On 2/23/06, Marvin Gandall <marvgandall at videotron.ca> wrote:
-Could somebody warning against the absolute right of private property -vs. eminent domain kindly identify who on the list is advocating that, -even implicitly? Could you, say, make a habit of it? Practically -every post against the SC ruling has qualified its opposition to using -eminent domain to shift from private owners to private owners. It -gets kind of tiresome to read suggestions otherwise.
Since none of the laws being passed prevent eminent domain for public ownership, there is no dispute over that.
The issue is precisely having conservative, usually white-dominated state legislatures gut the home rule powers of urban areas to engage in planning, including using emnent domain to shift uses of property, including between different forms of private ownership.
The issue is Who Decides? This is a power grab by rightwing dominated state legislatures around the country and leftists are buying into the rhetoric. Instead of targetting abusive corporate influence on politics -- the left complaint -- they are signing up for giving private interests greater legal powers to block democratic planning in cities. What a bunch of patsies, handing power to corporate interests with rhetoric of restraining that power.
It's like Newt Gingrich talking about "empowering the poor" as he sells gutting welfare. The right is expert now in waving lefty sounding rhetoric to sell rightwing policies.
Nathan Newman