The Institute for Justice has excellent material on their Youtube Channel. The Reason TV video below describes how a saloon that Esquire has rated as one of the best in America is being stolen by two billionaires, Mikhail Prokhorov and Bruce Ratner, the rapper Jay-Z and ACORN. When it comes to attacking small business, Senator Chuck Schumer has a big thumbs up as well.
Showing posts with label Bruce Ratner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bruce Ratner. Show all posts
Monday, May 31, 2010
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Chinese Tragedy Ahead
The Chinese have decided to imitate American economic progress. But they have chosen to imitate the wrong thing. American economic success has come in spite of, not because of, government development schemes. In particular, the US government and the states granted large amounts of land and access rights to railroads in the nineteenth century. Although railroads contributed to economic development, they did so at much higher cost to the public than was necessary. The public donations of land were accompanied by considerable incompetence and corruption. More railroads were built than were needed. In today's world, the corruption associated with land grants has not disappeared. The Progressives of the early twentieth century believed that by rationalizing the corruption of the political bosses, government support for business could be rationalized and made honest. In the Progressive tradition, Robert Moses in New York and similar social democratic Progressives in other states involved state and federal governments in considerable grants to business. This tradition is not why America has succeeded. America has succeeded in spite of government support for business. Sadly, the Chinese have chosen to imitate the Jay Gould/Robert Moses tradition. They are attempting to modernize their country through government support for development coupled with inflation.
The way that America did succeed in developing its economy was entrepreneurship. Freedom of enterprise not only permitted entrepreneurial genius to innovate here, but also drew entrepreneurial geniuses from other countries. For instance, Nikola Tesla came to the United States because Europeans refused to invest in his concept of A/C electricity. Thomas Edison, Jonah Salk and an endless list of homegrown and immigrant innovators came here because of American freedom. But a long list of social democrats, media pundits, quack academic economists and socialists have done all they can to destroy America's freedom.
The development that occurred because of Jay Gould, Robert Moses and Bruce Ratner, the successor to the governmental welfare approach to business, is not the development that made America a great country. Rather, America became a great country in spite of Jay Gould, Robert Moses and Bruce Ratner. In the case of Robert Moses, the public housing on which he squandered billions of dollars and was supported by the New York Times caused massive increases in crime, destruction of neighborhoods and the near-bankruptcy of New York City in the mid 1970s. Jay Gould's and his contemporaries' railroads were incompetently run and cost the nation far more than they should have. Despite the massive tax on innovation that corrupt government support for business has posed, the US surged ahead because of the innovation of men like Edison and Tesla. The entrepreneur, free of government impediment and government welfare subsidy, thinks of ways to meet consumer needs and so makes himself wealthy and the world wealthier still.
Tragically, the Chinese perceived the spectacular image of large-scale development and have attempted to emulate Robert Moses's approach with large construction projects, continuing to limit the intellectual and economic freedom on which economic development depends. Equally sadly, Americans lost sight of the reason for their success, and passed laws and regulations, and imposed punitive taxes, that have inhibited entrepreneurship, slowing American economic progress, even as they have increasingly provided welfare payments to incompetent bankers, real estate developers, academics and Wall Street stock jobbers who do not produce wealth.
This country and China have squandered resources in stupid ways. The bubble will burst as all credit bubbles do. America may have enough resources to reassess its errors. The Chinese likely do not, and many there will be hurt.
The way that America did succeed in developing its economy was entrepreneurship. Freedom of enterprise not only permitted entrepreneurial genius to innovate here, but also drew entrepreneurial geniuses from other countries. For instance, Nikola Tesla came to the United States because Europeans refused to invest in his concept of A/C electricity. Thomas Edison, Jonah Salk and an endless list of homegrown and immigrant innovators came here because of American freedom. But a long list of social democrats, media pundits, quack academic economists and socialists have done all they can to destroy America's freedom.
The development that occurred because of Jay Gould, Robert Moses and Bruce Ratner, the successor to the governmental welfare approach to business, is not the development that made America a great country. Rather, America became a great country in spite of Jay Gould, Robert Moses and Bruce Ratner. In the case of Robert Moses, the public housing on which he squandered billions of dollars and was supported by the New York Times caused massive increases in crime, destruction of neighborhoods and the near-bankruptcy of New York City in the mid 1970s. Jay Gould's and his contemporaries' railroads were incompetently run and cost the nation far more than they should have. Despite the massive tax on innovation that corrupt government support for business has posed, the US surged ahead because of the innovation of men like Edison and Tesla. The entrepreneur, free of government impediment and government welfare subsidy, thinks of ways to meet consumer needs and so makes himself wealthy and the world wealthier still.
