Souter's home to be taken?

[CNHT]

From the article by Mike Lorrey on www.freemarketnews.com 

"It is clear to those of us here in the Free State that it is only the widespread public outrage over Kelo, coupled with the possibility that two SCOTUS justices with NH property (Souter and Breyer) are facing eminent domain proposals for their land to build the "Lost Liberty Hotel" and the "Constitution Park", that the power elites are taking this issue seriously enough to consider changing our state's constitution."

So there you have it.

[Michael Fisher]

The Kelo decision is the main culprit in my opinion.  Many states are taking similar action.  Alabama, I've heard, has already severely restricted eminent domain during the past week.  This has little or nothing to do with Clements' or CNHT's efforts to steal Souter's and Breyers' land, in my opinion.

[Kat Kanning]

No.

[CNHT]

And the power elites read freemarketnews website?

NO that was not the point. The point is, if judges feel their own property is endangered I am sure their buds in the legislature are going to do all they can to protect them from people fighting back. In the process we get a stronger law...

Geesh. Have some coffee.

[John]

Chuck Douglas, former justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court (1977-85) says:

http://theunionleader.com/articles_showa.html?article=58909

[John]

Oh, and today's Mallard Fillmore cartoon is also on the subject.

[John]

Speaking of "power elites", does anyone recall who is trying to steal the property in Conn. - and, does anyone recall who Conn. Sen. Lieberman's wife works for?

[John]

Maybe we can find out if these boys and girls are serious:

http://www.theunionleader.com/articles_showa.html?article=57954

If they are, it should be easy.
If they are not, well, maybe the voters/property owners should know that.

The selectman can't do a thing once the vote is cast by the people. If the people rule to kick Souter out, he's out bay-bee!

True enough, my freind.  But "if" is a very big word.
I stand on the side of property rights, which means now I must defend even this little jerk's rights.  I don't like to, but I must.
If Souter's home is taken, the flood gates will have opened in my home state - the Free State!

VOTE NO!
Eminent Domain Stops Here!
New Hampshire Is Too Good For This.
VOTE NO!

[/b]

[CNHT]

Oh, and today's Mallard Fillmore cartoon is also on the subject.

Can you tell us where that is online or scan it in if not?

[Kat Kanning]

John Babiarz was on Hannity and Colmes?  It's too bad the LPNH's webpage is stale...with that link to their website from WND, they should get a lot of traffic.  I thought CNHT was doing this?

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=45755
EMINENT DOMANIA!
Effort to take Breyer's home moving ahead
Libertarian Party chief wants public to decide in March
Posted: August 12, 2005
10:49 p.m. Eastern

By Joe Kovacs
? 2005 WorldNetDaily.com


John Babiarz

The effort to seize the vacation home of Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer is moving ahead toward the goal of a public vote in March.

That according to John Babiarz, chairman of the New Hampshire's Libertarian Party, who appeared tonight on the Fox News Channel's "Hannity & Colmes" program.

"We have every intention of doing the proper petitioning and have the people of Plainfield make the decision," Babiarz said. "We're in the petition-gathering stage right now."

Babiarz, a 2002 candidate for governor in the Granite State, stressed the seriousness of the issue in the wake of the high court's recent ruling on eminent domain, giving governments the power to transfer private property from one private party to another. The decision ignited a firestorm of outrage across the political spectrum.

"Property rights are very important," said Babiarz, who would like Breyer's land to become a public park. "It's got to go from talk to action. ... I think the justices don't realize the impact [of their decision]."


Justice Stephen Breyer

Justice Breyer, who owns 167 acres in the Connecticut River Valley in Plainfield, N.H., is the second Supreme Court justice to be targeted for property seizure.

Justice David Souter's home is also in the crosshairs of a California entrepreneur who's looking to build the "Lost Liberty Hotel" on Souter's land in the town of Weare, N.H.

As WND exclusively reported this week, Breyer made news beyond eminent domain by saying not all rulings from America's highest court are correct, admitting judges don't have "some great special insight," and he defended the practice of studying courts in foreign countries to help decide cases in the United States.

[CNHT]

John Babiarz was on Hannity and Colmes?? It's too bad the LPNH's webpage is stale...with that link to their website from WND, they should get a lot of traffic.? I thought CNHT was doing this?

Kat CNHT *did* initiate/is doing this (Ed was the one who researched and wrote the article for Breyer's) and doesn't usually talk to press but Mike Lorrey and John Babiarz decided to go ahead and talk to the press. John is on our board of directors and he did check with Ed first.

As you can see, CNHT is behind many things that get done but does not always get the credit for it.   

[Kat Kanning]

Cool

[CNHT]

Does anyone in this forum live in the town of weane? With only 5 selectmen just a few people in office could accomplish the goal of stealing souters house.

The town officials will not have a say if the voters vote YES to the taking.

