Expropriation is now legal in the US
Today, the Supreme Court of the US ruled in Kelo vs. New London. The Court decided that local governments have the right to seize private property through eminent domain for whatever purpose the local government might wish. In this particular case, the private property was seven houses (including one belonging to a Mrs. Dery, who had lived in it for the past 87 years); the local government was the New London Development Corporation, a private corporation operating under the approval of the city council; and the purpose for seizing the homes was quite vague — building offices, or perhaps a hotel, or most probably, a parking lot for a Pfizer, Inc. building. Traditionally, eminent domain has been used exclusively for projects with obvious public benefit, such as building schools or clearing slums. Today’s decision means private homes can be demolished to make way for a parking lot simply if the local council decides that a parking lot will generate more tax revenue.
In effect, the Supreme Court has legalized expropriation.
The Court decided 5-4: Stevens, Kennedy, Souter, Ginsburg, and Breyer for; and O’Connor, Rehnquist, Scalia, and Thomas against. To repeat: the crazy Bible-thumping Republicans for once voted on the side of reason, and were defeated. Today, for the first time in my life, I find myself agreeing with the opinions of Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas. It is a very strange feeling…