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Donald Trump defends his vocal support for eminent domain: ‘I think it’s a wonderful thing’
Washington Post ^ | 10/06/2015 | By Jenna Johnson

Posted on 10/06/2015 5:48:12 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

Even though it's a stance not especially popular with some Republicans, Donald Trump continued to support eminent domain in an interview on Tuesday, calling it "a wonderful thing" that has unfairly received a bad rap.

Trump, a billionaire known for his major real estate development projects, described eminent domain as a useful tool that local governments can use to prevent greedy homeowners from derailing major projects that could create thousands of jobs or provide a public good. Trump said that some conservatives don't fully understand how eminent domain works and don't realize that homeowners are usually paid "four, five, six, ten times" what their property is actually worth.

"Eminent domain, when it comes to jobs, roads, the public good, I think it's a wonderful thing," Trump said during an interview with Fox News's Bret Baier that aired Tuesday evening. "And remember, you're not taking property… you're paying a fortune for that property."

Trump's support of eminent domain, along with his use of the practice professionally, has prompted some criticism from conservatives.Republican presidential rival Rand Paul has slammed Trump over his eminent domain views, calling the mogul “a big fan” of the practice who has “shown no consideration for small private property owners."

The super PAC for the Club for Growth, a fiscally conservative advocacy group, recently aired television advertisements in Iowa that accuse Trump of supporting "eminent domain abuse" that would allow him to "make millions while we lose our property rights." Trump said the Club for Growth's attacks have come only because he refused to donate $1 million to their cause. He added that the spots are "not right" and do not accurately explain eminent domain.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Front Page News; Government; Politics/Elections; US: District of Columbia; US: New York
KEYWORDS: 2016election; 45610times; 4trumpitsabetterdeal; betterdeal4trump; brokenrecord; celebritycult; charlatan; cult; demagogicparty; districtofcolumbia; election2016; eminentdomain; fourfivesixtentimes; ibtz; ilovetowhine; jennajohnson; liberal; liberaldemagogue; memebuilding; newyork; ntsa; partisanmediashill; partisanmediashills; paultardation; paultardnoisemachine; randpaulnoisemachine; randsconcerntrolls; transtrumped; trump; trump4biggovt; trump4himself; trump4trump; trumpcult; trumpgasm; trumprealityshow; waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah; washingtoncompost; washingtonpost; whatthefox
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To: Behind the Blue Wall

There’s dozens of cases just from New York recited in the report I just posted. Pick one at random!


301 posted on 10/08/2015 1:50:31 PM PDT by GunRunner
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To: Behind the Blue Wall
That should have been Kelo, as the egregious actions of the City of New London should have been an example of the abuse that occurs, and gave the Court an opportunity to put a halt to it, or at least put some sort of limits or tests on it.

But your leftist friends on the Court made sure that didn't happen, and interpreted public use to not only mean economic development, but anything the government wants. Like you, they believe that City Managers and politicians are the best arbiters of where, when, and how economic development should happen.

302 posted on 10/08/2015 1:56:22 PM PDT by GunRunner
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To: GunRunner

If Kelo is as bad as it gets, then my point has been made. There isn’t widespread abuse of the public use limitation.


303 posted on 10/08/2015 4:30:39 PM PDT by Behind the Blue Wall
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To: Behind the Blue Wall
You can make whatever point you want, but your argument is at odds with the objective facts as I've demonstrated with IJ literature. Your claim to "follow this stuff pretty closely" seems erroneous since you've contradicted yourself several times on whether the case was decided correctly or incorrectly, and you're oblivious to the ongoing eminent domain abuses widely documented over the years:

Eminent Domain Abusers Are Making a Comeback

It's Time For Congress To Actively Condemn Eminent Domain Abuses

A resurgence of eminent domain abuse

Eminent Domain Abuse is Making a Comeback

Abuse of Power: How Government Misuses Eminent Domain

Supreme Court Continues to Avoid Eminent Domain Cases Post Kelo

North Carolina Needs Protection from Eminent Domain Abuse

Eminent Domain Abuse Still Rampant in Missouri

Philly Plans Eminent Domain To Displace Private Projects With City Ones

Hotel Conference Center May Trump Private Property in Eminent Domain Case

Don’t blight the hand that feeds you: Stop eminent domain abuse

This man won't let New Jersey take his home (A current case in Trump's backyard)

And to top it off you claimed that because I posted too much information about too many cases, it was too general, and I therefore needed a specific example to rally behind, obviously trying to bait me so you could offer a "but that's just one case" retort.

Nice try.

It would be an altogether different case if Trump had actually changed his position and started criticizing Kelo and eminent domain abuse by developers, and you were trying to justify his flip-flop as a move towards the pro-liberty side. But you're asking intelligent, high information Freepers to buy into Trump's fact-free, childish, nonsensical, and fantastical assertion to Bret Baier that eminent domain abuse by private developers is some sort of financial windfall or lottery for condemned homeowners.

And even more worrisome, we have so-called conservatives like you now DEFENDING KELO, an unthinkable proposition pre-Trump on any conservative site, all to service your adoration for his cult of personality.

