Eminent domain bulldozed by money?
In a tremendous blow to private property rights for individuals, the US Supreme Court ruled that land could be taken from private owners and given to other private owners to be turned into an office complex. Essentially this means that we are now (if we ever weren’t) ruled by money. If you are a home owner and you want just to mind your own business you might find that condos, a sports arena or even a mall benefit the public more than your simple home. Pack it up… you have very little chance of winning. The ruling is covered in more detail over at cnn.com.
In related news The Hotel Lost Liberty is looking to build a hotel in Weare, New Hampshire.
Suppose that Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter gets this eminent domain case fast tracked to the Supreme Court? He would have to recuse hisself from the case and assuming that nothing else changes the ruling would be deadlocked at 4-4? This would be interesting one to watch. Unfortunately the petition – if it’s even real – will be struck down at the local level.
