The Unused Backyard of Damocles
I’m so angry about Kelo I can hardly see straight. I’ll try to write something more coherent down the road. But I’m looking out on my backyard — a good .15 acres of weeds (since my house is pretty far up on the .31 acre lot) — and I can’t help but thinking:
What’s to stop a city from deciding that my 1949 house, built on 1/3 acre lots, wouldn’t be better turned into townhomes at 9-to-an-acre? If public use is served simply by raising tax revenue, what’s better for society? One $575K house with a backyard which is mostly weeds right now? Or three $500K townhouses, making sure it gets put to “public” use in the form of cranking out property taxes?
What’s to stop these bastards?
The Fifth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America.
Oh. That’s right. Nothing.
Bastards. Complete Fucking Bastards.
June 23rd, 2005 at 4:40 pm
If applied as the “commerce clause is” the reflection of a shadow of a penumbra of “public use” could now be used to condemn any property.
You know, that house across the street is so ugly and detracts from the public’s view of the meadow behind, I think it should be condemned and turned into an open space. And as a member of the public I vote that’s a public use. /sarcasm
feh on the 5 supremes.
June 23rd, 2005 at 4:51 pm
Can the city decide to take away your Giants tickets too? Perhaps I should be making backup plans š
June 23rd, 2005 at 5:18 pm
I want to renounce my US citizenship. Does anyone know of a country where ED is not legal on a whim?
June 23rd, 2005 at 6:53 pm
Sorry John,
you better fix the bayonet because this is it…
Molan Labe!
June 23rd, 2005 at 6:55 pm
Every day, we get the choice between slavery and rebellion, and so far, everyone pretty OK with slavery.
June 23rd, 2005 at 8:41 pm
John,
“Hier stehe ich, ich kann nichts ander.”
June 23rd, 2005 at 11:21 pm
It’s really a XIV Amendment issue, which states, “nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law,” among other things. Said another way, the state has to pass a law to deprive a person of property. It’s a state issue for state courts and legislatures to decide. Just remember, corporations can donate money but they have 0 votes in elections, so make your vote count.
June 24th, 2005 at 12:12 am
“Just remember, corporations can donate money but they have 0 votes in elections, so make your vote count.”
Problem is, I didn’t vote for no Supreme Court judge.
Time to look into impeaching those fuckers. Can’t print what I’d LIKE to do…
(Unc, I’m AT LEAST as pissed off as you are, if not more so… Please forgive the profanity)
June 24th, 2005 at 7:46 am
amen, bruther, amen! whut happend to them publicans we used to know n luv, them that wuz agin the feds over rulin the states? agin lettin gummint deecide local deecishuns? whut happend to our cuntry?