Donald Trump defends his vocal support for eminent domain: ‘I think it’s a wonderful thing’

Washington Post ^ | 10/06/2015 | By Jenna Johnson

[SeekAndFind]

Even though it's a stance not especially popular with some Republicans, Donald Trump continued to support eminent domain in an interview on Tuesday, calling it "a wonderful thing" that has unfairly received a bad rap.

Trump, a billionaire known for his major real estate development projects, described eminent domain as a useful tool that local governments can use to prevent greedy homeowners from derailing major projects that could create thousands of jobs or provide a public good. Trump said that some conservatives don't fully understand how eminent domain works and don't realize that homeowners are usually paid "four, five, six, ten times" what their property is actually worth.

"Eminent domain, when it comes to jobs, roads, the public good, I think it's a wonderful thing," Trump said during an interview with Fox News's Bret Baier that aired Tuesday evening. "And remember, you're not taking property… you're paying a fortune for that property."

Trump's support of eminent domain, along with his use of the practice professionally, has prompted some criticism from conservatives.Republican presidential rival Rand Paul has slammed Trump over his eminent domain views, calling the mogul “a big fan” of the practice who has “shown no consideration for small private property owners."

The super PAC for the Club for Growth, a fiscally conservative advocacy group, recently aired television advertisements in Iowa that accuse Trump of supporting "eminent domain abuse" that would allow him to "make millions while we lose our property rights." Trump said the Club for Growth's attacks have come only because he refused to donate $1 million to their cause. He added that the spots are "not right" and do not accurately explain eminent domain.

[Kit cat]

If they offered you 3x what your homestead was worth would you take it???

[miss marmelstein]

Democrats hug vets? Usually, they’re lecturing college kids to be good students so as to not end up with all the other dopes in the armed services. Hug vets, indeed.

[driftless2]

"We will be paid"

That's not the point. ED for private profit is unconstitutional. Any candidate who supports it because he'll make money is a candidate to be avoided. Certainly, if this were a Dem saying what Trump said, most or all Trump supporters would be screaming bloody murder. Trump gets a pass.

[JoSixChip]

Here are three things, but not the things you want. Trump has not been elected yet.

Voted for TPA, soon to give us TPP
Voted for the corker bill, Iran deal is all but done.
Stated that as president he would increase H-1B visas by 500%

That’s all in the last few months. But I suppose for you that all pails in comparison to Trump’s support for eminent domain.

[Manic_Episode]

[driftless2]

If someone wanted to give me a million dollars for my $100,000 house, I’d throw in my car.

That's not the point. It doesn't have be Trump. It's now just some local gov. deciding to take your land in the hopes of getting some under the table kickback from a developer. It probably won't be a million dollars you'll be getting. Probably a lot less.

The Kelo decision overturned a can of worms the ill effects of which will be spilling out over the decades.

[1010RD]

Trump has not been elected yet.

The get out of everything free card for Trump. Let's believe what he says, not what he's done. Because he's done nothing, nothing conservative at all.

Don't you judge Trump!

Is there anything Trump cannot do?

[hotsteppa]

No sense trying to rain on the trump hate. They need threads like these to vent since the reality is hard for them to deal with.

[CA Conservative]

If those against eminent domain had any self respect they would refuse to take advantage of the spoils of eminent domain by staying off state and federal highways, not accepting deliveries sent on public roads, disconnect from utiliies and refusing to use airports and railroads. Such use is taking advantage of stolen property.

You never took a course in logic, did you? Or if you did, you must have failed badly. Or is it that you cannot be bothered to read what people are actually saying?

To make it very simple for you, I will use small words. Eminent domain can be used by the government to take property for a public USE - such as the things you listed above. No one here has objected to that. However, Trump supports the government using eminent domain to take property from one private citizen in order to give it to another private party - such as Trump - so that the second private party can make money. THAT is what conservatives object to, and why they have a problem with Trump's position on this.

[CA Conservative]

When you get 10 20 times what your house is worth who can be against it?

How about someone who values the property more than any amount of money?

[CA Conservative]

You are quite right, the federal Constitution prohibits taking of property except for a public purpose and upon just compensation.

Wrong. The Constitution says it must be for public USE, not just for a public purpose or a public "good".

[Tau Food]

When you get 10 20 times what your house is worth who can be against it?

I'll bet you can't find a state law in any state in this country which permits an eminent domain award of 10-20 times the value of the property seized. See if you can find one.

Just one.

