Eminent domain was the main focus of the ¥Libertarian Party of Ohio's ¥Executive Director Robert Butler's speech in Bentley Hall last night.
The party is against eminent domain, the government's right to take property without an owner's consent, because it allows the government to force people out of their homes, Butler said. The people then usually receive less than the market price in compensation when forced off their property.
For eminent domain to be permitted, the property must be condemned, but public good can and does justify eminent domain in cases, said Butler, 31, the party's leader since March 2004. In many court cases, judges will rule property is not blighted but still rule in favor of eminent domain because of public interest.
Eminent domain might have originally been acceptable when it was used to build roads and schools, but no longer is, said ¥Ohio University Libertarian Party President Dan Corbett.
Today, building another Wal-Mart is considered public interest, and it should not be, said Corbett, an OU junior.
The Libertarian Party helps people to fight against big government
and is friendlier to small businesses than the Democrat and Republican parties, Butler said.
The party emphasizes three points in its philosophy, free trade no taxes and little government involvement. Butler said.
Ohio is ranked ¥40th in the country in relation to friendliness to small businesses, he said, and has the third highest taxes after New York and California.
¥Alexis Urquhart, former OU Libertarian president, said she is glad Butler came to spread light on the issue.
It's an issue most people aren't aware of
but it happens all the time
said Urquhart, an OU senior. We need to do something to get the message out.
Butler also said though the Libertarian party is not a legally recognized party in Ohio, it has 10 elected officials in the state. The party has more than ¥600 elected officials on the national level -more politicians than all other third parties combined.
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Nicole Bonomini
