Bulldozed: "Kelo," Eminent Domain and the American Lust for Land

by Carla T. Main

Book Overview

No domestic policy issue more angers or galvanizes the public than the controversy over eminent domain-the taking of private property for public use. The stakes in this always controversial procedure have been dramatically raised in recent years as eminent domain has been used to fund private development. As the notorious Kelo case in New London, CT demonstrated last year. The practice of using eminent domain to enrich municipalities is an incendiary...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1594031932
• ISBN13: 9781594031939
• Release Date: September 2007
• Publisher: Encounter Books
• Length: 330 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.3" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Timely and Responsive SErvice

Ordered and received in a timely and responsive manner the following book, "Bulldozed:'Kelo,' Eminent Domain and the American Lust for Land by Carla Main" No complaints, good service!

You Could Be Next

Carla Main, an attorney who formerly represented condemning authorities in public domain cases and knows that side of the story, has done an about-face and zeros in on one family that has become a victim. Her caustically humorous commentary tells not only the facts of what happened to the Gore family of Freeport, Texas, but at the same time emphasizes the overtly self-serving nature and often ridiculous logic of most eminent domain takings. She doesn't stop with the Gores, however, and presents case after case of similar situations around the country during the same time period. Putting all that in the light of history, she then outlines the origin of eminent domain and how it went from something for government use only with the assumption that civic conscience would be followed in giving just remuneration, to an economic free-for-all whereby one private party benefits from a property (or properties) being taken from another private party (or parties). The book is a good basic primer for anyone with an interest in present eminent domain issues, written in a highly readable style. More importantly, it highlights the human cost of this practice. Main puts forth the idea that in the past eminent domain was used mostly in relation to black or other ethnic communities, citing a case where a large black secton of Washington, DC was taken to build an upscale facility. While this has often been historically true, the takings have not been limited to ethnic groups. Those interested in past use of eminent domain would be interested in reading Stolen Fields: A Story of Eminent Domain and the Death of the American Dream by this author, a memoir of the effects of eminent domain on several generations of a family. Note: A recent update on the case cited by Main in Long Branch, NJ -- the New Jersey Supreme Court upheld the case for the homeowners. A step forward.

A fascinating read

Legal and economic issues involve real people. You will get more insight from reading this book about a heroic struggle among life-long friends in a small city, who are fighting for dignity, hope and the fruition of their dreams, than from a dozen legal tomes. And it might not interest lawyers, but it raises the key question of whether local governments are even able to understand their own best economic interests. It is a microcosm of the conflict between top-down and bottom-up growth.

Public use or government abuse?

A terrific introduction to the eminent domain battle. The story of Freeport, Texas in the context of the pre and post "Kelo" world is both a fast yet intimate look at the issue that has sparked so much debate. I found the authors presentation of the "real life characters" in this drama compelling. Carla Main's narrative is direct and snappy and her historical analysis interesting without being overly theoretical. This is far from a comprehensive look at the legal underpinnings supporting the "Kelo" decision and will not satisfy the deeper constitutional scholar yearning for a "substantive due process" treatise or a "founding fathers' debate" on the true meaning of the fifth amendment. Everyone else will find it thought provoking and well worth a few nights of reading.