On March 11, 2010, a large protest took place in front of Freddy’s Bar in Brooklyn, New York. The gathering occured because of a blatant case of eminent domain abuse that would require a large land grab to build a new basketball arena and other residential buildings.
This incident exposes the ongoing abuse of the government using its power to take private property and forcibly transfer it from one private party to another for an "economic benefit." It is necessary to note that eminent domain has traditionally been used to build roads, schools, and other public use projects. Studies have shown though that sports stadiums typically do not generate the proposed economic gains that are claimed by bureaucrats and developers.
The Libertarian Party strongly opposes eminent domain abuse as seen in our Statement of Principles:
"…we oppose all government interference with private property, such as confiscation, nationalization, and eminent domain, and support the prohibition of robbery, trespass, fraud, and misrepresentation."
Please read the excellent blog post from Reason.com and be sure to check out the picture of the Brooklyn LP supporting the cause of Liberty in their local area. We would like to encourage you to attend events like these in the future. It is a great place to meet like-minded people, pass out literature, and spread the message.