Tragically, the Chinese perceived the spectacular image of large-scale development and have attempted to emulate Robert Moses's approach with large construction projects, continuing to limit the intellectual and economic freedom on which economic development depends. Equally sadly, Americans lost sight of the reason for their success, and passed laws and regulations, and imposed punitive taxes, that have inhibited entrepreneurship, slowing American economic progress, even as they have increasingly provided welfare payments to incompetent bankers, real estate developers, academics and Wall Street stock jobbers who do not produce wealth.
This country and China have squandered resources in stupid ways. The bubble will burst as all credit bubbles do. America may have enough resources to reassess its errors. The Chinese likely do not, and many there will be hurt.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Eminent Domain: New York Plaintiffs to Appeal to Supreme Court
The Second Circuit Court of New York has ruled in favor of private use eminent domain. Christina Walsh of the Castle Coalition has forwarded a link to the following press release:
For Immediate Release: February 1, 2008
Circuit Court Rules Against Homeowners, Business Owners and Tenants in Atlantic Yards Eminent Domain Appeal
Plaintiffs Intend to Ask US Supreme Court to Hear Their Case
Plaintiffs Will Seek All Legal Remedies to Protect Their Homes and Businesses From Seizure by New York State
New York, NY— The Second Circuit Court today ruled against 14 homeowners, business owners and tenants in their appeal of their lawsuit alleging that New York State's use of eminent domain to take their properties for Forest City Ratner's Atlantic Yards project violates the United States Constitution.
Plaintiffs' attorney Matthew Brinckerhoff said, "Today's decision is disappointing. We disagree with its conclusion. We intend to ask the US Supreme Court to hear our case, and will continue to pursue every avenue available to prevent the unlawful seizure of my clients' homes for Bruce Ratner's enrichment. The court today affirmed that the government is free to take private homes and businesses and give them to influential citizens as long as one can imagine a conceivable benefit to the public, no matter how small or unlikely it may be. Indeed, it does not matter if all evidence points to a secret back room deal. All corrupt politicians need do to insulate themselves from judicial scrutiny is claim a benefit to the public. This is wrong. It should trouble all citizens who, unlike Bruce Ratner, lack the power and money to coopt the governments' power of eminent domain for their private use. We believe that the United States Supreme Court will welcome the opportunity to clarify this area in light of its widely criticized Kelo decision."
Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn legal director Candace Carponter said, "Our support of the fight of citizens to live safely in their homes, and operate safely in their business, will continue. We maintain that the government's motivation in using eminent domain for Atlantic Yards is not to benefit the public, but rather, to benefit a single, very rich and powerful developer. The seizure of our neighbors' homes and businesses is at the very foundation of the Atlantic Yards project. It is a foundation that must not stand. Now is the time for our elected leaders, who have frequently expressed grave concern about the abuse of eminent domain, to publicly stand in defense of everyday Brooklynites and New Yorkers."
The 2nd Circuit Court's opinion on the case, Goldstein v. Pataki, can be found here
For Immediate Release: February 1, 2008
Circuit Court Rules Against Homeowners, Business Owners and Tenants in Atlantic Yards Eminent Domain Appeal
Plaintiffs Intend to Ask US Supreme Court to Hear Their Case
Plaintiffs Will Seek All Legal Remedies to Protect Their Homes and Businesses From Seizure by New York State
New York, NY— The Second Circuit Court today ruled against 14 homeowners, business owners and tenants in their appeal of their lawsuit alleging that New York State's use of eminent domain to take their properties for Forest City Ratner's Atlantic Yards project violates the United States Constitution.
Plaintiffs' attorney Matthew Brinckerhoff said, "Today's decision is disappointing. We disagree with its conclusion. We intend to ask the US Supreme Court to hear our case, and will continue to pursue every avenue available to prevent the unlawful seizure of my clients' homes for Bruce Ratner's enrichment. The court today affirmed that the government is free to take private homes and businesses and give them to influential citizens as long as one can imagine a conceivable benefit to the public, no matter how small or unlikely it may be. Indeed, it does not matter if all evidence points to a secret back room deal. All corrupt politicians need do to insulate themselves from judicial scrutiny is claim a benefit to the public. This is wrong. It should trouble all citizens who, unlike Bruce Ratner, lack the power and money to coopt the governments' power of eminent domain for their private use. We believe that the United States Supreme Court will welcome the opportunity to clarify this area in light of its widely criticized Kelo decision."
Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn legal director Candace Carponter said, "Our support of the fight of citizens to live safely in their homes, and operate safely in their business, will continue. We maintain that the government's motivation in using eminent domain for Atlantic Yards is not to benefit the public, but rather, to benefit a single, very rich and powerful developer. The seizure of our neighbors' homes and businesses is at the very foundation of the Atlantic Yards project. It is a foundation that must not stand. Now is the time for our elected leaders, who have frequently expressed grave concern about the abuse of eminent domain, to publicly stand in defense of everyday Brooklynites and New Yorkers."
