In 1990 I lost a Sony Walkman from my office at Baylor, where I was an accounting manager. Our patients were very sick, so I always assumed it was taken from my office by a patient’s family member while I was out (they left a half-used cup of coffee sitting by my door).

That’s when I realized what the lock on my office door was used for.

Wherever private property exists, special interest groups arise to protect their interests. This naturally leads to accusations of unfair influence and control. Liberals only know two ways to address this problem: (1) eliminate or control the liberty to protect private property (e.g., campaign finance limitations), or (2) allow everyone an equal amount of property (e.g., redistribution of wealth).

In a free political marketplace, special interests should be liberated to defend their private property. In fact, James Madison said “the more special interests, the better.” I am paraphrasing, of course. Here’s what he really said: “Extend the sphere and you take in a greater variety of parties and interests; you make it less probable that a majority of the whole will have a common motive to invade the rights of other citizens; or if such a common motive exists, it will be more difficult for all who feel it to discover their own strength, and to act in unison with each other.” In other words, the more special interests that exist, the more they will check and cancel each other out.