Eminent Domain

Although this event is no longer current, I was extremely irked by the supreme court's ruling on eminent domain. I can't believe that redistribution of land from a relatively poor person to a large developer is what the writers of the fifth amendment had in mind. O'Connor put it succinctly:

"specter of condemnation hangs over all property. Nothing is to prevent the State from replacing any Motel 6 with a Ritz-Carlton, any home with a shopping mall, or any farm with a factory."

I'm wondering if this was one of the straws that broke the camels back for her.

The article also sited the conservative Thomas as siding with the NAACP and O'Connor against this ruling as well. He pointed out that usually urban renewal just means that elderly/minority/poor people just end up being pushed out so that rich people can come in and live, shop, and play on their land.

I realize I don't know all the details about this ruling and the ramifications, but owning property is one of the main reasons about what makes America so great. And now it seems that the rich and powerful private business (no doubt with local tax incentives) can take over private property whenever your city counsel says they can.

You never know, your house just might now become a walmart next month...