Family to lose home by eminent domain for Costco store

Boortz online ^ | September 12, 2003 | Neal Boortz

[montag813]

So it's her own issue? I agree. Welcome to America.

Huh? So if the government said "we want a new highway and your house is in the way...get the f**k out" that's just peachy. But if the town wants to increase its commercial tax base by building a mall, that is "fascism". Welcome to Soviet Russia right here on FR. All bow to the government and its impartial wielding of "public interest" (which of course has NOTHING to do with campaign contributors, right?)

Of course none of you notice that I have never advocated either side in this dispute...I have argued that eminent domain, as established, is fundamentally flawed. Adios.

[montag813]

Huh? So if the government says "we want a new highway and your house is in the way...get the f**k out" that's just peachy. But if the town wants to increase its commercial tax base by building a mall, that is "fascism". Welcome to Soviet Russia right here on FR. All bow to the government and its impartial wielding of "public interest" (which of course has NOTHING to do with campaign contributors, right?)

Of course none of you notice that I have never advocated either side in this dispute...I have argued that eminent domain, as established, is fundamentally flawed. Adios.

[auboy]

for private gain

By private gain, do you mean Mr. Cagle personally stands to gain from his "powerplay", or that the City of Duncanville is looking to gain more tax revenues than they can get from Mrs. Hidge's property as is? Or, a combo of both?

I live on a small lake with no municipalities closeby. But hypothetically, let's say the county decided a marina-boat storage-restaurant-motel would pay more taxes than they could get from me and my neighbors. If they tried to use the "eminent domain" concept to let a developer profit from our private property while they raised their revenues, we'd get a good laywer, and fight the county like wildcats. I hope to die here.

The town of Alabaster is trying this ruse to get a Wal-Mart SuperCenter built in their town limits. And there is one already less than 10 miles south off I-65. The mayor wants more tax revenues and the developer wants a hefty profit.

You don't think the developer would accidently misplace some cash where the mayor could find it, do you? They only do that sort of thing in the movies, right? /sarcasm

I'm not saying that Mr. Cagle or the Alabaster mayor is a crook. But, some may doubt their motives are entirely for the public good.

[steve-b]

I think a Rhesus Monkey could come up with a more intelligent response.

That thought also came to mind when reading your apologias for this corruption (except that I used a lemur).

[steve-b]

if the town wants to increase its commercial tax base by building a mall, that is "fascism"

Correct. The mall developer has to buy land from willing purchasers.

[Beck_isright]

"Huh? So if the government said "we want a new highway and your house is in the way...get the f**k out" that's just peachy. But if the town wants to increase its commercial tax base by building a mall, that is "fascism". Welcome to Soviet Russia right here on FR. All bow to the government and its impartial wielding of "public interest" (which of course has NOTHING to do with campaign contributors, right?)"

Based on your theory and comments, if it is in the "public interest" for the community, the local government should have the right to abolish private home ownership and dictate that all residents should be required, if they desired to live in that community, to live in either assigned housing or commercially owned apartment buildings. There was a concept of private property ownership in this nation at it's founding. I'm glad we have Stalinists like yourself who now believe that anything that benefits the almighty "public good" supercedes the rights of the individual.

[af_vet_rr]

I'm not saying that Mr. Cagle or the Alabaster mayor is a crook. But, some may doubt their motives are entirely for the public good.

I don't exactly equate the public good with shaving 5 minutes off your travel time to Wal-Mart.

There are some shenanigans going on here, and those defending it have made it clear they can be bought and sold. Thankfully, most of us can't be bought and sold.

[auboy]

And thankfully, most of us know how to legally fight back. Hired a reputable lawyer who specializes in this arena. If I have a serious medical condition, I will try to find the best doctor/surgeon possible to help me. I will not attempt to remove my own appendix.

My analogy is not perfect. My bad appendix is not caused by local politicians trying to raise revenue under the ruse of "eminent domain". But, I still want the best help I can find to solve my problem.

[Beck_isright]

Actually your best bet to stop something like this is to find some rare mice and cockroaches, spread them over the property, then call the envirowhackos.

[auboy]

You are a genius!

[montag813]

I'm glad we have Stalinists like yourself who now believe that anything that benefits the almighty "public good" supercedes the rights of the individual.

I think the Stalinist resides in your mirror. You are after all the one who feels that government seizure of property for "eminent domain" is peachy keen.

[Beck_isright]

Uh, no, I do not. I do not feel eminent domain is anything but "peachy keen". And where in my thousands of posts have I ever stated such? I'm 100% against this because of the abuses I have witnessed in my state. And if an individual elects not to sell to a developer, the power of eminent domain opens the door to abuses as described in this article.

I'm not concerned however. One day, someone will shoot back. And that will change the dynamics of eminent domain forever.

[af_vet_rr]

I'm not concerned however. One day, someone will shoot back. And that will change the dynamics of eminent domain forever.

Yes, property owners will then be viewed as potential terrorists, I'm sure. The government will then make sure to send in heavily armed LEOs to let them know they have 30 days or whatever to pack their stuff and get out.

Like auboy said, most of us can get good legal help, and I'd sure as hell be on the phone to the State AG's offices, Senators, etc., among others, saying "these people want to take my land and give it to Wal-Mart or whatever, so they can save a few minutes off their travel time, and the city can get a bit more in taxes, are you going to help me or do I need to go elsewhere (and mention you didn't help me, election year is around the corner)".

The whole point of the government in this country, from federal down to local, was originally to protect individuals. Funny how times have changed.

What's amusing, you won't find any big name celebrities or types like Jesse Jackson helping these folks.

[Beck_isright]

You will never find "celebs" helping the middle class. As far as most celebs and politicians are concerned, we are just serfs.

[AAABEST]

You are a classless idiotic moron without the slightest respect for birth rights such as freedom or property.

Take your pathetic ass to Cuba where it belongs belong.

[CodeMonkey]

Hate to break it to you man, but Objectivism stresses a fairly absolute moral code. The difference between Objectivist morality and religious morality is that the objectivist is under no moral constraint to not use force to defend himself from aggression. Therefore under an objectivist system, the government comes after you like this you're morally in the right for killing the police sent to take you down. Under a biblical system, according to the Book of Romans at least, you have to bend over and take it because the government's authority comes from God, not citizens like you. To say that that the Apostle Paul and those that buy into his views are jack-boot-kissers is an understatement.....

I'm not an objectivist btw. My views are a mix of libertarian capitalism and social anarchism with a good dose of support for replacing our "democracy" with a "meritocratic republic."

[CodeMonkey]

Is that an insult, or a compliment, coming from a "Sloth"?

Sloth is simply pointing out how easy it is to imagine you running around in a brown shirt terrorizing the citizenry into obedience.

[CodeMonkey]

I think a Rhesus Monkey could come up with a more intelligent response.

Has your ebola mutated your brain so much that you can now post on FR?