[SeekAndFind]

RE: But I didn’t. Stop putting words in my mouth. Straw man is for the weak.

Errr.... let’s see what you just said:

So far no one has died as a result of eminent domain.

SO? Does that make government confiscation of property from one private party for another right?

RE: Can’t say the same about illegals.

THAT my friend is what bothers me. You can’t simply say -— confiscation of private property is wrong ( as Trump supports ) AND coming to this country illegally is wrong as well.

You present some sort of one evil is lesser than the other. That is what bothers me.

RE: Again more words in my mouth. That would be a pretty foolish thing to say.

If that is a foolish thing to say then I want to read this from you or something similar without referring to the issue of illegals:

TRUMPS SUPPORT FOR THE GOVERNMENT CONFISCATION OF PRIVATE PROPERTY TO GIVE TO ANOTHER PRIVATE PARTY IS WRONG. PERIOD. FULL STOP.

[Raycpa]

I happen to agree with [the Kelo decision] 100 percent, not that I would want to use it. But the fact is, if you have a person living in an area that’s not even necessarily a good area, and government, whether it’s local or whatever, government wants to build a tremendous economic development, where a lot of people are going to be put to work and make area that’s not good into a good area, and move the person that’s living there into a better place — now, I know it might not be their choice — but move the person to a better place and yet create thousands upon thousands of jobs and beautification and lots of other things, I think it happens to be good.

http://www.thelibertypapers.org/tag/neil-cavuto/

[odawg]

“No sense trying to rain on the trump hate. They need threads like these to vent since the reality is hard for them to deal with.”

You have a good point, but as tired as I am, I am getting a good laugh out of it.

[CA Conservative]

So what are you doing on a conservative website? Wouldn’t you feel more at home at TPM or HuffPo?

[agrarianlady]

So if a conservative doesn’t take the Trump bait, he’s therefore a paid RINO shill? What do you call this?

“New York Sens. Kristen Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer have received $7,950 and $7,900, respectively, in Trump money. And two liberal lions, former Massachusetts Sens. John Kerry and Ted Kennedy, received $5,500 and $5,000.

Trump also arguably helped enable Obamacare in another way — albeit before the health law was a twinkle in any liberal’s eye. Trump supported two of its most ardent supporters in Reid and New York U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner. He donated $7,400 to the Nevada Democrat. Among those contributions is $2,400 Trump gave Reid ahead of his contentious 2010 run against Sharron Angle, a tea party favorite.

Trump also gave $4,300 to Weiner, a dogged supporter of Obamacare who was forced to resign his seat following a sexting scandal.”

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2015/06/03/donald-trump-donated-heavily-to-democrats-especially-during-election-which-put-reid-and-pelosi-in-power/#ixzz3nqY9gHvX

[SeekAndFind]

RE: So I assume you’re fine with a Spanish-speaking society and all of the “benefits” that come with that?

Why would you assume that?

I am against BOTH illegals and government confiscation of property.

Why would my abhorrence of one mean my non-abhorrence of the other?

So, since you want to play this game, I think i should also ask you -— are you OK with the government confiscation of private property to give it to another private group or individual?

[JoSixChip]

Ya, just like I thought. Ok, here is some of the places Trump spends his millions:

Arnold Palmer Foundation
Celebrity Fight Night Foundation
Children with AIDS
David Foster Foundation
DoSomething.org
Friends of Scotland
Jimmy Fund
Los Angeles Police Memorial Foundation
Make A Child Smile Appeal
Make-A-Wish Foundation
Mississippi Animal Rescue League
Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center
Neurofibromatosis, Inc.
Operation Smile
Paralyzed Veterans of America
Pediatric Epilepsy Project
Raising Malawi
Reef Relief
Smile Train
St. Francis Food Pantries and Shelters
The Doe Fund
Wounded Warrior Project

Not to mention he is one of the most successful businessmen in American history. And I fully agree with his campaign platform that I have seen so far.

Now lets hear you justify Cruz’s voting record.

[BigEdLB]

There are three threads at least on Trump’s comments on Eminent Domain. The folks going zonkers are already anti-Trump. Any one with any brains knows that there is a lot more at stake here than a sloppy Supreme Court decision, which was wrong. I disagree with Trump on this, BUT there is far more at stake in the election. If the Moslem President lets in a bunch of Jihadis unchallenged, what good will a bunch of whining about eminent domain be worth. The Imam will just kill you to take your house for new mosque. Trump is right on so much else. Go Trump.