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February 1, 2008
Boro Dems can’t make up their minds
The Brooklyn Paper
By Dana Rubinstein
If you're like the average Brooklyn Democrat having trouble deciding between Clinton and Obama for President, you may want to know what is on Councilmember Letitia James's mind:
“I’m struggling between my desire for change, versus Sen. Hillary Clinton’s proven record to my district,” said James, adding that she respected Clinton for refusing to take sides in the Atlantic Yards conflict (though many voters see her inability to take a stand as typical of Clinton’s desire to not alienate any potential supporters).
NoLandGrab: Is this some sort of backhanded compliment, something akin to, we really respect developer Bruce Ratner for being an equal-opportunity landgrabber? On the pages of NLG, not taking a stand on Atlantic Yards doesn't buy you any love.
On the other hand, Obama has already issued a statement condemning the Kelo decision and the use of eminent domain for private gain.
Statement issued by the Obama campaign, 28 June, 2007:
Barack Obama is a strong supporter of property rights and disagreed with the Supreme Court's decision in Kelo v. City of New London.
The fifth amendment of the Constitution only allows federal, state or local governments to seize private property for public use. Up until recently that meant projects like bridges, dams and highways. Obama is concerned that the Kelo case expanded this definition to private development projects because it could lead to low-income homes being taken and demolished on behalf of more powerful and influential businesses and corporations. Obama also shares the concerns of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor who worried that the ruling could lead to farms being replaced by factories or businesses replaced by larger businesses on the whims of federal, state or local governments.
Posted by lumi at February 1, 2008 5:19 AM