Letter: Government should protect us from the landgrab for Mid-States Corridor

In an effort to get public support for a leader’s vision and agenda leaders develop titles for their administrations. FDR’s was “The New Deal”, Truman had “The Fair Deal”, JFK’s “The New Frontier”, LBJ had “The Great Society” and today Trump has “Common Sense”. All of theses agendas were the vision of the president at the time and summed up what they wanted to accomplish.

In Common Sense Thomas Paine argues for American independence. His argument begins with more general, theoretical reflections about government and religion, then progresses onto the specifics of the colonial situation.

Paine begins by distinguishing between government and society. Society, according to Paine, is everything constructive and good that people join together to accomplish. Government, on the other hand, is an institution whose sole purpose is to protect us from our own vices. Government has its origins in the evil of man and is therefore a necessary evil at best. Paine says that government’s sole purpose is to protect life, liberty and property, and that a government should be judged solely on the basis of the extent to which it accomplishes this goal.

So how, you may wonder, does this have anything to do with the Mid-States Corridor? If government’s sole purpose is to protect life, liberty and property how does a project, that by it’s very nature, will deprive citizens (society) of their lives, liberty and property. The people, society, have repeatedly voiced their opposition to the Mid-States Corridor; and, they have explained in great detail how the project will take their livelihoods, liberties and most importantly, their property away from them.

Now, the government is suing 121 property owners in Dubois County for refusing to allow surveyors onto their land. Why have the people refused entry? Because it’s private property and the government did not request permission in the proper and legal way. They, the government surveyors appeared at the landowners door and attempted to coerce the landowners into allowing them onto their private property. Remember, the United States is one the only nations where private property is sacrosanct.

Common sense dictates that when one does not have enough money to pay one’s debts and to feed their families, they have to stop spending on unnecessary things. Indiana is having a budget crunch, so why is the government pushing a $3 billion new terrain highway? A project we cannot afford. Why is Gov. Braun continuing to talk out of both sides of his mouth. Shortly after the election he stated publicly that Dubois County was not trying to “lure” outside businesses to Jasper; but, at the Huntingburg Airport Terminal groundbreaking he extolled how the new terminal would attract new business.

Common sense must prevail and Thomas Paine was correct, government is a necessary evil. Let’s ensure the government protects us from the land grab of private property that is called the Mid-States Corridor. Support the Property Rights Alliance (PRA) and continue to just say “No”.

Jim Arvin

Rutherford Township

Martin County