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Originally Posted by **********
I hear you, but here's the problem. Eminent domain means "the right of a government or its agent to expropriate private property for public use, with payment of compensation." In this case, it is a Private, Foreign, Corporation that is trying to claim Eminent domain.
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Not at all. You should read the law, or at least Wikipedia before trying to argue or debate it:
"However, it can be legislatively delegated by the state to municipalities, government subdivisions, or even to private persons or corporations, when they are authorized to exercise the functions of public character."
When building power companies, the company made an offer to lease the land for power lines and other such items. If they refused, they attempted to use eminent domain to take the land. They went to the state government, explained how their power plant benefits the general public, and because the state is always interested in making improvements to the power grid they always backed the power plants.
Not uncommon at all.
You can stick to your argument of eminent domain all you want but it's really not valid. Eminent domain can and will be used. Does it suck for the land owners? Yeah, perhaps. If they were smart they would lease out that land and make a profit off of it for the next one hundred years.
There is just no valid reason not to do this. It will create a fair amount of short term jobs, it will create a few long term jobs, and will benefit everyone. Any discussion about environmental issues is invalid; That oil is going to pass through the US no matter what and this is by far the safest way.