Thanks to lawprof Donald Kochan for the heads-up: the “Word of the Day” in today’s New York Times is … “eminent domain.”
Defined by the piece as:
“the right of the state to take private property for public use; the Fifth Amendment that was added to the Constitution of the United States requires that just compensation be made”
Ugh. The “right?” No mate, it’s a sovereign power, not a right.
The piece then challenges the reader:
Can you correctly use the word eminent domain in a sentence? Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using today’s Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the word’s definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun.
OK, we’ll have a go. How’s this for our entry: “Remember when the New York Times was the private beneficiary of the City of New York’s abuse of its power of eminent domain when it declared the existing property blighted, so it could give the land (and tax breaks) to the paper for its new Times Square office?”
Add yours in the comments.