LPNY HomeLibertarian Party of NY -- Press Release -- NY Libertarian Party Chair Responds To Bloomberg's Praise of Eminent Domain

NY Libertarian Party Chair Responds To Bloomberg's Praise of Eminent Domain

New York Times www.nytimes.com 5/3/06 "Bloomberg Says Power To Seize Private Land Is Vital To Cities" reports that "Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg came out vigorously yesterday in support of the government's right to seize property by eminent domain, and said Congressional attempts to limit those powers would have dire consequences for the nation's cities." The Libertarian Party's position is that economic development is a job not for governments but for entrepreneurs and investors, but solely on their own nickel and risk. The Libertarian Party contends that no loans, grants, subsidies, guarantees or eminent domain seizures for the benefit of developers have a place in a free, just, constitutionally ordered and prosperous society. The Libertarian Party terms such measures legalized theft. The benefits and safeguard of private property in our view belong to all in our commonwealth not just the favored few darlings of the power structure.

We Libertarians reject the spurious notion that government has any role to play in economic development beyond protection against the initiators of force or fraud, foreign and domestic, and the enforcement of contracts. Let the free, unfettered and unsubsidized market decide.

The Libertarian Party opposes corporate sports welfare such as the Brooklyn Nets Arena, the Westside Stadium and the new Mets Stadium. Libertarians demand "Separate Sports and State."

I termed the seizure of property for the benefit of the NY Times and Bruce Ratner as "Time$cam."

Nobody's home, apartment, business or place of employment are safe while eminent domain abusers run rampant, which will continue to continue as long as New Yorkers and Americans continue to be suckered in by Republicans and Democrats. Tenants get nothing under our eminent domain laws but a cold goodbye. We must abolish the Empire State Development Corporation and curb the power of eminent domain for our sake and that of our children.

Richard Cooper, Chair, Libertarian Party of New York www.ny.lp.org

-30-

LPNY Home

LPNY Home