The 2nd Circuit Court's opinion on the case, Goldstein v. Pataki, can be found here
Friday, October 19, 2007
Town of Olive Luminaries, William T. Golden; Al Higgly; Bruce Ratner; Mary Margaret McBride
Al Higgly, a Shandaken fruit stand operator, restaurateur and real estate investor, mentioned to me that his "birthday buddy" William T. Golden had died on October 9, 2007, just a few weeks before his 98th birthday. Higgly and Golden were both born in the last week of October. Mr. Golden owned more than 10,000 acres in Olivebridge, not far from my West Shokan home.
According to the New York Times Mr. Golden was an investment banker who, after retirement, was on the boards of nearly 100 organizations, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Carnegie Commission on Science, Technology and Government (as its chairman). Mr. Golden was an advocate for science policy and helped create the National Science Foundation. He worked on the Atomic Energy Commission at the time of its founding in the late 1940s. His neighbor in Olivebridge was his former boss, Harold Lindner, former president of the Export-Import Bank and ambassador to Canada. William T. Golden, RIP.
Another famous New York business figure recently moved into the Town of Olive. Bruce Ratner has purchased an estate also not too far from West Shokan. The Town of Olive has always welcomed many interesting people. Jimi Hendrix lived on Traver Hollow Road, about three miles from where my cabin is now located, in 1969, the year of the Woodstock concert and also a year before Hendrix's death.
Al Higgly once told me that when he was a youngster in the 1940s he used to say "hey" to Eleanor Roosevelt, who was a weekly visitor to the home of Mary Margaret McBride in West Shokan. According to Wikipedia McBride, originally from Missouri, was a radio personality from 1934 to 1940 on WOR in New York City. Also, she appeared on NBC and ABC radio until 1960. According to Wikipedia, "during World War II, she began 'breaking the color line', mixing in African American guests." Ms. McBride died in West Shokan in 1976.
The West Shokan curmudgeon blogs that there are differences between the nearby Village and Town of Woodstock versus West Shokan, in the town of Olive:
>"Culture
Woodstock: hippy
West Shokan: hippless
>"Shopping
Woodstock: tie-dye ear-muffs
West Shokan: coffee (coming soon)"
Actually, the coffe is going soon as I have heard a rumor that the only store in town, the American General Store is closing on December 1. Alas, West Shokan is a small town, but there are those who love it. The curmudgeon doth protest too much, methinks. The Town of Olive has a population of 4,579 and West Shokan has 760 or so. It is a privilege to live in a special place.
According to the New York Times Mr. Golden was an investment banker who, after retirement, was on the boards of nearly 100 organizations, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Carnegie Commission on Science, Technology and Government (as its chairman). Mr. Golden was an advocate for science policy and helped create the National Science Foundation. He worked on the Atomic Energy Commission at the time of its founding in the late 1940s. His neighbor in Olivebridge was his former boss, Harold Lindner, former president of the Export-Import Bank and ambassador to Canada. William T. Golden, RIP.
Another famous New York business figure recently moved into the Town of Olive. Bruce Ratner has purchased an estate also not too far from West Shokan. The Town of Olive has always welcomed many interesting people. Jimi Hendrix lived on Traver Hollow Road, about three miles from where my cabin is now located, in 1969, the year of the Woodstock concert and also a year before Hendrix's death.
Al Higgly once told me that when he was a youngster in the 1940s he used to say "hey" to Eleanor Roosevelt, who was a weekly visitor to the home of Mary Margaret McBride in West Shokan. According to Wikipedia McBride, originally from Missouri, was a radio personality from 1934 to 1940 on WOR in New York City. Also, she appeared on NBC and ABC radio until 1960. According to Wikipedia, "during World War II, she began 'breaking the color line', mixing in African American guests." Ms. McBride died in West Shokan in 1976.
The West Shokan curmudgeon blogs that there are differences between the nearby Village and Town of Woodstock versus West Shokan, in the town of Olive:
>"Culture
Woodstock: hippy
West Shokan: hippless
>"Shopping
Woodstock: tie-dye ear-muffs
West Shokan: coffee (coming soon)"
Actually, the coffe is going soon as I have heard a rumor that the only store in town, the American General Store is closing on December 1. Alas, West Shokan is a small town, but there are those who love it. The curmudgeon doth protest too much, methinks. The Town of Olive has a population of 4,579 and West Shokan has 760 or so. It is a privilege to live in a special place.
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