Mark Meeks, owner of Stockbridge Florist and Gifts has discovered that why he felt his business was fine the local government is not happy with it’s presence! And the city of Stockbridge, GA is attempting to condemn his shop as part of a “downtown development project”. Basically they want to replace his business with things they feel would be more profitable. His business is in fine shape and nothing is worn down. It is not something that is at all worthy of condemnation.

This particular case of eminent domain abuse may not end with the city taking the property though. Republican lawmakers in Georgia are already working to stop this kind of abuse!

So if Georgia’s legislature does the good deed Mark Meeks’ current business location will be saved! It would also mean that property across the state is protected from eminent domain abuse!

Johnnie Stevens is an 85 year old WWII veteran. His doctor has told him he has lung cancer and about 2 years left to live. Now officials in New Jersey want to take his home away.

This man fought in a war where Black men like him were sent to separate facilities for most everything. He fought in the war where groups like The Tuskegee Airmen had to be created, just so Black men could actually see flight time in combat! But amidst all this he fought for his country and proudly wears military garb. Because despite all adversity he believed in America. He believed in the dream. We have seen those old days of segregation pass and the opportunities he believed would come have now been realized. What a testament to the greatness of a nation, that so much could change in one man’s lifetime! With little life left, he was planning to live his last days in his home and tend to his garden. This dying veteran’s final dream is being taking away from him, by the power that is found in the abuse of eminent domain!

Check out the video courtesy of The Political Teen. He also mentions that losing Republican Gubernatorial candidate Doug Forrester raised this issue during his campaign!

Bloggers like John Lott are also covering this issue.

This matter is simply one sad piece of insanity. One man’s fight and belief in the land of the free is being turned into a nightmare!

Officials in Riviera Beach, FL want to revitalize the area’s property and may take land via eminent domain to do it! SCUMBAGS! Ever since the US Supreme Court decided that government can take land if the officials feel they could make the land more profitable the abuse just keeps on rolling. Now about 6,000 residents in this mostly Black community with a total population of 27,639 may face the government taking their land if they refuse to give it up! I wonder if this might create some strange bedfellows? Imagine Civil Rights ACTORvist Jesse Jackson locking arms with Neal Boortz and Sean Hannity 😀 . (The term ACTORvist borrowed from my friend over at The Cultural Strategist. It’s just too appropriate a term for people like him!) Well I guess the Civil Rights Clowns will first have to figure out how profitable this might be for them in terms of donations to their organizations. Given the large public anger over eminent domain abuse they will probably jump in and act like it was the Conservatives that wanted more eminent domain. When it’s actually the most Conservative Justices on the US Supreme Court that were against it. And by chance the swing voter Sandra Day O’Connor joined them in opposition.

Here’s an interesting quote:

Funny how that “last resort” continues to be exercised in similar cases all over the country! Only a fool would give up some waterfront property in Florida when they know it may be built up to increase the value of the area! That is when the government won’t make your life a nightmare by taking your land even if you want to hold out and not sell right away! And while current owners might be paid an assessed value, that is less than their property would be worth depending on how values rise over time.

Press your representatives to enact protections so government can’t take your property for things other than real public use (hospital, school, etc.).

And here’s another thought. There are only so many people with money and skills go after. How many communities can “revitalize” their area before some town finds they can’t attract any people with money because they are happy elsewhere? It could happen. Then what? The town has to stick the remaining residents for higher taxes to pay off loans! If an area has enough opportunity for growth then private companies can make acceptable offers to current property owners WITHOUT GOVERNMENT TAKING LAND. Then the property owner gets to negotiate a value that THEY FEEL IS FAIR. Not one that government finds to be a “fair”.