Supreme Court rules cities may seize homes

charlotte.com - AP ^ | Jun. 23, 2005 | HOPE YEN

[mark3681]

Very quickly!
So, what's your point.
When does it end?

[Finger Monkey]

Excellent, depressing point.

[RedMonqey]

It wouldn't do any good.They are the bench for life and couldn't give a damn. Put you efforts at reminding your senators on putting a REAL CONSERVATIVE on the bench and not some half ass, puppet of Big Business and Big Government.

When they come to take my familys' 130+yrear old family farm cause some developer bribed some local judge, they'll need more than a slip of paper and the local Barney Fife to kick us out of our home.

[zerosix]

Good, for them! Only kidding but now for the first time maybe, just maybe Moderates (aka Liberals who refuse to claim their natural identity) and their push to drive conservatives from the Supremes as well as other courts.

Conservatives all believe in the sancity of private property as well as life.

[teenyelliott]

What's that I hear?

Is that the sound of home made bullets being dug up from backyards all over the country?

Come on, people, what the heck are we gonna do with our country? We are slowly but surely being transformed into a lefty, liberal, European wasteland.

I say we go back to the days of the wild West, when I could have a shoot out with anyone I had a legitimate beef with. This really, really pisses me off.

[Finger Monkey]

Are you receiving any of my e-mails todya?

[Captain Rhino]

The first intelligent comment I have read in this thread.

Isn't there a bill pending in Congress that would establish some definitions on what constitutes "the public interest" and set some boundries to "eminent domain" takings?

I like the 3 x FMV parameter set by the locality you mention for compensating private property owners. Not that it would stay a major development project but it would at least make the local government think twice about using the power of eminent domain capriciously.

Of course, the best way to deal with a heavy handed local council is to vote them out of office and then seize THEIR property for the "public good."

[dljordan]

Is it time yet?

[SouthernBoyupNorth]

This is just to disturbing for words to describe...

[skip_intro]

Decades ago, in Orange County CA, the technique the county used was to reassess farmers' land (yes, there were really farms there, then - oranges too) at a level that reflected what the land would be worth if it were fully developed.

Not surprisingly, most farmers were forced to sell, whether they wanted to or not.

This new ruling simply streamlines the process be removing any possibility of competitive bidding for your land.

Walmart wants your property? The government says "sell", and that's that.

[mark3681]

"Conservatives all believe in the sancity of private property as well as life."

Are you speaking of "Conservative" politicians?
If so, I would say this is true only if it suits their purpose.

[CherylBower]

The govt determines what is FMV. They can condemn it, and then determine FMV, which might be 25% of actual.

[MineralMan]

Instantly. And those who are advocating some sort of "revolution" need to understand that their advocacy of revolution in a public forum may not be in their best interests.

In the first place, it's not going to happen. Talk is cheap. In the second place, I like Free Republic, and hope that people making wild statements do not ruin it for the rest of us.

[historyb]

That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. From the Declaration of Independence. Is our government here yet? makes one think

[Sunshine Sister]

Ping

[IGOTMINE]

It's war.

[SouthernBoyupNorth]

I'll bring my machine guns, hunting rifles and shotguns!

[blueberry12]

I don't know, but I heard that property taxes and real estate prices are much higher in Canada. Taxes in general are higher. I hope we don't get to the point where we will have to move to Canada, because it is a freer country.