Here is the story about the Souter issue that sort of gets it right even if they don't mention that Hopper was first:
http://www.yourneighborhoodnews.com/goffstown-news/2005/08/news/11-locals-eminent-domain.html


Full text of story on Souter here:

Locals take up fight on eminent domain
Petition to take Souter farm for park gets the necessary 25 signatures

By Nicholas Brown
Staff Writer

A nationwide effort to seize the Weare farmhouse of U.S. Supreme Court  Justice David Souter may be superseded by a local effort to do the same.

In June, the Supreme Court decided to uphold the authority  of a local government to seize private property by eminent domain if,  in doing so, greater  economic benefits to the community could be created. Since  then, a backlash from opponents of the decision has stretched all the  way to Weare.

Opponents have voiced support for an effort led by a California  man, Logan Darrow Clements, to seize the property  belonging to Souter ? who  helped formed the court?s 5-4 majority ? and there build the ?Lost  Liberty Hotel.?

Now a Weare resident has formed his own plan ? one that ultimately could  be more effective.

Twenty-year Weare resident Gary Hopper has  collected 25 signatures on a petition  he plans to present to the town clerk?s office in January,  with the hope of allowing voters to decide the fate of Justice Souter?s  property at the next election cycle.

Hopper said he hopes to turn the  land into a park designed  as a shrine to the constitution.

?I think the Supreme Court has incrementally deviated so far from the  constitution it?s terrible,? said Hopper, a former state representative.

Hopper said he  saw firsthand  the power of petition in local government, as he helped lead  the petition to remove  former  Weare  Police Chief Myles Rigney  from  office, and make the position an elected one.

?If this is an idea that nobody likes, then leave it on the ballot and  let the voters decide so,? he said.
Hopper,  a full-time tool and die maker, said one of his goals  is to send a message to  state legislators, in hopes  that they will solidify  a stance against  the seizure of private property.

Hopper  said he?s aware of Clements? plan ? as was detailed  in a widely circulated press release ? to build a hotel featuring a ?Just  Desserts Cafe? serving ?crow pie,? a museum exhibiting the ?permanent loss of freedom in America,? and a copy of Ayn Rand?s ?Atlas  Shrugged? in every room.

However,  Hopper sees his plan for a park as more constitutional,  as visitors can enjoy  the park free of charge.

?I think we?re more or less heading toward the same end,? he said. ?We  just have different avenues of getting there.?

During  a July 29 appearance on the MSNBC television  show ?The Situation,? hosted  by Tucker Carlson, Clements voiced support for the idea of a local ballot  initiative.

?We?ve got the the talent and we?ve got the customers,? said  Clements, according to transcripts. ?And now we?ve got a new way  to get it through the city ? rather, the town ? of Weare, in using  a ballot initiative.?

Clements  continued, ?Some of the local townspeople who support the Lost  Liberty Hotel have decided that we?re just going to go around the board  of selectmen, because it seems as though the only people opposed to this project  are the five people that sit on the board of selectmen in Weare. And so, with  a ballot initiative, we can just go around them and accomplish the same thing.?

The  board of selectmen, at a recent  meeting,  presented a letter signed by all but  one of its  members, Helene  Kurk, though  Kurk has opposed the seizure  of Souter?s property.

The  letter stated, ?We are in full support of protecting the property  rights of all our citizens,? and, ?Furthermore, we rebuke all  efforts to deny any citizen of Weare their right to enjoy the full, legal  use of their land.?

While  the ultimate success of a  ballot  initiative  bypassing  the board of selectmen has  yet to be determined, Hopper said he was  encouraged  while  gathering  petitioners? signatures at the town?s transfer station.

?After the decision, my wife and I went out to the dump that Saturday  and got all 25 signatures we needed,? said Hopper.

Hopper  said many of the people  he  spoke  with  that  day  were  in full support  of his plan, ?but other people didn?t think two wrongs made a  right.?

?We?re fighting for our constitutional rights,? he said. ?How  can that be wrong??

[CNHT]

The Hillsborough County Superior Court will throw out an approved monkey business warrant and the NH Supreme Court would definitely find it unlawful and unreasonable.? ?Stupid effort for stupid press equals stupid wasted effort.? ?Go lower some real tax somewhere in NH.?

Once it's voted on by the town, it's a done deal and taking it to court will be up to Souter. As I said before, whether we win or lose, we win, because meanwhile, the publicity will have, and indeed already has, caused the Senate to tighten up E.D. laws, and we will also have put Souter through the roller coaster ride of litigation, which to me is not punishment enough for how he voted.

By the way, our efforts at CNHT are never stupid and never wasted. We are the most effective organization in NH...
Everyone else knows it, why don't you?

[CNHT]

You are the only one who I 've ever heard toot CNHT's horn.

Yes Ed is very modest and doesn't believe in talking to the press much. However, you can get a handle on CNHT's accomplishments and knowledge if you check the postings at

http://www.cnht.org/calendar

and

http://www.nhinsider.com/ed-naile