Your house. Our house.

June 23, 2005

The Supreme Court has decided that, according to the fifth amendment of the constitution, governments have the right to seize your home and property for pretty much any reason it damn well pleases, like building a shopping mall where your house used to stand.

A group of homeowners in Connecticut brought suit against the city of New London after it tried to seize their property to build an office complex. The families said that such construction didn’t fit into the spirit of the law, which states that land can be claimed for projects with a clear public use, such as roads or schools, or to revitalize blighted areas. The court disagreed, stating that even tax benefits realized as a result of new construction was benefit enough.

Justice Sandra Day O’Connor voiced the dissenting vote, writing, “Any property may now be taken for the benefit of another private party, but the fallout from this decision will not be random. The beneficiaries are likely to be those citizens with disproportionate influence and power in the political process, including large corporations and development firms.”

Well, this is America, after all. I mean, duh.

“
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Charles added:

America: taking away your rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness one step at a time.

Posted on June 23, 2005 3:31 PM

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Posted on June 23, 2005 at 11:46AM • 1 Comments • Permalink • Read more in Politics As Usual

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