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CATO, Koch & The Trump Campaign. Eminent Domain. Issue Teed Up for Next Presidential Debate.

CATO, the libertarian leaning think tank, sounding the horn on Donald Trump and his reliance on eminent domain.

The juicy bits:

  • “But no one seems to have brought up a bullying business practice he’s particularly fond of: eminent domain.”
  • Trump benefits “from the coercive power of the state to kick innocent Americans out of their homes.”
  • “Conservatives were especially outraged by this assault on property rights. Not Donald Trump, though. He told Neil Cavuto on Fox News: “I happen to…

Eminent Domain Propels Candidate to Enter Race

Mississippi State Senator Mike Seymour entered the race for his seat due to his opposition to eminent domain and China…. In his words:

“”The thing that separates us from Russia and China and all is our property rights. I understand eminent domain for transportation and stuff like that but when it comes to economic development, it shouldn’t be the government taking your property and selling it to another entity to generate more tax revenue. That’s not America. It’s something that…

Rand Paul Attacks Donald Trump on Eminent Domain. The new primary test- private property rights. No eminent domain for private gain mantra readied.

Rand Paul vows to focus on private property rights and eminent domain abuses to show why Trump is not in line with Republican primary voters. 

What things are we going to hear?

  • Rand Paul supports private property rights and opposes Kelo
  • Donald Trump loves Kelo
  • Donald Trump is a property rights abuser
  • Kelo is crony capitalism that favors big business
  • no eminent domain for private gain.

Reason     Breitbart  CBS News

Property Rights Trend: Forced Annexation. 3 Recommendations from the Right.

TPPF is hosting a policy primer this week on Forced Annexation.

 This comes on the heels of San Antonio City Council voting this week to begin annexation of unincorporated areas of Bexar County. A move that TPPF called:

  • “fundamental beliefs are under assault” by “forced annexation”
  • “Forced annexation policies allow cities, like San Antonio, to impose their taxes, debts, and big government structures on people against their will.”

TPPF Study on forced annexation focuses on Houston…

Landowners Opposition Coalesces against Trans Pecos Pipeline. 6 Points from Texas Monthly.

He said/She said/They Said abounds with the TransPecos pipeline. Its like a love triangle with the drama of a telenovela:

  • Trans Pecos says it has precondemnation access agreements with 95% of landowners in the path of Trans Pecos pipeline route
  • Landowners say even if landowners allow access for surveying, it doesn’t mean that they support having their land taken. In fact, some still oppose the pipeline.
  • Texas Monthly says opposition to the pipeline has been centered in Marfa, Alpine,…

Texas Pipeline+Land Men Gone Angry+ Pre-condemantion Access =Lawsuit.

Trans Pecos is building the international pipeline through Big Bend and ranch lands. One of those ranches believes pipeline representatives entered to survey without permission. This trespass included sinking stakes into the land. 

As a result of the pipeline trespass…an impending lawsuit. Its a case of landmen gone wild, threatening cease and desist orders against land owners.

BigBendNow

Update: Houston Churches Facing Eminent Domain Invoke 1st Amendment

Houston churches that were facing eminent domain to make way for a new Housing Authority development, have sued to stop the eminent domain based on the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA).

RFRA is usually only a hot topic when conservative activists want to strengthen it to stop the social issues they oppose. 

But, the use of RFRA by the churches to stop eminent domain adds an added lawyer of constitutional protection. Now the local governmental entity will have to prove:

  • there is…

Donald Trump Loves Kelo. 2 New News Highlights.

  • Washington Post:  Trump heralded the Kelo decision, which 80% of conservatives oppose. At the time, Trump said:
    • I happen to agree with it 100%. if you have a person living in an area that’s not even necessarily a good area, and … government wants to build a tremendous economic development, where a lot of people are going to be put to work and … create thousands upon thousands of jobs and beautification and lots of other things, I think it happens to be good.”
  • CATO: Trump utilizes…

Bretibart Goes to bat for California Farmers

California Gov. Brown is proposing to take land via eminent doamin from 300 farmers so some river deltas can be reworked to bring more water to populated areas.

Breitbart engaged a water and land use lawyer with the Pacific Legal Foundation, who said 3 important things:, 

  • No oversight in eminent domain projects:“..the use of eminent domain does not allow for a proper system of “checks and balances,” even for controversial state infrastructure projects.”
  • California can start work…