Property Rights Ain't What They Used To Be

Property rights ain’t what they used to be in this country. Not so many years ago, if you wanted to build on your property, you did so – as long as you didn’t break the law or violate the property rights of your neighbors. Otherwise, it was nobody else’s business.

Now, it is not only everyone’s business, but everyone thinks they have a right to sue you if they disagree with how you exercise your property rights.

It looks like “developer” Michael Harrah is the latest victim of this pernicious trend (I put "developer" in scare quotes because the word has been stripped of all virtue and moral standing, and is used by enviro loonies as shorthand for untrammeled-greed-at-the-expense-of-all-that-is-good-and-virtuous).  He wants to build a 37-story business tower in downtown Santa Ana.  God knows, Santa Ana needs it. The City Council just approved it.  Unfortunately, NIMBYs are every now, even in Santa Ana, and some of them are vowing to sue over the usual litany of EIR nit-picking and an ostrich-like desire to stop time and keep things just the way they are.