IN A DAY AND AGE where one voice screaming among thousands can have Christian monuments removed from public buildings and development projects shut down for the benefit of an endangered weed, we have the Supreme Court issuing a ruling in June to set the record straight for the majority. However, this ruling comes at the dismay of individual landowners across America, and threatens to further undermine the American privilege of individual ownership.
Eminent domain is the issue being brought to the table --- or more correctly, to the courts --- as our government legal system dukes it out over land use laws and public benefit.
Eminent domain has been invoked thousands of times, for public infrastructures and developments that include water lines, sewer systems, highways, railroads, and more. If the involved governing bodies determine collectively that there is a public benefit from the placement of such structures, even across private lands, these lands may be commandeered by Uncle Sam, after providing "just compensation" to the owner in the terms of dollars, and the property becomes public.
In recent years various local governments across the U.S. have been invoking eminent domain to acquire lands for privately owned mega-businesses such as shopping malls and retail stores, citing that benefits to the community outweigh the loss of ownership to the individuals. Many believe that increased tax dollars to the community for placement of such mega-stores is an additional incentive.
Tension has risen to the point that a case made it to the Supreme Court, which ruled in favor of the local government in upholding eminent domain. The Supreme Court's decision last month clarified that local governments may seize people's homes and businesses -- even against their will -- for private and public economic development.
Since the laws of this country are dynamic, or ever-changing, such rulings by the high court have a huge impact on future cases as individuals stand their ground against the billion dollar behemoths who are looking for prime space to make their next footprint.
While eminent domain is not the first choice of action, the top 2 retailers in the country have used this tactic a number of times to acquire the position they had been pursuing. More people vote with their dollars than with their ballots, and while some may oppose the pressure to small business and the loss of individual ownership that these developments cause, most consumers will frequent a new "big box" store if one is in their area, and complain if this type of availability is not nearby.
There appears to be little recourse for the general public against Supreme Court rulings of this type, accept to pressure Congressmen into developing new law that would counteract this approach. A California man came up with a brilliant suggestion though. Read on.
WEARE, N.H. - Following a Supreme Court ruling last week that gave local governments power to seize private property, someone has suggested taking over Justice David Souter's New Hampshire farmhouse and turning it into a hotel.
"The justification for such an eminent domain action is that our hotel will better serve the public interest as it will bring in economic development and higher tax revenue to Weare," Logan Darrow Clements of California wrote in a letter faxed to town officials in Weare on Tuesday.
Souter, a longtime Weare resident, joined in the 5-4 court decision allowing governments to seize private property from one owner and turn it over to another if doing so would benefit a community.
Tom Clouser is a 38 year old farmer in Pennsylvania. In addition to farming, he and his father publish a monthly 16-page newspaper called "Trees 'n' Turf", which targets subjects of interest to those in land use industries and activities. View their website at http://www.clouserfarm.net
disinfecting cleaning services Arlington Heights ..It is important as populations expand to work on the... Read More
Aspartame activists are constantly being attacked because all data are... Read More
The second amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees every American... Read More
I'VE ALWAYS ARGUED THAT ECONOMIC ILLITERACY IS VERY COSTLY.This is... Read More
We are seeing some trade wars brewing as American trade... Read More
Recently the Los Angeles Transit workers are on Strike and... Read More
Our trade deficit is directly proportional to our attacks on... Read More
The filibuster as a political delaying tactic has been a... Read More
Well we have certainly been reading a lot about prison... Read More
Fearful that terrorists will next target Australia, Prime Minister John... Read More
What is the so-called "nuclear option" that Senator Bill Frist... Read More
Death may not be dignified in any light but the... Read More
Freedom is in the eyes of the beholder. In Communist... Read More
"Fahrenheit 9/11" auteur Michael Moore recently fueled the epidemic of... Read More
I applaud Monsanto for their R and D. I would... Read More
There are many mines around the world, which are owned... Read More
"Those who sacrifice essential liberty for temporary safety are not... Read More
When North Americans discuss Cuba, they always focus the intense... Read More
As I read the papers and watch the news day... Read More
Journalism, as it is often said, is the 'fourth branch... Read More
Our government is set up like a modern day franchise.... Read More
Many are very impressed with the NIMA (National Imagery and... Read More
In an age of terrorism, guerilla and total warfare the... Read More
We are currently seeing a build up in China of... Read More
Well here is a great new product, we first saw... Read More
bathroom cleaning service Mundelein ..One third of all fertilized eggs spontaneously abort and are... Read More
It is important as populations expand to work on the... Read More
In the future when we decide to help nations vote... Read More
With pain rocking through my whole body today, I cast... Read More
Many environmentalists are against roads through the forest because it... Read More
[Author's Note: Another essay that I wrote on notebook paper... Read More
It appears we are having a terrible situation with the... Read More
In order to build a stronger, more self-sufficient America, America... Read More
Japan lit its candles of pure, "noble sadness" on the... Read More
Rational, sober, logical citizens wonder what exactly the terrorists want.... Read More
I'm getting a little tired of being lectured by that... Read More
Many times our government regulatory over embellish problems in the... Read More
Telemarketing and DO NOT CALL lists sure made headlines, but... Read More
Bill Cosby got it wrong. His many speeches regarding the... Read More
Many MLM sales people mean well but they inadvertently commit... Read More
Many Americans feel betrayed by their government, our government. I... Read More
The Bill of Rights to our Constitution caused -- and... Read More
Rule of Thumb for exporting technology. The American People need... Read More
There are many types of fuels besides that gasoline we... Read More
The more I study the dynamics of WWII the more... Read More
We see today a fierce unspoken competition between trucks and... Read More
Federal Trade Commission Owes Industry and Entrepreneurs an Apology. The... Read More
The predominant discussion in the Indianapolis media over the proposed... Read More
Utah introduced a bill designed to limit the use of... Read More
The price at the gas pump is certainly on everyone's... Read More
Political |