TransCanada using Eminent Domain to grab lands from Americans

[Hutzpa]

Last edited Sat Feb 25, 2012, 05:44 PM - Edit history (1)

This is BS and something should be done to stop this madness.

TransCanada is using Eminent Domain to claim lands from property owners in America
who are refusing access to their land for oil drilling. What gives?

This is a premature move considering the American government has not approved of
the XL pipeline, unless the oil companies know something that Americans don't, but
this is gross abuse of power and influence if you asked me.

According to this article; http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/22/3444230/texas-becomes-battlefield-in-keystone.html Gov. Rick Perry and Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn
are the power horses behind this scheme. Why does republicans hate America so much? that
they don't care whom gets offended as long as they get their money nothing else matters.

They are willing to over look the lively hood of theses Americans to support a project that
destroys the environment? This is an actual abuse of Eminent Domain by the powers that be
and i hope the Obama administration will do something about this.

It is moves such as this that makes one even more determined not to let moronic politicians any where close federal government. This should be every American demand.

Another article on this subject here; http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/in_focus&id=8557072

[orpupilofnature57]

1. The " Monied Interests " Jefferson warned against.

[grasswire]

2. hmm...another border war coming up?

Very interesting, thanks for posting. My grandfather, who homesteaded in Saskatchewan, always rued the day he gave up the mineral rights to the property when he had to sell out and come to U.S. I wonder if there was oil underneath.

[Rex]

3. Another war with Canada?

Hopefully stan won't get involved.

[snagglepuss]

4. Including Pipeline in the subject line would be helpful. I first thought

that the Trans Canada Highway was about to veer off off course

[saras]

5. Harper is working on it. Give him another two years.

[TexasTowelie]

6. Related discussion in the Texas Group.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10781293

Judge rules against Lamar County woman; Keystone XL may proceed with pipeline

[glinda]

7. Doesn't Eminent Domain have to meet requirements that actually come down from the Government?

[Hutzpa]

8. Eminent Domain is mainly used

for the building of roads, airports, train lines, bridges etc. What they've done is
use the clause to land grab and I don't think the government will land grab, the
government will pay you for your land.

[hobbit709]

9. If they pay you far below market value, it's a grab.

That has happened more than once.

[Hutzpa]

10. It has happen

you as the owner still have a say, there is a case I know of in Silver Spring, Maryland, (can't
remember the details) but you can stand your grounds and there is nothing the government can do about it especially if you have a built on it. The Law states that the government cannot forcefully remove you from the land. All parties has to be on the same page for eminent
domain to work.

[hobbit709]

11. Better read up on history here in TX.

[Hutzpa]

13. Oh sure

and you should too here try this; http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2011/05/23/texas-eminent-domain-bill-becomes-law.html

“Today is a proud day for Texas landowners,” said Joe Parker Jr., president of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association

[hobbit709]

14. Tell that to the property owners in Arlington that were forced to sell to Bush's TX Rangers.

[Hutzpa]

17. Thought you wanted proof? (nt).

[glinda]

15. That happened to us many many years ago.

[Go Vols]

22. plus the chain big box stores

But the city took the property this spring through its powers of eminent domain and handed it to a developer with a different tenant: Home Depot Inc.

http://reclaimdemocracy.org/articles_2004/eminent_domain_bigboxes_wallst.html

[starroute]

12. This is one thing that gets the Occupiers and the Tea Party on the same side

There was a thread about it here a week ago, quoting Think Progress.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/11277320

http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2012/02/19/428692/protesters-to-keystone-xl-pipeline-dont-mess-with-texas/

As Congressional Republicans and Big Oil allies allies in Washington try to resuscitate the massive Keystone XL tar sands pipeline, people on the frontlines have opened a new campaign to stop the massive $7 billion project. In Texas, landowners are locking arms to fight would-be pipeline builder TransCanada over eminent domain cases that may determine where the 1700-mile project will be built.

On Friday, protesters gathered in Paris, TX, and in Austin to voice their support for Lamar County farm manager Julia Trigg Crawford, who runs a 600-acre farms that grows corn, soybeans and wheat along the Red River near Paris, TX. More than 50 protesters traveled from nearby counties to wave flags and signs on the Lamar County courthouse steps, shouting slogans like “Don’t mess with Texas” and “This is what democracy looks like."

The raucous protest included an unusual mix of tea party supporters, independents, Democrats, Republicans and even Occupy Dallas protesters. They were all there to support Crawford’s eminent domain court fight with TransCanada, which wants to run the Keystone XL pipeline through her property.

[bvar22]

16. Looks like TransCanada is certain the pipeline will be approved.

Why would they believe that?

[New Yawker]

18. Never. It'll be dead on arrival

and permanently rejected from further appeals.

Obama has to learn to say "FUCK NO!" to TransCanada.

And reverse the eminent domain, and pay back 10000% the amount of the land to the original owners.

[progressoid]

23. Ha. That's funny.

Or were you being serious?

[bvar22]

24. LOL

Yeah...THATS what is going to happened.
President Obama has "learned" to say NO to large corporations.

I predict a "cave" shortly after the election.
There will be some minor, face-saving token concession from TransCanada
that the administration can showcase and call a "WIN" for the sensible pragmatists,
but the Oil Giants WILL get everything they want.
BANK on it!



You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their excuses.
[font size=5 color=green]Solidarity99![/font][font size=2 color=green]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[/center]

[ShadowLiberal]

19. The SC already ruled only the government can use Eminent Domain, so that's illegal

There was already a Supreme Court case over Eminent Domain. A casino company wanted to rip down a few houses to build their new big casino on the land. All but 1 of the homeowners agreed to sell. The one that didn't, an old lady, insisted she would never sell, and would live there until she died.

The Casino company eventually got fed up with her refusal, and had her arrested under Eminent Domain claims for standing in their way. The woman fought back all the way to the Supreme Court, where she won.

[Hutzpa]

20. Sounds familiar

similar to the case I mentioned above in Silver Spring, Maryland.

[Zalatix]

21. That just means they'll have to buy off a few politicians to make it happen. n/t

[ProdigalJunkMail]

25. for those of you who believe land cannot be transferred

from one private holder to another via eminent domain had better think again! how could you have forgotten sooooo soon???

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelo_v._City_of_New_London

sP

[Hutzpa]

26. Ofcourse land can be transferred

land can be transferred from a grantor to a grantee, eminent domain cannot be transferred, I think that is
the difference.

That link is an example how criminals can abuse the system, and you have a lot of that when it comes to
real estate.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

27. my point is, that eminent domain is used

on behalf of private companies...so it isn't really government using eminent domain at that point. it was meant as a tool for government to gain land when GOVERNMENT needed it (and supposedly at a fair price). the Kelo decision shows that is no longer the case. several people on this thread seem to be of the opinion that this sort of thing would be illegal...but it has the sanction of the courts.

sP