Posted on 11/05/2015 10:09:15 AM PST by Freemeorkillme
Donald Trump’s high standing in the polls is attributable entirely to the fact that he’s not a Washington insider, not part of the racket, and despite his wealth really might actually give a damn about the Little Guy. So why is he saying things like this?
Donald Trump on Wednesday defended government property seizures as a “necessary thing,†even when it means involuntarily taking property from a private owner to transfer it to another business. Trump was speaking to reporters outside the capital statehouse moments before formally filing his candidacy for the February primary, and the Washington Examiner pressed him on his record of using eminent domain laws to expand his casino empire.
“Property rights are a big issue in New Hampshire,†the Examiner noted. “In Atlantic City you used eminent domain laws aggressively to expand your casino.â€
Trump interjected by calling this a “stupid question†before launching into a defense of eminent domain. â€I am all for private property rights,†Trump said. “There’s nobody who wants property taken away less than I do, believe me. I would lose a lot of money if my property were taken away. But when you’re building a road, when you’re building a highway, when you’re building whatever it is you’re building from a municipal standpoint, you may need a corner of a piece of property.†As he said this, he pinched his fingers together to demonstrate the smallness of the property.
The abstract reasoning may be sound — although in the Supreme Court’s disgraceful Kelo decision it certainly was not — but the optics are terrible. It smacks of Romneyism, a cluelessness about how ordinary people live their lives.
Well, to be fair and balanced, kelo was about eminent domain powers of government at it’s core, and Trump is in favor, in fact has applauded eminent domain.
But this and many other spitwads do not seem to stick to the Donald.
Probably not.
And the President has about zero to do with eminent domain one way or the other, so it’s kind of irrelevant.
Better the guy who’s wrong on this issue than one of the guys who wants to eminent domain the whole country to the illegal immigrants.
But even if his position doesn't match mine, I'll still support him. We agree on other issues that are even more important. Like building a wall, for example.
Bottom line: I doubt if any of my grandchildren will be harmed by abuse of eminent domain. Possible, but not likely. However, the odds are quite high that my grandchildren will be harmed by unchecked illegal immigration.
Without eminent domain, environMENTAList and NIMBYs could stop every pipeline, road, power line, etc by buying 1 foot wide strips of land and never sell.
Nothing else has sunk him. I seriously doubt this will. People need to deal with the reality that no establishment candidate will get the GOP nomination.
“Will the Kelo decision finally sink Trump?”
No, because the Kelo decision was made by the Supreme Court, not Trump, and eminent domain is in the Constitution.
You would think that Trump had called for the importation/legalization of million of foreigners and handing the country over to them.
This is from a media that does back flips trying to disconnect Hillary Clinton from her provable crimes, not just some statement she may have made.
Hillary Clinton “ Were going to take away from you for the common good “ ...
Don’t know how the Trump supporters can defend and justify Donald Trump defending government taking away private property away from private property owners.
Agree or disagree with him I don’t think it is a big enough issue for most people to change their feelings towards Trump one way or the other.
The big issue Harley is that the conservative position on eminent domain is that it is misused and needs to be totally reformed if not eliminated.
That’s a good point.
Such a reasonable statement obviously makes you a Trump hater and a lurker for Jeb. :)
Did he do it legally? Then blame the law, which I do.
If you’re looking for the perfect candidate, there ain’t one.
non issue.
the country and world are falling apart.
this may have been more of an issue when the railroads and highways were first being built.
but that’s a little before my time
The word “finally” in the headline tells it all.
Linus: Donald Trump will be done in with this Kelo scandal and will soon drop out of the race. All the news networks have been reporting this. Then later tonight, Jebbie Bush will come rising out of this pumpkin patch and will take his rightful place as the nominee of the Republican Party. Karl Rove told me this personally.Sally Brown: Do you really think Karl Rove is trustworthy? He has already blown hundreds of millions of dollars, lost dozens of key elections and has not been correct on anything since Barbara Streisand last had a Top 40 hit.
Linus: I'm telling you, tonight the Great Jebbie Bush will rise out of the pumpkin patch. He will fly through the air, riding a large turtle, and will shower us with guacamole.
Sally Brown: That's a good story.
Linus: You mean you do not believe me? I thought little girls always believed everything that was told to them. I thought little girls were innocent and trusting.
Sally Brown: I've had it with the Karl Rove, the GOPe, the establishment media and all their lies. You all keep thinking that some stupid scandal is going to knock my Donald Trump out of the race and bring your stupid Jebbie Bush back into it. It is just not going to happen.
This is rediculous. It’s about highest and best use and the ones taken over are compensated at market prices.
It isn’t done that often, but without it you’d have a lot more ghettos IMO.
There has never been nor will there ever be a candidate or politician on the planet I agree with all of the time. There are only issues on which I will not compromise.
This one does come close, but it doesn’t compare to the issue of demographic genocide the elites are perpetrating on this nation. And on that issue Trump has been outstanding.
For those that would not support Trump for this issue, I hope they will tell us which candidate they support that does not share Trump's viewpoint.
Eminent domain is needed in modern society. Abuse of eminent domain such as the Kelo Decision should be fought against.
One can only hope this puts the nail in Trump’s coffin. If it doesn’t, we are all lost.
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