The guy is like a bad cold or a chronic jock itch that you want to get rid of but it lingers longer and longer and just doesn't happen.

What property owners are seeing in Texas and across the country is that the notion of "public good" is corrupted in today's interpretation of eminent domain; plus the fact that there is a lot of play in the "just" of just compensation.

New York and Pennsylvania, among other states, will see more eminent domain "takings" thanks to the rising interest in natural gas drilling in the gas-rich Marcellus Shale (compared with the Barnett Shale in Texas). With more drilling comes more pipelines and more underground gas storage fields -- and that (pipelines & storage fields) always means eminent domain.  Look at what is happening in Fort Worth with Chesapeake Energy.

The excellent Institute for Justice (of Kelo fame) declines to intervene in energy/utility "takings" because, they told me, of the "public good" premise.

But property owners can fight back. Our two-year battle against Houston-based Spectra Energy which seized our property rights for an underground gas storage field led to the development of a website which has begun to attract whistle blowers inside the energy industry. We are collaborating and helping property owners in many states. For info, visit the site: http://www.spectraenergywatch.com/blog/

By the way, our new neighbor, Spectra Energy, has received two Notice of Violations for "unlawful conduct" related to emergency shutdowns and emissions at its storage field in Bedford County, PA. Reports of contaminated water supplies are on the rise since they began operations.

The ripple effects of eminent domain are never over.  Time for serious reform.

Perry is a classic abuser of power and so phoney, it would be comical if it were not so serious. He must be eliminated from office. Come on Texas, let's do our job and elect Bill White for Governor. This one's a no-brainer. Easy.

Thanks for the info, MikeB.  We need to get the word out there.

Unfortunately, HB, it still appears to be "a brainer" because Perry has the 9 lives of a cat.  The guy is like a bad lunch continually repeating on you.

Perry is a symptom and a symbol of what is wrong here in Texas.  Even with a history filled with hurting hard-working and hardly-working Texans, there still is a majority of the voters who get out there to vote and are voting for Perry.

It's a phenomenon here in The Lone Star State that Perry will not go away no matter what he has done, including, pushing for more deregulation of higher education, the electric industry, pushing laws that protect the health care industry, doing little to improve public education, removing or reducing services needed by children, pushing for laws that increase the profits of his wealthy campaign contributors... the list goes on.

Makes you wonder what it will take to get rid of Perry.

These people are voting ideology instead of reality. Perry can't keep his hold on us if we vote him out. I believe the dark ones are self-destructing. Let's help make it sooner rather than later and put them out of OUR misery.

As a former teacher/coach at four Texas high schools and three colleges, I am very worried about my teacher retirement funds. Perry supposedly has a plan to hit the Teacher Retirement Fund for the 88 billion dollars it owns...to restart the toll roads...TEXAS TEACHERS BEWARE!

Neal,

Perry and legislators already hit your retirement funds several years ago.  They will continue to make their "adjustment" to your funds.

Could someone out there tell us why he or she is voting for Rick Perry?  I promised not to bash you for it if you are honest about it.  I really would love to know why people continue to vote for him.

Is part or all of it that you feel he is the lesser of the evils?  If so, why?  Can you back it up?

It is no surprise that there are a lot of Perry people out there but we usually do NOT hear from them.  More than 40 percent of the GOP primary voters checked Perry's box.

So, please, let us know why you are voting for Perry.  Thanks.