Books about Legislation from Amazon.com

After years of hard work and saving, you finally own a home. But don't get too comfortable If government officials decide they want your property, they can take it--for a wide variety of shady reasons that go far beyond the usual definition of "public purposes." The courts have allowed these injustices to persist. And there is nothing you can do about it--not yet.

Real estate developer and property rights expert Don Corace offers the first in-depth look at eminent domain abuse and other government regulations that are strangling the rights of property owners across America. Government Pirates is filled with shocking stories of corrupt politicians, activist judges, entrenched bureaucrats, greedy developers, NIMBY (Not-in-My-Backyard) activists, and environmental extremists who conspire to seize property and extort money and land in return for permits. Corace provides the hard facts about individual rights and offers invaluable advice for those whose property may be in danger. It is the one book that every property owner in America has to read.

Questions for Don Corace

What will people learn from reading Government Pirates?

Readers will learn:

• How unelected and unaccountable judges have eroded the intent of our founding fathers to protect private property rights
• Four categories of takings by the government--eminent domain, local zoning laws, the regulation of wetlands and complying with the Endangered Species Act
• Forty shocking stories from across America of how homes and small businesses are either being seized or whose owners are being strangled by regulations
• A blueprint on how to turn the tide of abuse

There has been a lot of media attention about eminent domain abuse. Explain what eminent domain is for people who are not familiar with the term.

Eminent domain is the authority of government to seize property for a "public use." It was widely utilized in the 1800s to acquire land for railroads and post offices and then evolved to be used to build roads, schools, dams, and military bases. The takings clause in the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution permits it: "[N]or shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation." Unfortunately, its definition has been expanded and its use abused.

What is your background and qualifications to write a book on property rights?

I have been a developer for over 25 years. I was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA and learned the business from the ground up. My father was a developer and contractor. . .and the guy on the bulldozer. In my teens, I worked as a laborer, carpenter's apprentice, surveyor by day and attended city council meetings with him at night. Over the years, I have had hands-on experience in every aspect of the development process with projects valued at more than $2 billion. I have been involved in some of the most complex and controversial projects in the country. Although there have been plenty of excellent books written on property rights by lawyers or journalists, Government Piratesis the first to be written by someone who has actually been in the trenches, and who has had their own money on the line.

What motivated you to write the book?

I picked up my morning newspaper on June 24, 2005, and read that the Supreme Court voted 5 to 4 in the Kelo case. I was outraged. To give government the legal authority to seize property to simply generate more tax revenues is unconscionable. At the time I was also embroiled in an ugly controversy over a bald eagle whose nest was located on some property we owned. Certain neighborhood groups were using the Endangered Species Act as tool to stop the project. I realized that eminent domain abuse like what happened in the Kelo case was outrageous, but at least in eminent domain cases property owners are supposed to be compensated by law. In endangered species issues, the Endangered Species Act clearly trumps the Fifth Amendment and allows government to not only not compensate land owners, but also to extort land and money in return for approvals. The same applies to local zoning laws and the regulation of wetlands--where I have also had considerable experience. I knew then that I had to write the book.

Where do you stand on environmental issues?

I consider myself a conservationist, not an environmentalist. There is a big difference in my mind. I was raised to respect the environment and learned at an early age to hunt and fish and enjoy the outdoors. Many people who consider themselves environmentalists have made it their life's mission to protect the environment at all costs--including at the expense of private property rights and economic growth. On a deeper examination of their motives, you will find that many of them use environmental causes to further that agenda to promote an anti-capitalistic and government-mandated redistribution of wealth. It is true that environmentalists have been successful in shedding light on important environmental issues and have forced landowners and industry to find creative ways to develop property and natural resources while safeguarding the environment. Unfortunately, as evidenced by stories in my book, there are too many instances of environmentalists simply going too far.

What are your objectives for the book?

Although many property rights organizations throughout the country are doing an excellent job in fighting property rights abuse, we need to take it up another notch and use the media as a weapon. We need to educate the public and get a groundswell of support to make lawmakers and bureaucrats accountable for their actions. Efforts to pass meaningful reforms will not be successful unless these officials--as well as NIMBY's and environmental extremists are exposed. I feel it is my responsibility to shed light on the issues--and make those who do not respect property rights famous.

