Donald Trump is getting a lot of mileage out of his new found in your face conservatism-even getting credibility as a serious presidential candidate. Not so much, however, with all of us at the Iron Triangle. After all, Trump is one of the preeminent defenders of eminent domain.
The Club for Growth has outed the Donald and in this web report we get the stark view the billionaire has about other people's property rights: "The Club for Growth is out today with the answer … directly from Trump himself from 2005 on Fox News.
“I happen to agree with it 100 percent, not that I would want to use it...But the fact is, if you have a person living in an area that’s not even necessarily a good area, and government, whether it’s local or whatever, government wants to build a tremendous economic development, where a lot of people are going to be put to work and make area that’s not good into a good area, and move the person that’s living there into a better place — now, I know it might not be their choice — but move the person to a better place and yet create thousands upon thousands of jobs and beautification and lots of other things, I think it happens to be good.”
But of course he actually did use it in Atlantic City and the details of that little adventure tells you all you need to know about His Arrogance: "But the reality is, Trump did try to use the power of eminent domain to seize private property. He did this in Atlantic City, and it wasn’t to build an elementary school or even a “tremendous economic development.” He wanted to knock down an old lady’s home so he could build a parking lot for limousines near his casino."
This is not anyone who should be anywhere near the Red Button-someone who lacks not only judgment, but also any deep seated affection for constitutional principles. He certainly isn't any conservative. Although he might play one on TV.