Kelo v. New London, Eminent Domain: Do You Think It's Okay for the City To Give Your Land to a Developer for 'Increased Tax Revenue'?

Story dated 30 January 2005

At issue: "whether a municipality can take someone's property through eminent domain and hand it over to developers in the name of economic development." Is giving land taken from a private landholder to a private developer a 'public use' for eminent domain purposes? Governments across the nation argue that the increased tax revenue and the economic benefit is a public use. Of course, it isn't their land that 's being taken and given to wealthy, politically influential land developers. In my opinion, if the Supreme Court rules against the property owners in this case, we can kiss our liberty good by for good. If this precedent stands, any government will be able to take anyone's property for any reason. That violates the spirit of our Constitution and the Bill of Rights, which was written to secure our rights against government tyranny. Might I remind you that the government is supposed to work for us. They don't have the right to take our stuff arbitrarily. Unfortunately, there aren't many judges left who realize this (of course, their royal judicial highnesses have come to enjoy the autocratic power they wield; why would they want to upset the status quo?).

posted by The Sovereign Editor | 4:47 PM

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