post-America day 1.
Until a federal Constitutional amendment happens, we're stuck with land theft, make that eminent domain. So what can an individual do about it?
We can start by driving companies that engage in eminent domain into bankrupcy. What are these companies? Well, I've started a list on Wikispaces, called Land Thieves. You're all welcome to add land rustlers to the list, as long as you provide links to both the company's website and to a news article (or other reputable source) about it's attempt to rustle land.
What else can we do? We can kick elected officials who support eminent domain out of office -- give campaign donations to, and actively campaign for, their opponents. If necessary, run for the office yourself so you can make eminent domain abuse a central issue to the campaign.
Go to city council meetings and bring up the issue as often as they will let you.
If your Congressman or Senator supports a Federal Marriage Amendment, a good question to ask him or her is, "You have indicated your support for a federal Constitutional amendment protecting the sanctity of the American institution of marriage. What do you plan to do to protect the American institution of private property rights?"
And if you're a target of eminent domain, draw it out in court as long as possible, hopefully until after the next election in which those trying to take your land are running. Run, or have a better candidate run, against them. Show up at their campaign events and ask them what part of "Thou Shalt Not Steal" don't they understand?
Ride your city council's ass until they pass an ordinance prohibiting the city from using eminent domain, or put the measure on the ballot. Do the same with your county and state legislatures.
And for your federal lawmakers, demand a Constitutional amendment prohibiting eminent domain from being exercised anywhere in the country. By phone. By email. By snail mail. In person. Every day if you have to.
And somehow get Ron Paul, or someone else who understands the role of government in a supposedly free society, on the US Supreme Court.
But until full property rights are restored, the America you thought you lived in is effectively over. It died yesterday. You are now living in post-America, or, as I said yesterday . . .
... Welcome to the U.S.S.A.*
* - U.S.S.A. : The Union of Socialist States of America.
posted by The Last American at 12:04:00 PM
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3 Comments:
Keep in mind also that states can limit themselves in their use of eminent domain. The U.S. Constitution is a floor, not a celing, on rights.
As I blogged yesterday:
Wouldn't it be nice if all those grass-root, "let the voters decide," Red State, "damn activist judges" types put as much effort into enacting state constitutional amendments limiting eminent domain as they did discriminating against gays? You might think people like that would care more about keeping their own homes than what goes on in their neighbors' homes. We'll see.
I'm curious why you listed Wal-Mart and then linked to an article that mentioned Wal-Mart only in relation to its competitor, Target, actually using eminent domain.
Tom, the short answer is that I screwed up.
The long answer has to do with Seasonal Affective Disorder. You know how depressed and slothlike I get around the winter solstice?
Well, around the summer solstice, I am the opposite of that, which in it's own way, is just as much a problem.
My thoughts these days are like a manic hummingbird with ADD on crystal meth, flitting from topic to topic at breakneck speed. They sometimes bounce around the inside of my head like anarchist ping-pong balls. I intended to list both Target and Wal-Mart, but they flitted into one entity.
That's part of the reason for my "News About My Balls" post.
I'll try to fix it, if I can get my head to stay together long enough to do it.
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