Just received from Paul Jacob, Common Sense report from the Sam Adams Alliance
The Obvious Truths of Private Property March 7, 2008
Even the obvious needs defenders.
It is obvious that private property rights are vitally important. It is obvious that markets in property encourage development where development is desired. It is just as obvious that a lot of the progress that has happened in America over its two hundred year-plus history can be accounted to the very fact that we’ve had private property rights.
But, it is also obvious that one can become wealthy by theft, especially if the government is on your side. In localities all across the land, governments take land from some and give it to others. To “develop.”
And it’s not a socialistic scheme concocted by crackpot utopians. It flows right out of the eminent domain clause of the Constitution — as an abuse.
And it has its defenders. They say that, without using eminent domain to engage in big development projects, cities would die.
Nonsense. Right? Yes. And, if real-world logic can’t convince you of the obvious, consult real-world data. A study done by the Institute for Justice — a report called “Doomsday? No Way: Economic Trends and Post-Kelo Eminent Domain Reform” — shows clear evidence that development occurs rather naturally when private property rights are consistently defended. The study compared states with and without such eminent domain abuses.
The above link is as follows: http://www.ij.org/publications/other/doomsday.html
And it defended the obvious. Freedom is better than theft.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
Juice drinkers. To learn more about the work being performed by the Institute for Justice and others engaged in the fight to eradicate this bogus allegation, please sign up to attend our upcoming MORR/CURE conference on Redevelopment Abuse where IJ attorney Jeff Rowes will be one of our featured speakers.
You will also get a head start on the June election which will include one real (Proposition 98) and one bogus (Proposition 99) opportunity to amend our State Constitution. We need to provide protection for all homes, houses of worship, family farms and investment properties when those owners do not wish to sell their private property. Marko Mlikotin, Spokesman for Prop 98, the California Alliance to Protect Private Property Rights, will be another of our featured speakers.
Date: Sat March 15th
Time: 8:30-5:00
Location: Anaheim Sheraton Park Hotel, 1855 South Harbor Blvd (below Disneyland)
Cost: $65 includes continental breakfast and sit down luncheon with Keynote Speaker Dr. Mindy Fullilove,MD/author “Root Shock: How Tearing up Neighborhoods Hurts America.”
To register: 714.813.5899 or 323.567.6737
Larry Gilbert, OC co-director of CURE and Orange County Chairman, Prop 98
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