Reason.tv: Billionaires vs. Brooklyn’s Best Bar – Eminent Domain Abuse in the Boro of Churches and Gin Mills
by Nick GillespieFreddy’s in Brooklyn is a happening place that has been named one of the city’s best bars by the Village Voice, Esquire, and The New York Times.
Unfortunately, Freddy’s—and the surrounding neighborhood—is smack-dab in the footprint of the Atlantic Yards project, a multi-million-dollar, 22-acre development that is intended to create “an urban utopia” in the language of developer Bruce Ratner, and a new, publicly subsidized home to Ratner’s Nets, who currently play NBA basketball (if you can call it that) in New Jersey.
But don’t mistake Atlantic Yards as one more instance of the market-driven transformations for which New York is rightly famous. It’s actually the latest case of eminent domain abuse, where private property is seized by the state on dubious grounds and then immediately handed over to private interests for private gain.
In this case, the Empire State Development Corporation has designated the thriving area as blighted to facilitate the taking of privately owned houses and businesses without having to pay full market value. Ratner, whose partners in the venture include rapper Jay Z and the Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov, stands to pocket hundreds of millions of dollars on the deal, all thanks to the brute force of the state.
This week, a Brooklyn Supreme Court ruling tossed out the eminent domain objections of residents and property owners who had held out for six years and Ratner plans to break ground on the site on March 11, if not before.
The workers and patrons of Freddy’s, however, are not going gentle into that good night. They’ve pledged to engage in civil disobedience and chain themselves to the bar when the bulldozers and wrecking balls come for their favorite haunt. A state sentator has even declared that she’ll lay down in front of the demolition machinery. The awful 2005 Supreme Court decision in Kelo, which held that governments can seize property to increase potential tax revenues, may have paved the way for Atlantic Yards, but Freddy’s is the next last stand in an ongoing battle against eminent domain abuse.
Produced by Dan Hayes, who conceived, shot, and edited the video; Damon Root, who researched the legal issues and did logistics; and Nick Gillespie, who co-wrote the piece and hosts.
Approximately 5 minutes.
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36 Comments
Another reason to turn congress on it's ear in November!
And still there is a gigantic hole in the ground where the WTC towers once proudly stood…Pathetic
Disgusting! Basically, New York (and any other city/county) can take whatever it wants now! Citizens be d a m n e d! Constitution be d a m n e d!
Government and Big dollars have taken control of the country. The average citizen is just a tool to be run over at will!
BOYCOTT the NBA! BOYCOTT NY! Tell EVERYONE to do the same!
I work in New London CT, where the Kelo case was centered. The real kicker is that most of the land that was taken by the government for private development, now sits empty. The company which was suppose to develop a large portion of the land (pfizer chemical) pulled out of the deal. Now the area is a drain on the local economy since not only do they not get the private property taxes, but the city owns the empty property and they get nothing for it. The whole deal was nothing but theft and the government has screwed it up severely.
Mr. Gillesppe I recommend you do a follow up story detailing how the kelo case and the property associated with the case has turned out. Its a travesty!
Kelo was one of the worst decisions ever.
Hey! Patrons of Freddy's. Any of youse guyz ever vote democrat? For those of you who did, STFU, bend over and take it the same way you have been asking the rest of us to.
The arrogance you display is amazing. We told you this $h!t would happen if youse guyz continued to send the Clinton's the Shumer's, Obama etc etc to Washington! Not to mention your state house, your AG and the Governor's Mansion.
Not mention this Rangel guy. Where is he from? Ohhhh yeah New Yawk Ciddy!!
But no….. Halliburton did this. Right?
Choke on it you momo's. Youse guyz effed yourselves.
And I got no sympathy for ya'.
The damnable shame is that SCOTUS' latest eminent domain ruling will most likely never be overturned. Our Freedom is gone already…it has been for some time now.
Doesn't that just bite Einy?! It makes me so angry – I said when Haiti suffered the earthquake that WE (well not me, I want no part of it) would re-build there before ever erecting a monument at Ground Zero!!
You had be laughing out loud. Thank you. I'd give you 2 thumbs up if I could.
"Ratner is a big Progressive and friend of Obama… "
As is Jay Z, who is also in on this deal. You might have heard this little bit of catchy lyricism in one of his songs —
"MJ at summerjam, Obama on the text, y'all should be afraid of what I'm gonna do next."
Yeah, It makes me feel great that Obama talks to this ignoramus. Don't forget, Jay Z also said in one of his songs
" I'm like Che Guevara with bling on"
I guess nobody told Jay that Che thought "the black is indolent and fanciful, he spends his money on frivolity and drink"
hm
sweet.
I wonder what would have happened if instead of "Frddies" the place was owned by 'The Donald'. Nobody craps on the big guys; just the little guys like most of us. Did I get this right?
While the result of the land grab in Kelo is/was deplorable, I have a hard time faulting the Supreme Court for their decision – because their decision was an affirmation of state/local government rights rather than a promotion of eminent domain. The villains in that issue were the local government officials that facilitated the land grab. My political views are as Libertarian as Mr. Gillespie, but it seems to me that most of these eminent domain issues arise from corrupt local governments. It seems to me that if you're outraged by the policies of the state of our government you should either endeavor to attain public office, or support those that share your ideals. Elections have consequences, and until the people of this country reject the infantile slogans of "hope and change" and begin to realize that our nation of laws are changing into a nation of men – liberty will continue to degrade.
