n4zhg

http://www.boston.com/news/local/ver...olster_border/

There has to be a better way to accomplish this than killing a historic dairy farm and wasting millions.

FriendlySkies

How sad.

IslandBased

More BS at the border!

Wilbur

Hello, Janet Napolitano, remember us down here in Arizona?

Perhaps instead of seizing the property of small farmers in Vermont and spending $8 million on a little-used Canadian border crossing, you could leave that guy alone and use some of the money down here?

You know, in Arizona, where we have drug war border murders and violence, kidnappings, a plague of identity theft, numerous fatal crashes of speeding vans full of illegals, etc. since you decided not to secure the border?

Ari

How many more acres could they possibly need to inspect 40 cars per day; who drew up this plan?

I love how the government is able to tell them that a section of their land is insignificant to their operation.

bocastephen

Can the farmer sue to block the effort and get it tied up in court? I'm sure there are lots of lawyers who would help out on this pro bono.

Ari

Yeah, he can sue. It'll get tied up in court for a shory while at least, but I don't think that he will have much of a case other than perhaps a pissing match over the dollar amount. Remember that the 5th Amendment requires just compensation, not total compensation, so . . .

If you know a lawyer that would want to take this up, perhaps you should make the match. It does look like they are trying to work it our for the moment with this community meeting, but I don't trust DHS and Nappy to play nice with others in any event.

clrankin

Cows could be used to block up the road and slow down traffic going through this border crossing, thus giving CBP agents all the time they need to conduct proper inspections of the 3 cars per hour that would use this crossing. If additional time is needed, stools and pails can be brought roadside and the cows could be milked while standing in lane.

Let's start thinking of cows as the next layer of security. In this bold new 21st century, why not make Bovine Patrol the 21st layer? CBP can then also stand for Civilian Bovine Patrol...

Or, the farmers and cows can be deputized and used for security. The government could then pay them for their services, creating an income stream to replace the income that taking this property would affect. In being deputized, the cows would also enjoy the same benefits as drug sniffing dogs. (Could cows be trained as drug sniffers? That would be another reason to do this...)

Instead of thinking so one dimensionally, our government should start trying to be agile and sneaky. After all, what terrorist would ever suspect that his plans of destroying America could be tipped off by a cow? (That puts a whole new spin to "cow tipping" now, doesn't it?)

Cows. Providing us with milk for better bodies. And now protecting them from being blown up too. The BovineAgent Protection Program™ should be put into action immediately.

mikeef

I've got a better idea: Let's set up a TSA checkpoint there. After all, the TSA has done such a great job protecting our airports that we could send a few up there to walk through cow dung for a few shifts.

The one downside is being the guy who has to check out the cows walking through the nude-o-scopes.

Mike

bfetch

Must....
Resist...
Udder...
Comment...

<b>*GASP*</b>

Whoa! Check out this set!!

Spiff

"I was just helping that cow across the border."

KCK

Sounds like they need a new facility, but 4.9 acres? Given the limited traffic through there, I think a half acre would would be adequate.

Ari

My point exactly.

N1120A

The just compensation standard has essentially evolved to mean FMV, though the government has way too much leeway in determining what FMV is. That said, that group of beachfront home owners in NC (I think it was NC) were actually able to get the Supreme Court in their favor on a government seizure by showing no legitimate government interest in the specific property. If the farmer could show that CBP doesn't need this much land (shouldn't be too hard, given the number of cars that cross), they would have a fighting chance.

I just took a look at where the crossing is.

You have got to be kidding me with this. They are MAYBE 10 miles from the major crossing at Highgate Springs/Saint-Armand on I-89. There are 2 other probably equally little used crossings between Morses Line and I-89. There is absolutely no legitimate interest in this. Sorry, CBP wanting more comfortable offices is NOT a legitimate interest.