The Long, Proud History of Eminent Domain

Texas authorities want to sell some public land, though the property was donated to the state in exchange for a pledge that it not be sold. State Senator John Whitmire (D-Houston) has another idea: keep the land and take some more.

"You are dead wrong about the way you are handling the future of this precious state asset," Whitmire said. "Simply put, it would be nuts to sell this land to private owners."

[Whitmire] said the state also should consider condemning adjacent private property to open up public access.

"Condemnation is a concept that has been used properly since the beginning of time, and I would consider that," Whitmire said.

Yes boys and girls, since the beginning of time. I guess you could argue that Adam and Eve were victims of a land grab.

Via Rational Review.

Comments

[Big Nanny]

Say it with me...

"The peoples Republic of Texas".

[Warren]

I guess you could argue that Adam and Eve were victims of a land grab.

Way I heard it, A&E were condemned as being unfit for the property. That makes a lot more sense than the other way around.

[the innominate one]

well, it would be good if the state kept its promise to the original donors

in other news, people sometimes use hyperbole to make a point. film at 11.

[GILMORE]

The beginning of time is when the white man claimed Texas for Texans. Duh! This whole country is a case study in Eminent Domain, vis a vis manifest destiny.

We own the moon too!

[Ken Shultz]

"I guess you could argue that Adam and Eve were victims of a land grab."

Their contract included a right to live on the land, but once they were no longer on the payroll...

[The Wine Commonsewer]

I guess you could argue that Adam and Eve were victims of a land grab.

Absolutely. 🙂 That land is now Southern Iraq. Right there between the Tigris and the Euphrates.

[P Brooks]

Jehovah had no alternative; She had to kick them out. Otherwise, She might have been subject to losing the GoE via adverse possession.

[sage]

This is all for that NAFTA superhighway. This is NOT a conspiracy. It's real.

And please, no comments about my tinfoil hat being ugly. All the truthers are wearing 'em.

[Mitt Romney]

I guess you could argue that Adam and Eve were victims of a land grab.

Absolutely. 🙂 That land is now Jackson County, Missouri.

[John-David]

The "beginning of time" remark seems to have been excised from the article.

[John-David]

Oh, never mind, the Rational Review link actually goes to another article, when I had assumed it went to Rational Review. My bad.

[TrickyVic]

"""Yes boys and girls, since the beginning of time. I guess you could argue that Adam and Eve were victims of a land grab. """"

I thought the Home Owner's Association kicked them out?

[J sub D]

There is enough in the linked article to keep my libertarian hackles raised all day.

The deed also stipulated that the land office would get the donors' written permission if it wanted to transfer the property to anyone other than the National Park Service or the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
Patterson sparked an outcry when he said he would ignore that provision, which he called unenforceable.

Deed restrictions. Hmmm, an ugly history there. Are they legal? Should they be? Libertarian?

Patterson has said he will oppose transferring the property to the park service if the federal agency insists on restricting firearms from the property, as is its standard.

Public land. Hunters are members of the public too. I can see why that's a problem in Texas.

"I also understand the easement and access issues which I believe can be addressed by current state processes," Whitmire wrote.

Patterson responded that the Christmas Mountains are for the most part surrounded by private property and that the land office would not exercise its power of condemnation to gain access.

I'd sure like to know if Whitmire has given specifics or agreed to forego condemnation of private land.

The land office bought environmentally sensitive land along the Blanco River and has proposed selling it to private developers, said Luke Metzger, director of Environment Texas.

Why is the state in the real estate business?

Hays County officials were angered when they discovered that the agency was trying to buy a tract in a prime commercial development area. Officials argued that the state was getting involved in transactions that should remain in the private sector. Patterson later announced that the land office was getting out of the deal.

Again, Why is the state in the real estate business?

The land office angered activists in Hudspeth County in West Texas for leasing property to a company that wants to use it to dump sewage, according to the El Paso Times.

If it's park land, I might have a problem with that. I lack details.
If it's just unused state land, sell it already!

The agency has opened up to gas well drilling part of the Padre Island National Seashore, which is environmentally sensitive, Metzger said.

All land is environmentally sensitive. Do we want natural gas or not? Amazingly enough, gas can be extracted without raping the land.

The agency has bought nearly 2,000 acres of environmentally sensitive prairie land in southwest Fort Worth and has proposed selling it to private interests.

One last time, Why, in the name of all that is holy, is the state in the real estate business?

[Ska]

This thread just makes me revisit the liquor stores in Iraq thread. Like that's a substitute for the double Baysil Hayden I need after reading this post.

[Kwix]

You know, all this tells me is that as an philanthropic organization, if you own land you wish to remain a park, how's about calling it a park and not turning it over to the Government.

[the innominate one]

are compound bows "firearms"?

"If it's just unused state land, sell it already!"

maintaining land for ecosystem services is a use, even if it is just sitting there

[Mad Max]

"I guess you could argue that Adam and Eve were victims of a land grab."

