I shop at Wal-Mart for the low prices. Apparently, however, one of the ways Wal-Mart is definitely NOT a free-market entity is the following:
They apparently are enthusiastic about using the power of eminent domain to have city governments take people's private property and then turn it over to developers... because the governments are extremely greedy for more tax money, and they will get more tax money out of a Wal-Mart than from, say, a bunch of small private property owners. Costco is another entity that is engaged in similar practices.
I listened to a speech by Neal Boortz on this very issue this past weekend at the Libertarian Party National Convention. Next time I see an article about city governments stealing private property so the city government can practically give away the property to a developer or a Wal-Mart or Costco, I'm gonna write an absolutely rabid letter against it.
Is that a WM issue or a Government gone amock issue?
I couldn't agree with you more. Eminent domain is absolutely abhorrent. IKEA has attempted. Wal-Mart. Trump. Etc.
I don't really fault the corporation for this usually, although they should definitely know better. It is the government that shoulders the majority of the blame in my eyes.
The corporation is just looking for more money, which is what corporations do. It's up to the government to protect individual (property) rights. Eminent domain is an obvious example where our government is failing in that regard.