In typical leftist fashion, Houston Chronicle columnist Chris Tomlinson once again endorses regulations intended to protect us from our own decisions. His latest diatribe is in support of new regulations in Houston that requires that new homes be built two feet above the projected water level in a 500-year flood. The paternalistic columnist claims that,
If these rules had been in place, 84 percent of homes Harvey flooded in Houston’s floodplains would have been spared.
As is usually the case, those defending the new regulations make outlandish predictions about the benefits, while completely ignoring the downside. The new requirements will add to the cost of new housing, and this comes at a time when we are routinely besieged with stories about an affordable housing crisis.
Government regulations add significantly to the cost of housing. So, in its infinite wisdom to address one problem–flooding–government will exacerbate another problem–the affordability of housing. Inevitably, at some point down the road, government officials will propose new programs and policies that will allegedly fix the problems caused by previous interventions. But to identify what the new building regulations will lead to requires on to think in principles, and that is a skill that is sorely lacking among government officials and newspaper columnists.
These types of regulations are predicated on the premise that we should not be free to make decisions about where to build or live. Certainly, some people make bad decisions, but that does not justify subjecting every Houstonian to restrictions and controls. The solution is to hold individuals responsible for their choices. But again, that is not a popular position with politicians or columnists. They find it much more appealing to control our lives. Of course, they are doing it for our own good.