304 posted on 10/08/2015 8:16:36 PM PDT by GunRunner
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To: GunRunner

I’m sure that you can cite 1000 individual cases where there were questionable uses of eminent domain that may or may not even have anything to do with Kelo, or general trend analyses, but the fact that you cannot cite a single “poster boy” that was specifically made possible by Kelo confirms my position that whether or not I particularly agree with it, it’s much ado about nothing. A SCOTUS case that confirms centuries of precedent and has had very little impact in the real world.


305 posted on 10/09/2015 8:22:43 AM PDT by Behind the Blue Wall
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To: GunRunner

i agree i just focused on use but you are correct public thoroughfare. and that essentially means free/maybe a toll use by everyone.


306 posted on 10/09/2015 7:17:40 PM PDT by kvanbrunt2 (civil law: commanding what is right and prohibiting what is wrong Blackstone Commentaries I p44)
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To: datricker

“How dare you attempt to attribute its greatness to one personality-—to a gasbag reality show celebrity.”

Yes I dare because I’d rather win with Trump than lose with Cruz.
i do like your post thx


307 posted on 10/09/2015 7:23:48 PM PDT by kvanbrunt2 (civil law: commanding what is right and prohibiting what is wrong Blackstone Commentaries I p44)
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To: HiTech RedNeck

No room for blanket declarations of that kind. What if it meant your own tax bill got cheaper.

lol and i do


308 posted on 10/09/2015 7:27:58 PM PDT by kvanbrunt2 (civil law: commanding what is right and prohibiting what is wrong Blackstone Commentaries I p44)
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To: randita; Impy

Actually, that’s an improvement. They used to just say you were deranged. Trump is a planned action against conservatism. FR is infected with basic ignorance of classical liberalism - small government and individual liberty - such that the argument for the strong man rings true to them.

I never thought I’d see that happen here.


309 posted on 10/10/2015 2:13:51 PM PDT by 1010RD (First, Do No Harm)
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To: kvanbrunt2

Have you considered Coolidge? He’s my preferred model POTUS.


310 posted on 10/10/2015 2:28:45 PM PDT by 1010RD (First, Do No Harm)
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To: randita

I haven’t listened to Levin enough to know, but Rush has hinted multiple times that his Trump commentary, commentary that is just shy of advocacy, is part of a bigger picture. I’d guess Rush (and likely Levin) is “in” on some behind-the-scenes strategy.


311 posted on 10/10/2015 2:34:46 PM PDT by FourPeas ("Maladjusted and wigging out is no way to go through life, son." -hg)
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To: 1010RD
FR is infected with basic ignorance of classical liberalism - small government and individual liberty - such that the argument for the strong man rings true to them.

True. I used to believe that the idiocy was actually a well orchestrated plan by the left to infiltrate conservative forums to drum up dissension and also make outrageous statements which would be attributed to conservatives. Maybe that was the case once.

But this latest lunacy is home grown, I'm afraid, and the ignorance and self-deception is beyond the pale.

There are quite a few who are championing truth and I'm sure there are many more who assent, but don't care to jump into the fray. I wish they would because that would put a damper on the group think which is a current infestation.

312 posted on 10/10/2015 4:55:04 PM PDT by randita
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To: FourPeas

Rush has spent a couple of decades claiming to champion conservatism. He’s throwing all his credibility away by pimping for Trump, whose views on most issues are not even close to the classic conservatism Rush espouses.

I’ve stopped listening to Rush and Levin. I don’t believe or trust what they say any longer. They’ve officially joined the ranks of the blowhard brigade.


313 posted on 10/10/2015 4:59:50 PM PDT by randita
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To: randita

I heard Trump on this.
When absolutely needed. Highest and best use.
Common as long as it isn’t used by some when there were other choices.

People used to get big payouts to be moved. When that went away less people liked being moved.


314 posted on 10/10/2015 5:03:30 PM PDT by A CA Guy ( God Bless America, God Bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: A CA Guy
What you wrote is contradicted by what Trump actually said. Highest and best use? Like real estate projects financed by wealthy tycoons?

Trump, a billionaire known for his major real estate development projects, described eminent domain as a useful tool that local governments can use to prevent greedy homeowners from derailing major projects that could create thousands of jobs or provide a public good. Trump said that some conservatives don't fully understand how eminent domain works and don't realize that homeowners are usually paid "four, five, six, ten times" what their property is actually worth.

315 posted on 10/10/2015 5:10:14 PM PDT by randita
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To: randita

He said highest and best use one that I heard.

To just do it? No

If it brings in more taxes and jobs that would make a case.
People used to make fortunes buying in front of Eminent Domain and settling high. That has changed now.


316 posted on 10/10/2015 5:19:28 PM PDT by A CA Guy ( God Bless America, God Bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: randita

Yep.


317 posted on 10/10/2015 7:10:38 PM PDT by 1010RD (First, Do No Harm)
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To: A CA Guy
If it brings in more taxes and jobs that would make a case.

No, it doesn't.

If your criteria is liberally applied, then property owners no longer have rights in this country.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/eminent-domain-being-abused/

318 posted on 10/10/2015 7:13:49 PM PDT by randita
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To: randita

If you think Rush is pimping Trump, you’re not listening closely enough.


319 posted on 10/10/2015 10:22:21 PM PDT by FourPeas ("Maladjusted and wigging out is no way to go through life, son." -hg)
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