Today’s government pirates are not the flamboyant pirates of the Jack Sparrow mold, although they are occasionally comical. But like the pirates of old they deprive people of their property. But unlike the pirates of old, their predation against the property rights of others is legal. Instead of cannon broadsides and boarding for close quarters, their methods are laws, regulations and subsidies in such forms as eminent domain abuse. Real estate developer Don Corace sheds light on the sometimes obscured doings of these modern-day legal plunderers in his book Government Pirates: The Assault On Private Property Rights–And How We Can Fight It. (New York: Harper Collins, 2008 ISBN 978-0-06-166143-3, $14.95 www.doncorace.com)
With regard to eminent domain, Corace contends that "Cities and counties throughout the country hail the virtues of redevelopment by saying that it is a valuable tool to eliminate blight, generate more tax revenue for public services, and create jobs. The truth? Most redevelopment projects fail to meet their lofty expectations."
He continues "Redevelopment agencies can be created without the vote of the citizenry who will be affected. They can incur bond indebtedness without voter approval. They can use the power of eminent domain to take private property and hand it over to favored developers. If that isn’t bad enough, they can also line the pockets of those developers with our tax dollars."
I enjoyed the presentation the author made at Book Revue (www.bookrevue.com) in Huntington, New York which is one of the best non-chain bookstores I frequent. Corace was introduced by Fox News talk show host Sean Hannity. I didn’t get to ask a question which would have given me the opportunity to share the Libertarian Party’s fight on behalf of St. Luke’s Pentecostal Church in New Cassel and our campaign I dubbed Time$cam against the New York Times headquarters scheme which relied on eminent domain in partnership with Forest City Ratner now busily engaged in trampling Brooklyn. I did mention these examples when they signed my copy of the book.
Amongst other topics, Corace questions the concept of judicial review that was enshrined in the case of Marbury versus Madison. He contends that the power of the courts to declare laws to be unconstitutional is itself unconstitutional. This is a debatable question. However, he undermines his position by praising some decisions and criticizing others. If judicial review is wrong, then it is inconsistent to praise it when it goes the way you view as correct.
What is the alternative to judicial review? The Constitution is not self-enforcing? Judicial review is the enforcement mechanism.
This is an interesting book. The entire book should please some and displease others. Parts will please some while they are dismayed by other parts. It is not a difficult read and is in easily digestible chapters. He is not entirely consistent on the eminent domain question, giving too much credence to the notion that government should be involved in curing "blight." This after criticizing the blight designation process.
Just in New York right now, we have Baldwin and Elmont in Nassau, Wyandach in Suffolk, Atlantic Yards in Brooklyn, Willets Point in Queens, West Harlem (Manhattanville) in Manhattan and the New York Regional Interconnect across upstate to keep the 100% consistent supporters of property rights in the Libertarian Party of New York (www.ny.lp.org) busy fighting corporate welfare and eminent domain abuse.
Both Republicans and Democrats should be flying the pirate flag of the skull and crossbones. Here in New York, both have gleefully participated in the eminent domain abuse piratical raids. President-elect Obama has not taken a position on eminent domain abuse to my knowledge. Only the Libertarian Party always defends the rights of taxpayers and property owners against corporate welfare and eminent domain abuse. -30-
About the author: Richard Cooper is a international trade executive with a manufacturing firm on Long Island, New York, USA. He is active in the Libertarian Party www.lp.org on eminent domain and other issues. He was chair of the Libertarian Party of New York www.ny.lp.org.)
For more on eminent domain see the Institute for Justice website www.ij.org and www.nolandgrab.org. Also see my articles:
Brooklyn Walkathon Against Eminent Domain Abuse Boosts Legal Fund https://groundreport.com/articles.php?id=2872519
Walkathon Against Eminent Domain https://groundreport.com/articles.php?id=2870695
Female Chinese Land Seizure Protesters Stripped Naked & Jailed
https://groundreport.com/articles.php?id=2869669
Greedy In Brooklyn: Well-connected Developer Seeks Still More Subsidies For Brooklyn Arena Scheme https://groundreport.com/articles.php?id=2858872
Atlantic Yards Eminent Domain Abuse Scheme Confronts Reality https://groundreport.com/articles.php?id=2857809
Urban Renewal Schemes Seeking Planning Consultant Accomplices https://groundreport.com/articles.php?id=2857322
Drew Carey’s TV Program On Eminent Domain Abuse https://groundreport.com/articles.php?id=2838131
Presidential Candidate Defended Black Church Dispossessed By Eminent Domain https://groundreport.com/articles.php?id=2853645
Columbia University Eminent Domain In Harlem Condemned By Libertarian Alumni https://groundreport.com/articles.php?id=2835310
Barclays Bank Boycott To Protest Eminent Domain Abuse https://groundreport.com/articles.php?id=2835308
A Child’s Book of Eminent Domain https://groundreport.com/articles.php?id=2835232
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