[lbo-talk] eminent domain

[jthorn65 at sbcglobal.net]

> Doug quoted: 
> 
> > Wall Street Journal - December 8, 2004
> > 
> > Cities Use Eminent Domain
> >   To Clear Lots for Big-Box Stores
> > 
> > By DEAN STARKMAN
> > Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL December 8, 2004; Page B1
> > 
> > Big-box retailers have a message for local landowners: Move.
> > 
> > And the command has the force of law, much to the dismay of 
> > Darrell M. Trent, a part-time developer in Pittsburg, Kan. 
> > Mr. Trent thought he scored a coup this year when he leased 
> > part of a seven-acre parcel his family had owned since the 
> > 1960s to a local plumbing supplier.
> 
> 
> As soon as it is set up as a mega-corp vs a local mom-and-pop shop, most
> US-sers stop thinking rationally and emotions start flying high, as the
> small business capitalism is the dearest thing to the US heart.  As for me,
> I follow the footsteps of Johns Kenneth Galbraith who belived that
> mega-corps can potnetially deliver more public goods than small businesses
> are ever capable of doing - so I have no problem when the city says move
> over to an operation of some shaky local establishment to build a Wal-mart
> that served thousands.
> 
> This is all I have to say on this subject - I like big cities, big
> government and big organizations I think they canb provide more public
> benefits than a bunch of small shops.  I have no sentiment for
> small-business, which ususlly means less choise, higher prices and lower
> wages - and littly if any neighborhood effect.  It is a matter of taste.  If
> someone else likes mom-an-po shopos, there is plenty of them in the Podunks
> of this land.  I prefer thinking big, like the Big Apple.
> 
> Wojtek

Fuck Darrell Trent, read further down into the article:

"When the city of Maplewood, 
Mo., invited retailers to compete for a chunk of choice land, 
developers for Costco and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. fought a nasty legal 
and political battle. Wal-Mart's developer won -- and 150 homes and 
businesses were condemned."

That's peoples homes demolished for a Wal-Mart, I know, I was there. There is plenty of brownfield for 
redevelopment but developers don't want that space. Fuck them. Build your Home Depot on the abandoned 
factory site or don't built it. Space isn't at such a premium that peoples homes need to be bulldozed for 
Lowe's. Pretending it has to be one or the other is total BS. We can have both but Wal-Mart, Costco, etc. 
want premium spaces that suit their perceived needs and fuck all who oppose. It is hardly decided through 
a democratic process in any city. If it truly was decided in a fair and democratic process I'd be all for it. Until 
such a time I will oppose most transfers of private ownership to another private owner. Eminent domain 
used to transfer private ownership to public is a completely different issue.

John Thornton
P.S. There are more mom&pop shops in NYC than in smaller cities. The podunks can't support them 
against Applebee's, Wal-Marts, etc where large cities have enough population to continue them. If you want 
mon&pop shops you'll find them much more in NYC than the flyover states.