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
green cleaning service Glencoe ..Mexican has tariffs on goods, which come into its country... Read More
Most citizens agree that we need the Federal Trade Commission... Read More
All to often law makers and regulators create rules and... Read More
MUD ? Much Unnecessary DisclosureThe Federal Trade Commission recently asserted... Read More
Some people say that we cannot put a colony on... Read More
This is the fourth and final article in a series... Read More
Iran has threatened to raise America's fuel prices again. They... Read More
When North Americans discuss Cuba, they always focus the intense... Read More
In a move that rocked the online world and left... Read More
There is a lot of debate about who made the... Read More
1. Why is it that no one seems to notice,... Read More
This is the second of a series of four articles... Read More
PolicyFederal Fair Housing accessibility requirements for new multifamily buildings should... Read More
The UAV, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle is hear to stay and... Read More
Why did the California energy crisis happen? Who is to... Read More
INTRODUCTIONThe aim of writing this article is to encourage the... Read More
The recent first round of the Iranian elections somewhat resembled... Read More
When were the forms of media created? When did advertising... Read More
Why President Bush should have his second term? The arguments... Read More
It cities across America water is an issue, the flow... Read More
De-classification of official documents have been a routine practice in... Read More
There are many mines around the world, which are owned... Read More
I had the benefit of getting an interview with Mr.... Read More
One of Abraham Lincoln's claims to fame is the fact... Read More
Many folks who are pro-NASA and Pro-Space Colonies say that... Read More
house cleaning company Bannockburn ..Excess capacity occurs in many industries, such as power, electricity,... Read More
It is a law that we register deadly weapons with... Read More
I had the benefit of getting an interview with Mr.... Read More
In the fields of juvenile justice policy and programming, there... Read More
The NSA failed the American people and allowed the attack... Read More
The new law "Special Protective, Antidumping and Import Compensatory Measures"... Read More
ADOLF HITLER:The common perception of Hitler being large and in... Read More
The notion that local governments should have almost total monopoly... Read More
Water Conservation in larger cities is less of an issue... Read More
Richard Nixon was by far a most fascinating and colorful... Read More
Kudos goes out to the George Walker Bush's Administration and... Read More
You know we have sent many, many army tanks with... Read More
We are having a problem in America with Public Notaries,... Read More
"Had there not been outsourcing and utilization of cheaper resources... Read More
As the populations expand in Colorado outside of Denver, Las... Read More
Reform Social Security has been talked of Capital Hill for... Read More
There are no stupid questions, only stupid people. Ask an... Read More
We have heard a lot about the coming bird flu... Read More
Washington DC council member David Catania actually suggested that the... Read More
As global warming continues to escalate the concerns of today's... Read More
The FTC franchising division purports their law enforcement experience in... Read More
There are many types of fuels besides that gasoline we... Read More
What ordinary people are saying about U.S. televangelist Pat Robertson... Read More
OH MAN!Here we go again. I guess now the "proof... Read More
With new environmental technologies and modern efficiency methods in mining... Read More
Political |