Court, putting a human Institute’s success? It has just been a the court of public opinion. face on the issue, and winning. Because of matter of tireless hard work by a wonderful IJ remains on mission to expand eco- the efforts of the Institute for Justice, today group of talented people, operating with nomic liberty. When IJ opened its doors, school choice is a reality for tens of thou- enormous goodwill, all the while adhering regulators and politically powerful cartels sands of kids across the nation. Through closely to IJ’s founding mission. But that operating below the radar harassed would- IJ-advocated school choice programs, these mission is of the utmost importance. be entrepreneurs to the point of exhaustion kids are getting a far better education today IJ remains on mission to protect in the name of protecting the public, while than anyone could have dreamed of 20 property rights. Twenty years ago, prop- really only protecting existing service provid- years ago. erty owners faced the ever-present threat ers from competition. Twenty years later, IJ remains on mission to vindicate of eminent domain abuse, unquestioned thanks in large part to IJ’s work, the courts, free speech. Twenty years ago, the First regulatory restrictions on their land and the media and the public are showing little Amendment was in tatters, offering limited unchallenged policing for profit in the guise tolerance for such good-old-boy networks. protection for political speech and second- of civil forfeiture. Twenty years later, IJ Today, economic liberty is on the rise and class treatment for commercial speech. helped transform the legal landscape (even economic protectionism is in retreat. Too often the government—rather than free 22 20years20 atiing for liibe liitiig rty april 2011 forfor newsletternewsletter and responsible individuals—decided what information the public needed to hear. But thanks to one IJ case after another, the law of the land has changed and Americans today are freer to speak and be heard than they were 20years20 atiing for liibee 20 years ago. Thanks to IJ, individual citizens liitiig rty may more easily advocate for the election or $10,000,000 defeat of a political candidate without first hav- ing to get the government’s permission. Small- forfor sitesite business owners face fewer barriers when IJ Challenge Grant they communicate with their customers. Free speech is expanding because of IJ’s merry band of libertarian litigators. Robert Wilson DoublesDoubles Down One of the reasons IJ has remained so successful is that they have the sophistication, for Liberty confidence and vision to understand that they are not in the business of trying to right all the By Chip Mellor wrongs of this world. IJ has carefully chosen national force for liberty, securing four areas of litigation that constitute the core As we reflect on the 20-year constitutional limits on govern- of the American Dream—the right to own a history of the Institute for Justice, ment power at a time when that piece of property and call it yours, the right certain achievements and events has never been more important. to pursue an honest living in the occupation have laid a strong foundation for IJ has developed the seasoned of your choice, the right to direct the educa- IJ’s future success. One of the management and professional tion of your children and the right to speak most exciting was the $5-million staff that, along with our time- freely on any subject without having to get the challenge grant issued by Robert tested strategy, ensure we are government’s permission. We have brought Wilson in 2008. With the gener- well-equipped to make the most of to bear all the talent and passion individuals osity of many other IJ supporters, such generosity. can muster to make that dream a reality for as we met that challenge. We intend for the Institute many Americans as possible. IJ doesn’t seek Bob was so pleased with for Justice to become a house- to plow well-cultivated legal fields. Rather, it the enthusiasm of our donors hold name so that when core seeks to plant the seeds of order, reason and and what we accomplished American values of property justice in the fallow fields of law where liberty with that first grant that he has rights, economic liberty, school must flourish. issued a new challenge grant of choice and free speech are under To that end, the Institute for Justice $10 million. As before, Bob will assault and someone asks, “Who recently launched its Center for Judicial provide $1 for every $2 of new can we call?” there is one obvi- Engagement as a means of engaging the or increased support of $5,000 ous answer: “The Institute for courts and convincing them that they have or more. For details, please Justice!”u a vital constitutional role to play if we are to contact IJ’s Vice President for live in a nation of limited government. IJ has Development Beth Stevens at Chip Mellor is IJ’s president and general achieved that with individual courts over the [email protected]. counsel. years. Through the new Center, we have every Through this new challenge, intention of making these changes systemic. IJ will continue to grow into a IJ’s capabilities may have grown and its staff may have expanded, but our mission has never wavered. True effectiveness, like that demonstrated by the Institute for Justice over the past 20 years, demands the disciplined adherence to mission that is an IJ hallmark.u “Bob will provide $1 for every $2 of new or David B. Kennedy is the chairman of IJ’s board of directors. increased support of $5,000 or more.” 33 &LAW February 11, 2011 Let’s compensate bone marrow donors By KUMUD MAjUMDER tional bone mar- row donor regis- My 11-year-old son, Arya, was an angel try, which makes who transformed my life.