Show Notes Jan. 29, 2009

We were first joined by our own Virginia Delegate Lynwood Lewis.  He shared with us the typical day in the life of a legislator and we discussed some of his current initiatives.  His visit was cut short due his being called back into a committee meeting, we hope he can join us again soon.

Riveting! That is the word that comes to mind when I try to describe my conversation with Prof. Richard Epstein.  A quick perusal of the list of books this man has authored will give you some insight into how dynamic a speaker he is: How the Progressives Rewrote the Constitution (2006); Free Markets under Siege: Cartels, Politics and Social Welfare (Hoover Institution Press, 2005), Skepticism and Freedom: A Modern Case for Classical Liberalism (2003); Principles for a Free Society: Reconciling Individual Liberty with the Common Good (1998); Mortal Peril: Our Inalienable Right to Health Care? (1997); Simple Rules for a Complex World (1995); Bargaining with the State (1993); Forbidden Grounds: The Case against Employment Discrimination Laws (1992); and Takings: Private Property and the Power of Eminent Domain (1985). Epstein is also the editor of Cases and Materials in the Law of Torts (8th ed. 2004) and has written a one-volume treatise, Torts (1999). 

Our main focus this show was property rights and also the intrinsicly false thinking behind zoning and government protectionism that stem from a naive understanding of economics that leads planners and supervisors to champion restrictive zoning that will ultimately strangle the areas where it is imposed.   Richard A. Epstein,  probably has a better understanding of property rights, zoning and its relation on economics then all the planners and supervisors put together.  He is the James Parker Hall Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Chicago, is the Peter and Kirsten Bedford Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution and Member, Property Rights, Freedom, and Prosperity Task Force.  A Cato Institute Adjunct Scholar, his resume is impressive and far too long to list here so please visit: http://www.hoover.org/bios/epstein.html

Then Steven Minor the Accomack County Administrator  http://www.co.accomack.va.us/index2.html joined us to discuss new happenings in the county.  I am very very envious as to the number of jobs that Accomack County has the opportunity to attract in the face of this looming recession.  Kudo’s to you all and here’s hoping that you get your zoning in order in time to actually snare those potential jobs!  If only Northampton wanted to have that type of opportunity.  But alas, your potential business endeavors do not include agriculture, aquaculture or tourism so they probably didn’t want them anyway.  Right?!

Phil Dunn and Bob Savage shared their expertise in well and septic requirements.  Mike Starling answered survey questions.

Finally, H. Sterling Burnett, Ph.D., Senior Fellow at NATIONAL CENTER FOR POLICY ANALYSIS, http://eteam.ncpa.org/about/sterling-burnett one of the country’s leading authorities on energy and environmental issues. He is the lead analyst of the National Center for Policy Analysis’ E-Team — one of the largest collections of energy and environmental policy experts and scientists who believe that sound science, economic prosperity and protecting the environment can go hand in hand.Burnett routinely discusses energy and environmental policy on national television and radio networks. 

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