Hey! Here's Something.

I was reading the complimentary USA Today from the hotel when I came across this article. It's from Monday, February 20, 06. It's a bit of good news for the three people left in the country still more concerned about civil liberty than Jon Stewart hosting the Oscars. The title reads, "States eye land seizure limits" with the by line, "Bills would rein in eminent domain". Apparently, and surprisingly, there's been a backlash to the recent ruling by the Supreme Court that gives local governments the go ahead to seize land willy-nilly. Most of the article is about the controversy over the ruling and what state governments are doing in response. It'll warm your cockles to see that there are people in government who can do the right thing. Of course it doesn't hurt that their constituents are outraged.

My favorite part of the article comes toward the end. "'There's been an explosion of outrage by people across the country and across the political spectrum about what can be done,' says Scott Bullock of the Institute for Justice, a libertarian public interest law firm." Turns out BB&T, the ninth largest bank in the US, is refusing to lend money to developers who acquire property through eminent domain. It's not like I doe a lot of high stakes investment but I would be inclined to use BB&T in the future. An economic developement corporation in Rhode Island, headed by that state's governor will no longer use eminent domain to acquire land. It's good to see in this day of Enron and Tyco there are some companies doing the right thing, and notice none of this with the help of the Federal Government. It's all actually inspite of it.

Of course, realistically, eminent domain has it's place, but it should be used sparingly and fairly. It looks bright though and for a little while I'm a happy libertarian.