Thomas Sowell has a great
column on the abuses of eminent domain, "open space" laws and the like and how they can be (and most often are) used as a tool for the rich. I've been arguing this kind of thing for a long time now, especially as regards "open space" laws. The whole idea of building a home some place, and then preventing others from doing the same nearby to protect your view is, to me, the high of hypocrisy.