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George Bush - Endorses Eminent Domain For Private Interests

Written by Subject: Eminent Domain
Friday President George Bush signed This Executive Order entitled "Executive Order: Protecting the Property Rights of the American People". In rather Orwellian fasion, it does anything but.

Of course the rights allegedly protected by this order are already supposed to be protected by the 5th Amendment.

This order appears to be advance notice that the Federal Government will be envoking eminent domain in the same controversial manner as local governments have (with the more recent blessing of the Supreme Court.) Namely, taking property and making it available to private concerns to operate for profit.

Note the language:

not merely for the purpose of advancing the economic interest of private parties to be given ownership or use of the property taken...

Sec. 3. Specific Exclusions. Nothing in this order shall be construed to prohibit a taking of private property by the Federal Government, that otherwise complies with applicable law, for the purpose of:

c) conveying the property to a nongovernmental entity, such as a telecommunications or transportation common carrier, that makes the property available for use by the general public as of right;

I have seen nothing reported on this yet, but with recent reports of the NAFTA Super Highway, one can only wonder what to expect in coming years.

Update: The LA Times now has a very small blurb on this and it is being protrayed as pro-property rights. Link To Story

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