A Peoples Fight

[Justin24]

I live in San Mateo, CA and the City Council is adement about making an over pass wider and taking over 40 homes (including ours). The people in our Neighboring city's are coming to our aid to stop the city councels maddening power and being in bed with developers. I am so glad I am taking political science right now. In our first class we went over the constitution and how people have the right to replace there government when it's not working (or the government wants more power) In this case its our local government and everyone in the small city of San Mateo is waking up and plan to remove the city official in the november elections.

This is an article in the local paper.
http://www.smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?type=opinions&id=69882&eddate=01/23/2007

 

[Caroni]

GOOD LUCK!! Hope this ends OK no one has the rigth to take other people house

 

[80sU2isBest]

I hope you wipe the floors with their butts.

 

[the iron horse]

". In our first class we went over the constitution and how people have the right to replace there government when it's not working (or the government wants more power)"

I'm thinking Thomas Jefferson wrote something warning us about an intrusive out of control gorverment.

And adding that a revolution (a people's revolt) might be necessary every twenty years or so.

 

[Caroni]

". In our first class we went over the constitution and how people have the right to replace there government when it's not working (or the government wants more power)"

I'm thinking Thomas Jefferson wrote something warning us about an intrusive out of control gorverment.

And adding that a revolution (a people's revolt) might be necessary every twenty years or so.

I´m living ours and it is not pretty

 

[Mr. Green Eyes]

I hope that everything works out for the best.

 

[redhotswami]

And adding that a revolution (a people's revolt) might be necessary every twenty years or so.

marx also said something similar.

 

[verte76]

marx also said something similar.

That doesn't make it bad. We need to remind governments who put them in power in a democracy, otherwise they forget.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

You should watch an Australian film called The Castle. It's a comedy about a family fighting to stop their neighbouring airport from expanding, forcing them out of their home. They fight it all the way to the Supreme Court, based on "the vibe" of the consitution. It's very funny.

http://www.amazon.com/Castle-Michae...ef=pd_bbs_1/102-8425318-0923345?ie=UTF8&s=dvd

 

[Angela Harlem]

I am so glad someone mentioned The Castle. That movie does bring up a valid point which might actually relate to your case with due care and ownership of land and how it is lawfully defined. The laws will be on the internet somewhere if you want to check, Justin.

And next time you see a ridiculous lawsuit crop up in America, go rent The Man Who Sued God.

 

[A_Wanderer]

Kelo v. City of New London would be more relevent than The Castle.

 

[INDY500]

Everyone recognizes the governments need to exercise "eminent domain" (seizure of private property) for public works like roads, power plants, prisons, etc.

But clearly, the process is becoming corrupt and being abused more and more for private development, to increase tax revenues or to create cities "in the image of bureaucrats".

At some point down the road this threatens to become a constitutional crises as the Supreme Court only worsened the situation with the recent Kelo ruling.

Good luck.

 

[Ormus]

"Progress" is not always the enemy. How many homes had to be taken to build our interstate highway system in the first place? Where my grandmother's childhood home once stood has been driven over thousands of times a day on I-75 for the last 50 years.

Now I'm not going to say that this particular project is worthy of support or not (I don't know enough about it), but if we consistently refuse to accept development, then we will never progress. Certainly, knowing what we know now, we're glad that our ancestors didn't keep us living in the 19th century. So what kind of legacy are we going to leave the people of the 22nd century if we consistently oppose all progress and development?

 

[zoney!]

"Progress" is not always the enemy. How many homes had to be taken to build our interstate highway system in the first place? Where my grandmother's childhood home once stood has been driven over thousands of times a day on I-75 for the last 50 years.

Now I'm not going to say that this particular project is worthy of support or not (I don't know enough about it), but if we consistently refuse to accept development, then we will never progress. Certainly, knowing what we know now, we're glad that our ancestors didn't keep us living in the 19th century. So what kind of legacy are we going to leave the people of the 22nd century if we consistently oppose all progress and development?

Could not agree more.

My grandfather's childhood home/neighborhood was cleared for I-94.

Although the situation may be a little different, you also have to think about the fact that your own house hasn't been there forever. What was cleared to make way for your house?

 

[Teta040]

Two words: Eminent domain. Do they apply in this case? If they do, then you have a chance--the O'Connor Supreme Court overturned a pro-developer law and it hasn't been challenged yet. Good luck!

 

[verte76]

Good luck Justin. We had an eminent domain dispute here in Birmingham. The University took some business properties and the city shut down their businesses and gave the land to the University for a clinic. It was horrible. We lost our battle here, hope you can win yours.