The first victim of Eminent Domain was Naboth, as explained in 3 Kings 21 (after reading this, you probably will disagree with those feminists who put Jezebel forward as a role model).

"1 And after these things, Naboth the Jezrahelite, who was in Jezrahel, had at that time a vineyard near the palace of Achab king of Samaria. 2 And Achab spoke to Naboth, saying: Give me thy vineyard, that I may make me a garden of herbs, because it is nigh, and adjoining to my house, and I will give thee for it a better vineyard: or if thou think it more convenient for thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money. 3 Naboth answered him: The Lord be merciful to me, and not let me give thee the inheritance of my fathers. 4 And Achab came into his house angry and fretting, because of the word that Naboth the Jezrahelite had spoken to him, saying: I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And casting himself upon his bed, he turned away his face to the wall, and would eat no bread. 5 And Jezabel his wife went in to him, and said to him: What is the matter that thy soul is so grieved? and why eatest thou no bread?

"6 And he answered her: I spoke to Naboth the Jezrahelite, and said to him: Give me thy vineyard, and take money for it: or if it please thee, I will give thee a better vineyard for it. And he said: I will not give thee my vineyard. 7 Then Jezabel his wife said to him: Thou art of great authority indeed, and governest well the kingdom of Israel. Arise, and eat bread, and be of good cheer, I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezrahelite. 8 So she wrote letters in Achab's name, and sealed them with his ring, and sent them to the ancients, and the chief men that were in his city, and that dwelt with Naboth. 9 And this was the tenor of the letters: Proclaim a fast, and make Naboth sit among the chief of the people, 10 And suborn two men, sons of Belial against him, and let them bear false witness: that he hath blasphemed God and the king: and then carry him out, and stone him, and so let him die.

"11 And the men of his city, the ancients and nobles, that dwelt with him in the city, did as Jezabel had commanded them, and as it was written in the letters which she had sent to them: 12 They proclaimed a fast, and made Naboth sit among the chief of the people. 13 And bringing two men, sons of the devil, they made them sit against him: and they, like men of the devil, bore witness against him before the people, saying: Naboth hath blasphemed God and the king: wherefore they brought him forth without the city, and stoned him to death. 14 And they sent to Jezabel, saying: Naboth is stoned, and is dead. 15 And it came to pass when Jezabel heard that Naboth was stoned, and dead, that she said to Achab: Arise and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezrahelite, who would not agree with thee, and give it thee for money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead.

"16 And when Achab heard this, to wit, that Naboth was dead, he arose, and went down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezrahelite, to take possession of it. 17 And the word of the Lord came to Elias the Thesbite, saying: 18 Arise, and go down to meet Achab king of Israel, who is in Samaria: behold he is going down to the vineyard of Naboth, to take possession of it: 19 And thou shalt speak to him, saying: Thus saith the Lord: Thou hast slain, moreover also thou hast taken possession. And after these words thou shalt add: Thus saith the Lord: In this place, wherein the dogs have licked the blood of Naboth, they shall lick thy blood also. 20 And Achab said to Elias: Hast thou found me thy enemy? He said: I have found thee, because thou art sold, to do evil in the sight of the Lord. [That is, so addicted to evil, as if thou hadst sold thyself to the devil, to be his slave to work all kinds of evil. - Translator's note]

"21 Behold I will bring evil upon thee, and I will cut down thy posterity, and I will kill of Achab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up, and the last in Israel. 22 And I will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nabat, and like the house of Baasa the son of Ahias: for what thou hast done, to provoke me to anger, and for making Israel to sin. 23 And of Jezabel also the Lord spoke, saying: The dogs shall eat Jezabel in the field of Jezrahel. 24 If Achab die in the city, the dogs shall eat him: but if he die in the field, the birds of the air shall eat him. 25 Now there was not such another as Achab, who was sold to do evil in the sight of the Lord: for his wife Jezabel set him on, [etc.]"

http://www.drbo.org/chapter/11021.htm

[Paul]

2 And Achab spoke to Naboth, saying: Give me thy vineyard, that I may make me a garden of herbs, because it is nigh, and adjoining to my house, and I will give thee for it a better vineyard: or if thou think it more convenient for thee

Adjustments necessary:

2 And Achab spoke to Naboth, saying: Give me thy vineyard, that I may make me a garden of herbs, reap higher tax revenue from it because it is nigh, and adjoining to my house, [company name] wants to put in an office park and I will give thee for it a better vineyard: or if thou think it more convenient for thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money."fair market value" as defined by a small group of bureaucrats. So, what say you, Naboth? If thou not think it prudent, I shall evict thee in three and twenty days. I shall reap from thee a fine if thy wares are not removed upon the final day of thy grace period.

[Brandybuck]

And please, no comments about my tinfoil hat being ugly. All the truthers are wearing 'em.

Yes, all the Truther are wearing, but they are stils ugly. Most of them that is. Here's one that's not quite so obnoxious: http://www.eeevilconservative.com/images/000_0336.JPG