From this URL:- John Adams wrote, "The moment the idea is admitted into society that property is not as sacred as the law of God, and that there is not a force of law and public justice to protect it, anarchy and tyranny commence." Tyranny has arrived in the neighborhoods of America. As passionately reported and meticulously documented in Abuse of Power: How the Government Misuses Eminent Domain, by Steven Greenhut of the Orange County Register, cities' abuse of the power of eminent domain has reached a crisis point.
It all began innocently enough. The Constitution provides that the government may take property for public use, as long as the owner is compensated for the loss. But what started as a reasonable means for the public to be served by legitimate conversion of private property to uses like highways or parks, has become a way for private developers to enrich themselves at the expense of homeowners and small businesses.
Along with the injustice of people being kicked out of their homes and businesses, there is the additional downside of land development being driven by municipal bureaucrats instead of by private property owners. Corruption is a constant danger. Members of city boards are often easily swayed by financial incentives offered by developers.
So now if you have a tiny place on a large land lot where you and your friends meet to discuss Taoism, farming, or whatever the government can expropriate it and turn it over to Muslims that would plan to build a huge mosque that would serve more people than your little group did. Or maybe that trailer court can be replaced with some high-priced condos!
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Well, here we have something remarkable -- An issue in which JustaDog & I agree! (One caveat: "So now if you have a tiny place on a large land lot where you and your friends meet to discuss Taoism, farming, or whatever the government can expropriate it and turn it over to Muslims that would plan to build a huge mosque that would serve more people than your little group did." This sentence was not needed. The chances of this happening in the US are nil. It's far more likely that the land would be taken to build a shopping mall or high-priced condos.)
MArk Steyn has a great piece on this:
http://www.suntimes.com/output/steyn/cst-edt-steyn03.html
In it, he writes:
"Get the picture? New Hampshire businessman Logan Darrow Clements did. He wants to build a new hotel in the town of Weare and he's found just the right piece of land: the home of Supreme Court judge David Souter. In compliance with Justice Souter's view of the public interest, Clements' project will generate far more revenue for Weare than Souter's pad ever could. The Lost Liberty Hotel will include the Just Desserts Bar and a museum dedicated to the loss of freedom in America.
I don't know about you, but the last time I was in Weare, N.H., I couldn't help thinking that what this town urgently needs is a good hotel. If it will help the Board of Selectmen in their decision, I personally pledge to take the most expensive suite in the new joint for the first month it's in service."
I would absolutely love to see this. Let's see a judge who made this decision reap the benefits.
:)
Cat
Thank you for that link Cat. Seems like those that make decisions are rarely affected by those decisions. Sort of like if a sex preditor is released by order of a judge - bet he doesn't end up living near where the judge and his family lives!
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