Why is the protection of property rights so important?

The founding fathers believed that "the right of property is the guardian of every other right," but it is also a basic human right. Our homes, land, and businesses are expressions of ourselves. They represent the fruits of our labors and a family's financial security.

---

.
Price: $10.17 [Notify me when price goes down.]

The world’s most widely adopted safety code, the National Electrical Code® (NEC) is now advancing electrical safety requirements with the 2008 edition in an effort to maximize public safety, emergency preparation, and electrical worker protection. With regulations for electrical wiring and equipment in virtually all types of buildings, this new edition responds to industry needs with expanded requirements based on research, new technologies, and recent events. A must-have for anyone involved in electrical design, installation, inspection, and safety, this edition has been updated for enhanced usability in the field, making it ideal for handling on-the-job electrical situations safely and effectively. Delmar, a part of Cengage Learning is pleased to make this authoritative reference from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) available directly from us, for the convenience of our customers who work in and around the electrical trades. It may be used independently, or as a companion to any electrical book, including Delmar's best-selling wiring series, as well as our guides to using the NEC®..
Price: $50.95 [Notify me when price goes down.]

In 2005, firebrand radio talk show host Neal Boortz and Georgia congressman John Linder created The FairTax Book, presenting the American public with a bold new plan designed to eliminate federal taxes and the IRS, jump-start the U.S. economy, bring back lost industries and jobs, and recapture billions of untaxed dollars hoarded by criminal and offshore businesses. Their book became an immediate #1 New York Times bestseller, propelling a powerful grassroots tax reform movement that's spreading like wildfire across our nation.

Now, three years later, the authors are back to answer the outspoken and misinformed critics of their innovative proposal. Offering eye-opening new insights not covered in the original book, FairTax: The Truth debunks the negative myths and gross misrepresentations of this groundbreaking idea. The FairTax plan is simple, brilliant, and it will work—enabling you to keep all the money in your paycheck; eliminating the fraud, hassle, and waste of our current system; and revolutionizing the way America pays for itself.

.
Price: $8.40 [Notify me when price goes down.]

In America, when somebody does you wrong, you take 'em to court. W. R. Grace and Beatrice Foods had been dumping a cancer-causing industrial solvent into the water table of Woburn, Massachusetts, for years; in 1981, the families of eight leukemia victims sued. However, A Civil Action demonstrates powerfully that--even with the families' hotshot lawyers and the evidence on their side--justice is elusive, particularly when it involves malfeasance by megacorporations. Much of the legal infighting can cause the eyes to glaze. But the story is saved by great characters: the flawed, flamboyant Jan Schlichtmann and his group of bulldogs for the prosecution; Jerome Facher, the enigmatic lawyer for Beatrice, who proves to be more than a match; John J. Riley, the duplicitous, porcine tannery owner; and a host of others. It's impossible not to feel the drama of this methodical book, impossible not to grieve for the parents who lost children, and impossible not to share Schlichtmann's desperation as he runs out of money. A Civil Action reads like one long advertisement for a few well-placed Molotov cocktails. (But that wouldn't make for a very long book, now would it?).
Price: $3.98 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Real Estate Advantages is for first-time as well as seasoned real estate investors It reveals the tax and legal loopholes available and most important, how they can be used together to not only maximize your income--but accelerate your income from real estate investing. Sharon Lechter and Rich Dad's Advisor Garrett Sutton team up for the first time to deliver practical, proven strategies and formulas--from the perspective of successful investors, CPAs and asset protection attorneys--for acheiving the greatest leverage from real estate investing. Written in easy-to-understand language, this book de-mystifies the legal and tax aspects of investing with easy-to-follow, real life examples. Real Estate Advantages reveals how you can find good advisors, create steady monthly income, reduce your risk, pay less in taxes, make more money with your banker's money and, best of all, the government helps you!.
Price: $6.98 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Continuing the tradition that has made it a leader in its field, Problems on Professional Responsibility uses problems to provide an overview of lawyers' professional responsibility. One of the most rapidly changing fields in American law, professional responsibility sees new issues, rules and cases each year, all of which are covered in this book. The Ninth Edition covers the American Bar Association's Model Rules of Professional Conduct, which were extensively rewritten in 2002; the American Law Institute's Restatement Third, The Law Governing Lawyers, and issues raised by federal agencies that play an important role in determining lawyer standards. Other changes to this edition include more citing authorities, fewer black letter questions and issues in each problem to allow more time for discussion and questions; and the integration of readings into discussion materials..
Price: $113.60 [Notify me when price goes down.]

