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
detailed home cleaning Lake Forest ..The Randolphs:Peyton Randolph was the first President of the United... Read More
As concerns grow over the threat of bioterrorism and weapons... Read More
I. OVERVIEWIn the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks... Read More
Recent international wars and the often spectacular ways in which... Read More
Freedom is in the eyes of the beholder. In Communist... Read More
This is no time for the Black community to sue... Read More
In response to Douglas Bower's article; Logic Class 101 Applied... Read More
Federal Regulations on Business Destroy America, these regulations are a... Read More
I. WARS ARE BASIC CONFLICTS OVER LAND. II. BOUNDARIES. THE... Read More
With people living longer we have some problems as those... Read More
The plight of whistleblowers ? those employees who sound the... Read More
After 9-11 insurance rates on Independent Truck Drivers and smaller... Read More
The Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM) is interested in the... Read More
China maybe stopping some of the SPAM coming into the... Read More
When I was growing up, I actually considered a career... Read More
The cause of America is in a great measure the... Read More
I believe it would be good for the economy for... Read More
In the fields of juvenile justice policy and programming, there... Read More
Perhaps a silent revolution is taking place, this time more... Read More
We have all heard of the huge debates surrounding genetically... Read More
A War on Terrorism? Conventional war being brought on an... Read More
OH MAN!Here we go again. I guess now the "proof... Read More
Airlines do not allow cell phones on board, but they... Read More
"Fahrenheit 9/11" auteur Michael Moore recently fueled the epidemic of... Read More
An irresponsible Chinese General made a very telling comment recently.... Read More
trusted cleaning company Des Plaines ..The use of religion is well-documented as a social engineering... Read More
In the last two weeks, two non-senior US officials indirectly... Read More
Iran has threatened to raise America's fuel prices again. They... Read More
It is time for a change. A change in philosophy,... Read More
It never fails to amaze me. HM Customs and Excise... Read More
Americans pride themselves on being the best, that's a fact.... Read More
A governing.com report blast one of the major grassroots initiatives... Read More
Ever wonder why labor unions consistently endorse democrats over republicans... Read More
Why is it that every single thing government does; it... Read More
When Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Spector exercised his right to free... Read More
Despite their signature on the Biological Weapons Convention of 1975,... Read More
America must implement a policy on Election Reform that is... Read More
Many non-profit groups are feeling upset that they are allowed... Read More
The filibuster has been a tool available to U.S. Senators... Read More
The predominant discussion in the Indianapolis media over the proposed... Read More
Ohio's transportation sector seems to be strong, even with Ohio's... Read More
They do not allow the criticism of the president in... Read More
All government regulators or diplomat who are in high risk... Read More
Have you noticed that the when the service men who... Read More
The Presidents Before Washington:From the moment that the first Declaration... Read More
Having redundancies and today's technologies in transportation we have protected... Read More
For anyone who wishes to become an armchair General in... Read More
Well the title is absolute Bull Crap, but this article... Read More
"It is the duty of every citizen according to his... Read More
It looks overall like the liberals are advocating for no... Read More
Political |