I'm curious about how many of that bars patrons voted for Schumer or even took the time to vote.
Wait! We’ve seen nothing yet! This Marxist regime in power will have a economic CRASH, probably this October, that will make FDR’s collapse look minutiae in comparison! Don’t feel bad, Rome’s Republic didn’t last any longer, although Julius Caesar was quite a bit more of a person to take over the corrupt Republic of Rome than this “Mao” want-a-be! I can’t say “don’t buy until you see our blood in the street” this time because this time the final winner can not be bought off!
The govt screwed it up? Nawwwwww. How could that happen??
[...] Gillespie explains: This week, a Brooklyn Supreme Court ruling tossed out the eminent domain objections of residents [...]
In Txz we've already had 2 rounds of amendments to our state constitution to prevent this
type of imminent domain atrocity. Hope our State Legislators have got it sewed up now.
Time will tell.
"The Donald" would likely get in on the action if this is actually a good idea.
Civil disobedience is great, but brute force and sabotage are more effective. Stop this sort of illegal property grab at all cost. First this, and then your business, your kids school, your church, your farm, and even your family home. Drive these investors into bankruptcy and public humiliation. This is America. Time to draw a line in the sand.
Just because they may be Democrats and may have contributed to empowering the government that is now violating their rights is not a reason we should not care about their rights being violated. We should stand up for the rights of stupid people too. You know, first they came for the stupid – and I did not speak out because I was not stupid . . .
"Mr. Gillesppe I recommend you do a follow up story detailing how the kelo case and the property associated with the case has turned out.."
Reason has published several articles about that:
http://reason.com/blog/2008/06/20/what-ever-happe...
http://reason.com/archives/2008/06/23/not-for-sal...
There are only 2 ways to beat the Tyrants of 2000.
1) when the come don't resist. Set a price so high they attempt to use the state to force you out. Now it is not a matter of imminent domain. It is matter of being cheap. That is a completely different kind of case to take to the supreme court.
2) Shoot them for getting onto your land. The downside the city fathers have the power of the state to send the troopers down upon you with M16s and sawed-off shotguns. That's a gunfight you cannot win.
not knowing, or caring, who Jay Z is was pleasant enough…
Now we have to add this idiot to the list.
Thanks…
You are right of course. But are we obligated to act when they come after the really f*^king stupid New Yawkers who f*^ked themselves royally with their stupidity? I mean c'mon! They put Hillary in the Senate! They made Spitzer their Governor who then made Patterson their Gov.
Or can we wait until they come for the just plain stupid? You know, like the libs in Wisconsin or somewhere like that?
Ya know I was pissed until you reminded me of where and why this happened
THANKS
You reap what you SOW
Ratner is a big Progressive and friend of Obama…
And that's how the game is played. He who contributes, wins. And this project is a huge win for him; with the woeful Nets as the centerpiece it will make him fabulously rich (er). Who says Obama is against private wealth?
It's just a matter of whom. So, with that we wish the employess and assorted friends of Freddy's well. Civil disobedience, as Thoreau famously opined, is a good thing.
Particulalry here…
gotta love gummint interference, don't you?
A little inside-Brooklyn-baseball here…"Freddy's" may be a good joint, but, "Farrell's" by Prospect Park has been the standard for beer-swilling excellence in the "Boro of Churches and Gin Mills" since back when The Dodgers played at Ebbett's Field…
Know the feeling,…..
Lost McCuddy's bar on 35th St to make way for the new White Sox Park,…. The new owner promised,….
he would build it again,…. Aint had a beer there since,….
because it ain't there.
Victor,………Victor,…………Please,………..you'll skeer the kiddies. They're still full of optimism
& hope. They believe in miracles & cats with 9 lives. I actually had a couple tell me that we
must keep on spending to prop up the economy. I didn't bother trying to convince them we
are past the point of that strategy working. Why waste my time trying to jerk someone through
a knot-hole. They'll figure it out,……. or not. They were spouting their econ 101 class debating
points at me like it was gospel. Really quite funny, after I thought about for a day or two. These
Universities have turned out some hellacious wordsmiths, although I question their' think' skill.
Thx wesley, appreciate the heads up!
This is unconstitutional. So sad for this New York Bar.
North Carolina is among the worst for doing this…..and for "forced" annexation, with the person being annexed having no voice in the matter.
In NC it is "The League of Municipalities" that run the show.
Disgusting. Disgraceful.
It completely destroys the principle of private property, and is criminal.
It must be stopped.
The Supreme Court decision must be overturned — this should be brought before them again.
There are so many threats to our rights being threatened, who can say which is the worst — but this is among them — if not the worst.
Where the hell is the outcry? Where the hell are the protest marches against this?
I hope Freddy's wins it's case.
That said, Brooklyn's BEST BAR is Farrell's in Park Slope.
I took Business for 18 months back in 1966 and I learned that this is how to "Crash" a society back then! Hello, that is how the Marxist do it! I suggest that you watch Glenn Beck, he's close!
I want to subscribe to your feed but I can’t seem to find where.
Improve your vision naturally!…
Thanks. Left you a trackback to help your readers improve eye vision naturally….
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