Kelo revisted with Video
Hat tip to The Liberty Papers .
This despicable SCOTUS ruling may be water under the bridge but it's worth a look...almost 4 years later. Good video.
Submitted by John on Wed, 2009-03-18 22:58
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Hey John, the video doesn't work...
I really should be cementing our BFF status on Facebook by sending a private message there ;-) Perfect opportunity missed...
skymutt: accept no substitutes!
It's OK, skymutt
but anyway...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4N1svadJQ40
I think this is the same video.
Not sure why that happened.
Even my most liberal freinds think Kelo was a terrible decision.
Taking away peoples property by emminent domain for a commercial project is just wrong. If it's a commercial project, let the buyers buy the properties, even if they sometimes get inflated.
Of course, I do support the use of emminent domain for public works. Just not for profit making ventures.
in other words...
You are just as disrespectful of private property as those trying to take it away to make money. They distinction is in your head. In reality, you are one and the same.
The gov't is the thief that keep the other thieves away.
The people wouldn't likely have that "private" property if it wasn't for the benevolent overlords. Or they might have to hire 1/2 the poor to keep it safe from the other 1/2.
Not all public works are what I think you object to:
There are conceivable times when eminent domain is needed to ensure a certain area is allowed full rights and times when the gov't needs to use eminent domain to fulfill it's duties. ie roads, railways, for postal service. Or times when "private" property is completing shut off from the rest of society by other "private" property.
Plus, I fail to see a ever present/ all encompassing downside to the gov't breaking up private monopoly or oligopoly to provide other with access to land or infrastructure.
In our society, people are rewarded for pretending to be certain about things they're clearly not certain about. -- Sam Harris,
You read too much into it.
I don't have a problem with Public Works projects in concept. And I don't have a problem with Eminent Domain in concept, either. And I would argue your first part is a big dividing line among Libertarians, specifically. And John, earlier in my participation here, asked me probably the most clear and direct question to determine where I stand on that line.
My problem is with people who try to make themselves feel better about property rights violations. Separating Eminent Domain for public or private is still stealing. I don't distinguish between the two. And I don't try to justify it, either. Libertarians often get in arguments with each other over this very thing. I just like to point out that it's still stealing because otherwise people get the impression that it's okay for the State to walk all over the people.
not at all.
But if a highway is going through your house, they can take it. If a road is widened, they can take it. If they build a school or other municiple building, they can take it.
But if they're turning your property over to a developer so they can make money off the deal. Well, then I don't think they should have the right to take it.