Some legislators don’t like to be reminded that they’re there because of us voters. Well, us voters and all the incumbency protections. But we at least have some kind of walk-on role. A Florida voter wrote his representative to say that if the lawmaker voted for a certain nasty bill, the voter would definitely not vote for him again.

The legislation would have allowed local Florida governments to grab the land of private owners and sell it to a developer so that the local government could collect more tax money. It’s an increasingly common abuse of the principle of eminent domain. Arbitrary power is threatening; no wonder a voter might feel threatened. Radio talk show host Neil Boortz reports that this voter wrote state Senator Mike Fasano to say the legislation “is a clear attack on the rights of private property and I oppose this bill. You should not vote for it. Not if you want my vote again.”

The senator replied: “First, I don’t appreciate your threats. Second, I will consider your request and please don’t e-mail me any further if you feel compelled to throw out threats with your vote.” “This constituent,” Boortz observes, “feels strongly enough about a bill to tell his representative that his vote is riding on the representative’s stance on eminent domain abuse, and the representative acts as if his life has just been threatened! What arrogance!” Arrogant . . . and unsurprising. Fortunately, Florida’s legislative session ended before the bill could be passed. And Fasano won’t be around forever, thanks to term limits.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.