[AAABEST]

Jesse Hardy is a 100% Disabled Vet who is about to make history and set the wrong precedent as the first homesteader to ever have his land confiscated by eminent domain. All because our state is being overrun with green-goons who would probably just as soon shoot him to save a turtle.

Jeb is so far sympathetic to his cause, and is really looking at this hard. PLEASE HELP. Here is your chance to really make a difference FReepers. Jeb knows us well and values our input. (He personally thanked Free Republic after the election).

Urgent!: Please Contact Governor Bush before the March 13 hearing:

email: jeb.bush@myflorida.com

Phone: 850-488-4441

Fax: 850-487-0801

[Jhoffa_]

email sent.

[AuntB]

DONE!! With pleasure, I might add!

[George Frm Br00klyn Park]

"A disabled Navy SEAL"

Triple A, If this is true, someone should try to get in touch with SEALs. These guys could put a bee in somebody's bonnet. Peace and love, George.

[Kay Ludlow]

I sent this email to Jeb:

Dear Governor Bush,

Please stop the illegitimate use of eminent domain in the "hole of the donut" and the property of Mr. Hardy.

I sincerely hope you have not fallen under the spell of the Gaia worshippers, who believe we need to make reparations to animals for what's happened over the last 300+ years by setting aside land just for them, with no human presence. Those who advocate vast wilderness areas are not operating on any scientifically sound basis, but rather on religious zeal. Animals believed to need undisturbed areas have been found over and over to exist near development, and even in the suburbs.

Protect the rights that god granted us, that made us the greatest nation on earth. Don't put animal rights ahead of human rights and aid in the creation of "no humans allowed" areas.

Thank you.

[roderick]

I just emailed this to Gov Bush

I have come to understand that a disabled veteran, Jesse Hardy, may face eminent domain proceedings and lose his homestead of 27 acres to supposedly increase water flows to the SGGE. Eminent domain is the atomic bomb of police powers and must be used carefully. It is for public roads, bridges, airports and such. It would be an abuse of eminent domain and executive power to toss Mr. Hardy off of his homestead to placate the radical, socialist, environmental left. Please leave him alone.

[Billie]

Thank you for pinging me, AAA, and the information for contacting JebBush to stop this. Will mention this on the Finest thread - hopefully, Jeb will be inundated with mail and phone calls against their taking this vet's home.

[dansangel]

Sorry for not responding sooner....life gets in the way of serious FReeping sometimes.

E-mail imploring Jeb Bush to stop the eminent domain takeover of Jesse Hardy's property has been sent. I told him I was asking as a GOP member and one who cares about our disabled vets.

Thank-you for the ping!

[Jen]

PING for 100% disabled SEAL Veteran who needs help keeping his home. Please read the article and take action ASAP. Thanks!

---

Repeating AAABest's post:

Jesse Hardy is a 100% Disabled Vet who is about to make history and set the wrong precedent as the first homesteader to ever have his land confiscated by eminent domain. All because our state is being overrun with green-goons who would probably just as soon shoot him to save a turtle.

Jeb is so far sympathetic to his cause, and is really looking at this hard. PLEASE HELP. Here is your chance to really make a difference FReepers. Jeb knows us well and values our input. (He personally thanked Free Republic after the election).

email: jeb.bush@myflorida.com
Phone: 850-488-4441
Fax: 850-487-0801

[RightWhale]

$5 million is it. If that is a fair price, the tenant has no choice. He may argue about the value, but he may not argue about the taking.

[Bush2000]

I sympathize with the guy but you have to realize: If the government weren't able to assert eminent domain, it wouldn't be able to put it any highways, sewers, and other structures which are beneficial to our society. People could ask unrealistically high prices for their land. The government would be forced into spending even more taxpayer money to reroute its projects and, in the end, it wouldn't work because the chain of property owners demanding to be paid above-market prices wouldn't end. Nonetheless, in this case, I think that it is reasonable and advisable for this man to at least test the determination of the government. If the government is serious, they will have to take his reluctance to sell seriously.

[A CA Guy]

He's 67, so no change would be comfortable for him.