The page-turning story behind the 2005 intelligent design case in Dover, Pennsylvania—the case that made front-page news around the world.

"What happened in Dover is a tiny sliver, a broken shard of glass mirroring what plays out across the country A war of fundamentalist Christian values versus secularism. A battle between evangelical fanaticism and tolerance."—from The Devil in Dover

In December 2004, following the Dover area school board's decision to teach intelligent design in ninth-grade biology classrooms, eleven parents sued, sparking a federal constitutional challenge. Lauri Lebo, a small-town reporter who covered the trial, knows not just the legal case and science, but the people on all sides of the divisive battle.

In The Devil in Dover, Lebo traces the compelling backstory of this pivotal case described by some as a perfect storm of religious intolerance, First Amendment violations, and an assault on American science education. In a community divided across unexpected lines, the so-called activist judge, a George Bush-appointed Republican, eventually condemned the school board's decision as one of "breathtaking inanity."

Lebo follows the story through its surprising twists, pondering whether this was a national war playing out in a small town or a small-town political battle playing out on the national stage. As a "local girl" with a fundamentalist Christian father, Lebo provides an account that is both fascinating and moving, as she thoughtfully probes one of America's most divisive cultural conflicts—and the responsibility journalists have when covering such a controversial story..
Price: $14.88 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Lower Your Taxes-Big Time! helps you to legally and dramatically cut taxes by establishing yourself as independent contractors or businessperson-writing off everything from vacations to movies and plays, and receiving a subsidy of $5,000 or more from the IRS every year.

“Will put thousands of dollars in your pocket every year.”-Mark Victor Hansen, Co-creator,Chicken Soup for the Soul®

• Updated to reflect recent and upcoming changes in the U.S. tax law
• One of the top best tax books according to Entrepreneur magazine

.
Price: $11.10 [Notify me when price goes down.]

“OUR GOVERNMENT CAN MAKE YOU DISAPPEAR ”

Those were words Steven T. Wax never imagined he would hear himself say. In his thirty-four years as a lawyer, Wax didn’t have to warn a client that he or she might be taken away to a military brig, or worse, a “black site,” one of our country’s dreaded secret prisons. So how had we come to this? The disappearance of people happens in places ruled by tyrants, military juntas, fascist strongmen–governments with such contempt for the rule of law that they strip their citizens of all rights. But in America?

Under the Bush administration, not only have the civil rights of foreigners been in jeopardy, but also those of U.S. citizens. In Kafka Comes to America, Wax interweaves the stories of two men he represented who were caught up in our government’s post-9/11 counterterrorism measures. Brandon Mayfield, an American-born, small-town lawyer and family man, was arrested as a terrorist suspect in the Madrid train station bombings after a fingerprint was mistakenly traced back to him by the FBI. Adel Hamad, a Sudanese hospital administrator working in Pakistan, was taken from his apartment and flown in chains to the United States military prison in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, for no substantiated reason. Kafka Comesto America reveals where and how our civil liberties have been eroded in favor of a false security, and how each of us can make a difference. If these events could happen to Brandon Mayfield and Adel Hamad, they could happen to anyone. They could happen to you..
Price: $12.35 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Here's the classic "bible" of forms and checklists for every situation a professional photographer may face. Thoroughly expanded and updated to cover the Internet, this brand-new Third Edition contains 31 forms, each ready-to-use as is, or easily tailored to fit any situation. Photographers will find contracts for wedding, portrait, and assignment photography; property and model releases, assignment estimates, confirmations, and invoices; delivery memos; license for Web usage; nondisclosure agreements; and much, much more. An accompanying CD-ROM provides electronic versions of these forms, ready to use on both Macs and PCs..
Price: $18.57 [Notify me when price goes down.]