Texas landowners take a rare stand against Big Oil

[uscitizen]

Nearly half the steel TransCanada is using is not American-made and the company won't promise to use local workers exclusively; it can't guarantee the oil will remain in the United States. It has snatched land. Possibly most egregious: They've behaved like arrogant foreigners, unworthy of operating in Texas.

To fight back, insulted Texas landowners are filing dozens of lawsuits, threatening to further delay a project that has already encountered many obstacles. Others are allowing activists to go on their land to stage protests. Several have been arrested.

"We've fought wars for it. We stood our ground at the Alamo for it. There's a lot of reasons that Texans are very proud of their land and proud when you own land that you are the master of that land and you control that land," said Julia Trigg Crawford, who is fighting the condemnation of a parcel of her family's 650-acre Red'Arc Farm in Sumner, about 115 miles northeast of Dallas.

Texas landowners take a rare stand against Big Oil - Yahoo! News

 

[uscitizen]

So no one really cares that private companies are using eminent domain to seize private property?
A foreign private company at that.

 

[uscitizen]

Amazing simply amazing....

 

[AmyNation]

Ive been reading about this. I admit, I'm baffeled why this isn't getting more attention, and I thought Obama missed a perfect opportunity last night when Romney brought up the pipeline, to mention the serious concerns from people whose land is being appropriated for this.

 

[uscitizen]

56 views and yours is the first response.

This says something, I am just not sure what yet.


Obama is a corporatist as well he would not complain about this.
If Wall Street and corporations are doing well then so is America seems to be the mindset now.

 

[uscitizen]

One lady was just demanding that they haul off their trash instead of burying it on her property and they went to court to take what they wanted.

 

[westwall]

Good for them! And no, most people don't feel eminent domain should be used in this way. The Supremes ruling that allows this kind of crap is worth than the Citizens United ruling.

 

[AmyNation]

While I don't expect him to follow up, I thought Obama would have at least pandered to the crowd.

 

[uscitizen]

why is no one speaking out against it?
Afraid of being perceived as anti pipeline or compromising with Obama?

I guess as long as it is not messing up their property it is of no issue to them?

 

[AmyNation]

I think many people see the pipeline as the golden ticket to jobs and cheap gas, and feel that stealing other peoples land is acceptable because of it.

 

[uscitizen]

The pipeline is the ticket to higher prices america pays for Canadian oil.
Once they can export it thru the pipeline the price goes up.

Economic impact on jobs? About the same as one christmas shopping season on jobs.
Then gone.

 

[RGR]

Nearly half the steel TransCanada is using is not American-made and the company won't promise to use local workers exclusively; it can't guarantee the oil will remain in the United States. It has snatched land. Possibly most egregious: They've behaved like arrogant foreigners, unworthy of operating in Texas.

To fight back, insulted Texas landowners are filing dozens of lawsuits, threatening to further delay a project that has already encountered many obstacles. Others are allowing activists to go on their land to stage protests. Several have been arrested.

"We've fought wars for it. We stood our ground at the Alamo for it. There's a lot of reasons that Texans are very proud of their land and proud when you own land that you are the master of that land and you control that land," said Julia Trigg Crawford, who is fighting the condemnation of a parcel of her family's 650-acre Red'Arc Farm in Sumner, about 115 miles northeast of Dallas.

Texas landowners take a rare stand against Big Oil - Yahoo! News

Why would you confuse standard, run of the mill NIMBYism with some grandiose personality trait of Texans in general? NIMBYism is alive and well in Texas, for all kinds of things, including renewal able energy. It doesn't matter WHY a NIMBYist is a NIMBYist, they just ARE.

 

[RGR]

So no one really cares that private companies are using eminent domain to seize private property?
A foreign private company at that.

Amazing that you would care really. Or are you one of those NIMBYists?

 

[RGR]

I think many people see the pipeline as the golden ticket to jobs and cheap gas, and feel that stealing other peoples land is acceptable because of it.

Stealing implies something illegal. That isn't what Transcanada is doing. Naughty naughty. Don't like the rules? Change them. Last I looked, Texans still have every right to do just that.

 

[RGR]

The pipeline is the ticket to higher prices america pays for Canadian oil.
Once they can export it thru the pipeline the price goes up.

A good thing, don't you think? Without a stable, and HIGH price for crude, people won't ever be economically convinced to use something else to run themselves to the local fast food joint with.

 

[uscitizen]

I would think that those with libertarian leanings would be against a foreign corporation seizing private property in the USA.
It is after all unamerican.

 

[RGR]

I would think that those with libertarian leanings would be against a foreign corporation seizing private property in the USA.
It is after all unamerican.

No it isn't. Otherwise the laws wouldn't allow them to get around those few who have decided to stand in the way of the collective good, which is part of the reason eminent domain was built in the first place.

Eminent domain: "the power to take private property for public use by a state, municipality, or private person or corporation authorized to exercise functions of public character, following the payment of just compensation to the owner of that property."

"authorized to exercise" being the difference between doing something which has been going on for centuries versus "stealing" or "seizing" as though it is an illegal act. Goes back to what, 1625 according to Wiki? Been going on since before there even WAS an America to be unAmerican to.

 

[uscitizen]

K just wait till it gets you.

So many so eager to sell out the USA to foreign interests.

Control will shift within some of your lifetimes.

 

[Grandma]

This is nothing new. Where were Texans when WalMart foisted itself onto towns that didn't want it, taking land by eminent domain up north? There are fights all over bthe country all the time over businesses running roughshod over citizens. Just pray that Romney doesn't win, or it'll get even worse.

 

[RGR]

K just wait till it gets you.

So many so eager to sell out the USA to foreign interests.

Control will shift within some of your lifetimes.

Already has. Old enough to remember the fear of Japan Inc back in the 80's? Same types of xenophobic nonsense, big bad foreigner boogey men....booga booga booga. Been there done that, worry about stuff which matters, your blood pressure will thank you for it.