Correct about eminent domain, but more about opportunism than ideology

Eminent Domain as Central Planning

Eminent-domain abuse, dangerous though it is, is a symptom of a deeper problem: government officials' belief that central planning is superior to free-market competition.

Otherwise good article about some abuses of eminent domain in NYC. But I think Nicole Gelinas give most government officials far too much credit: they rarely have any sort of central guiding principles beyond desire to stay in office and use whatever deal can be done (within color of law) to give succor to campaign contributors. Not wrong-headed principle but career expediency and opportunism.

Is that relevant? Well I think it is because as a quasi-liberal-libertarian there is a role for government activism such as scrupulously honest courts and system of law, solid currency and accurate weights & measures. So to make an ideology out of a personality flaw frames the game unfairly. Yes eminent domain is misused -- significantly -- but that has nothing to do with ideology as there are always crooks.