Thanks to one of the krewe on Preserving the American Dream discussion list I was tipped to a couple of interesting articles in the Denver Post on eminent domain. One article includes reference to a proposal to use eminent domain on a private lake to provide the land to a Wal Mart for a loading dock. Hence my fishy pun. Best line of the article–a development consultant “warn[ing] that anti-eminent-domain activists would “strip local governments of basic powers,” calling them “a band of libertarians who would substitute their judgment for that of elected government.” A line like that needs no commentary. He’s talking about the heroes at the Institute for Justice who fight egregious abuses of eminent domain. Another article points out how the threat of eminent domain can creates a cloud of mistrust and fear over redevelopment plans. What happens when eminent domain used inappropriately to mainly benefit private parties and not out of any real public need.