In a polling conducted by the Wall Street Journal, 11 out of 12 Americans said they oppose the taking of private property, even if it is for public economic good.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
There is a deliberate and quite outspoken attack on the whole idea of people owning private property.
So great moreover is the regard of the law for private property, that it will not authorize the least violation of it; no, not even for the general good of the whole community.
I think private ownership is generally superior to public because you care about the land more and it doesn't get trashed.
Cynically but accurately put, Americans oppose public intervention or regulation if it helps others, but favor it if it helps them - take social security, disaster relief, public works projects, for example.
We believe the 36, nearly 40, billion pound discount given for a right to buy houses took a million houses out of the public housing sector which is desperately needed for rent.
It is clearly better that property should be private, but the use of it common; and the special business of the legislator is to create in men this benevolent disposition.
Indeed, our particular concept of private property, which deters us from exhausting the positive resources of the earth, favors pollution.
So there's always been this clash between what is the public good - that which belongs to all of us in common - and what can be exploited for a private interest.
I believe that the high rates of property crime (and some of the increase in violent crime) are part of the price you pay for freedom.
We talk a lot about individual rights, but in fact Americans are very willing to give up our individual rights if it means our property values will be protected, and so on.