Eminent Domain

“No private property can be taken for public use, without just compensation”

Living in America and enjoying all the benefits sounds great until one day your house, with all the memories from past generations, gets seized to build a Wal-Mart. Eminent domain can be a good thing when it’s used to set aside property such as the National Parks we all adore. When the government partners with corporations in order to enjoy a monetary benefit is when Eminent Domain can become harmful. Forcing people without the resources to defend themselves out of their houses in order to allegedly build a plant that would benefit the area and provide jobs for more people. This never even got built, showing how when the government joins forces with businesses they’re actually focusing on the monetary aspect, not working for well being of the people like they are supposed to. Minorities often lack the resources to challenge the government, so if the government wants them to move, they often have no choice but to do so. Providing “just compensation” can prove to be a sham as well, As stated in the constitution, the government is not allowed to take land if they do not give the equivalent in money back. This has been shown in several cases when they under appraise the value of a house, thereby screwing the innocent landowner over. If Eminent domain is used for something other than preserving nature and building parks, they need the majority of the population’s approval to do so in the area. This helps maintain fairness and keeps the government from overstepping boundaries.