The hypocrisy of many Republicans regarding the use of eminent domain to build Trump’s border wall has been pointed out by many. Sen. Michael Bennet (D–Colo.), recently took them to task on the floor of the Senate. ___ Texas legislators have introduced two bills that would allow property owners to be compensated for diminished property…
In fighting the Trump Administration’s land grab for the purpose of building the border wall, Texas Democrats are calling for Texas Republicans to show some consistency. For example, Rep. Veronica Escobar, who represents El Paso in the House, notes that Texas Senator John Cornyn supported a recent bill that protect property rights of land owners…
The mission of the Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) is to be the voice of Texas agriculture. As such, it frequently voices support for property rights. As an example, in a recent opinion piece, TFB President Russell Boening calls for eminent domain reform to protect property owners. Boening writes: Corporations with this powerful, often abused tool…
Supporters of eminent domain often claim that the Constitution authorizes the government to seize private property for “public uses.” This, they argue, makes the use of eminent domain proper. Lest we forget, slavery was once a part of the Constitution. But that did not make slavery proper or moral. It simply made slavery legal. While…
Last week, the United States House of Representatives passed legislation that will prohibit the federal Bureau of Land Management from claiming Texas land along the Red River as public domain. The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX), said, The fundamental right to own property must be protected. This bill takes another crucial step in giving…
Once again, Texas legislators have filed bills aimed specifically at a single company–Texas Central–in an effort to stop the proposed high-speed railroad between Dallas and Houston. As an example, State Rep. Ben Leman has filed a bill that would require the line to be “compatible with more than one type of train technology.” These bills…
To build his beloved wall, President Trump has declared a national emergency, thereby allowing him to bypass Congress to fund construction of a barrier on the southern border of the country. But construction of the wall is bypassing more than Congressional approval. It is kicking property rights into the gutter. The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant…
While eminent domain reform is a priority for many legislators and interest groups, meaningful reform is not likely to occur in this session. The reason isn’t a lack of political support; the reason is a moral premise held by those legislators and interest groups. As an example, Gordon Sauer, director, Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers…
A growing number of Texas legislators and interest groups are making eminent domain reform a priority in this legislative session. Unfortunately, the policies that they are supporting are nothing more than window dressing and will do nothing to actually protect property rights. The bills introduced so far are aimed at creating more transparency, accountability, and…
The new mantra for the purported defenders of property rights in Texas is transparency, accountability, and fairness. A recent article by Gordon Sauer, director, Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, serves as a example. Sauer writes: In virtually every other area of public policy, there is a mechanism for the public to speak out and…
Once again, Texas lawmakers will consider bills aimed at a single, specific company–Texas Central. Of course, the three bills introduced so far do not specifically mention Texas Central . The bills address high speed rail. But there is only one high speed rail line proposed in the state, and it has been proposed by Texas…
Democrats and “Progressives” are not known for their defense of property rights. Indeed, most of their proposals involve the violation of the right to property. Yet, many Texans on the political Left have recently invoked property rights in their opposition to Republicans. On the other hand, Republicans have cited property rights in their opposition to…