Eminent Domain usually requires a compensation for owned land equal to the value of the home.
If this guy claims homestead, but "NEVER" filed any papers to establish title, he might not be due even compensation having not really completed an actual homestead and might find himself in a Veteran's retirement home.

If Mr. Hardy followed the rules to obtain title though, he deserves compensation and moving expenses.
That is about all there could be to this story.

He may deserve relocation with financial compensation at most.
Eminent Domain happens all the time across this country. To many who are 100% disabled as well. Same scenario as I give above happened to them as well. This is not incredibly unheard of at all.

The fact that an actual or in-name-only homestead is being taken by eminent domain is not an earth shattering issue at all. As long as compensation or moving expenses are made if there was an actual title. If not actual title ever sought, I expect Mr. Hardy goes to a Veterans facility of some kind.

Why green goons? More than likely they would send folks out from the Veteran's administration to help him move if he won't.
Eminent Domain is a historically the pits for anybody who has ever had it happen to them. There is NOTHING unusual about this story that I can see.

[A CA Guy]

As a PS: I did think Mr Hardy should be assisted by any concerned with the full respect he deserves.

It is a crappy situation happening to an older fellow who finds any change unthinkable.

So no matter how every day this is around the country, it doesn't make it less traumatic for Mr. Hardy!

[countrydummy]

This is my letter to your Governor!

SHEILA DAVIS PO BOX 202 Jumping Branch, WV 25969 PHONE: (304) 466-3676 FAX: (Same, picks up on 4th ring) country357@stargate.net

March 11, 2003

Your Honorable Governor of Florida:

Mr. Bush, I am a citizen of WV but I have many friends and associates in Florida. I myself was a resident of Fort Myers Beach. I am writing you concerning the plight of several hundred residents of south Florida. Yet this letter is a request that one certain citizen, a Mr. Jesse Hardy, be allowed to keep his home and property as his due for being a veteran and a private landowner and homesteader!

Eminent Domain should be used only for grave needs of this country, not for the supposed protection of some supposed endangered species! Human lives and needs should come first, and in the case of Mr. Hardy, his Constitutional Rights for the “pursuit of happiness” through his rights of life, liberty and justice for all are being grossly encroached upon.

Please leave this man his home and all of his private property rights. As well, consider the rest of American citizens and land owners in the area to be effected by the Everglades Restoration Project. Americans---property owners---humans must come first!

Sincerely,

Sheila Davis PO Box 202 Jumping Branch, WV 25969 Phone: (304) 466-3676 Email: country357@stargate.net http://www.newriverfriends.org

*

[Coleus]

They also kick out little old Ladies who Farm their land in New Jersey

[countrydummy]

bump!

[Coleus]

ping

[sit-rep]

I remember Jeb writing and thanking Freepers for their support for his re-election. I wonder what he'll do now with the Freepers...

[airborne]

Sent a letter to Gov. Bush. I hope it helps.

[KineticKitty]

After my husband and I retire from the military we plan on living in Alaska, ....So if we live on our land that we love and one day the government decides they want it, and we do not want to part with, apparently we will gain no sympathy from some people if we are offered a large amount of money before they rip our land away for simply refusing to accept a large dollar amount to leave the land we love and do not wish to part with??? I don't think so, life is more than just about money, I will be emailing ol'Jeb.

[KrisKrinkle]

I don't know what this is worth, but:

Did the guy homestead the land under state or federal auspices? Because if he homesteaded land that belonged to the federal goverment I'd argue that that was the 'Primary disposal' of the land, and according page 7, Section 7 of the "Act For The Admission of the States of Iowa and Florida Into The Union, 1845":

And be it further enacted, That said States of Iowa and
Florida are admitted into the Union
on the express condition that they
shall never interfere with the primary
disposal of the public lands lying
within them, nor levy any tax on
the same whilst remaining the prop-
erty of the United States:

I would further argue that if the guy was the receiving party in the 'primary disposal of the public lands,' any act of emminent domain would be an interferance, and illegal under the "Act For The Admission of the States of Iowa and Florida Into The Union, 1845," which I found here:

http://www.floridamemory.com/FloridaHighlights/AdmitUnion/admituniontext.cfm

But then I am not a lawyer, and this might be too thin.