Be cautious with eminent domain
“Government of the people by the people and for the people is dependent on faith in our beliefs. Our storied history is filled with accounts of people who answered the challenge and carried the day because they had faith in their convictions. We believe in the accounts of their heroism because we have faith in the sacrifices they made because our government is of the people by the people and for the people.
Our faith in our government is being challenged by the use of eminent domain by our government in the Jordan Cove Natural Gas Export Facility to take the land for the pipeline right-of-way to export natural gas for the benefit of a foreign corporation for a product (natural gas) sold for the benefit of foreign countries. The use of eminent domain should be the court of last resort. Tough standards should apply before it is granted, and then treble damages three times the “market value” should be awarded for the taking of property.”
Lackner, William. The World. 2 December 2013.