The article "Ranchers Attempt to Hold Off Army's Expansion in Colorado" (Currents, June 24) about the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site states that the U.S. Army is considering acquiring land through eminent domain. However, in a response letter I received from Keith Eastin, assistant secretary of the Army (Installations and Environment), dated April 27, 2009, he wrote, "I have testified that condemnation/eminent domain will not be used to acquire or lease land at PCMS. The Army will only deal with willing sellers." While the article notes that "willing sellers are in short supply," there are definitely some out there, and they should have the right to sell their land to whomever they want...WSJ
Just how foolish does Rep. Lamborn think we really are?
Congressional "testimony" is simply a statement of policy - a policy that can be revised at any time.
Give the Pentagon the acquisition money and watch the hammer come out if they can't get what they want from willing sellers. Sometimes just the threat of the hammer gets the job done. Of course, Rep. Lamborn could sponsor legislation to revoke the Pentagon's eminent domain authority. Reckon he'll be doing that soon?
Lamborn remains a prime example of why the Republicans are in the minority. He thinks having larger federal landholdings and smaller acreages of private property is good public policy. He also appears to be operating under the delusion that bringing political dollars and a larger bureaucracy to his district, while at the same time destroying private sector jobs and family owned businesses, constitutes sound economic development.
The poor fellow.
I just hope the condemnation of Lamborn is eminent.
1 comment:
Great points! Statements are just that; words, talk; not the same as legal protection. Outlaw the Pentagon's use of eminent domain and then we'll have something.
It really is ironic that "a conservative" like Lamborn would be urging the federalization of private property in his state and advocating for economic dependence upon government. It seems that the only conservative principle that he has left is the idea of an ever bigger military-industrial complex.
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