What's in a Name?
The aftermath of Kelo.
Since I did name this blog Eminent Domain, I better talk about this. Here is Kelo in action. The people who live in Riviera Beach value their homes. They may not be rich, but this is all they've got. Now, thanks to Justices Stevens, Ginsburg, Breyer, Souter, and Kennedy, Mayor Brown can break out the bulldozer. Aside from being incredibly unfair and morally wrong (in my opinion), the taking private property by government for private development sets a bad standard for local governments. Now, mayors and city councils can just gut entire areas as long as they show a projected economic improvement. They no longer have to encourage development in under-used or blighted areas. They don't have to come up with innovative ideas. They have a city planning short cut. It's city government for dummies.
Since I did name this blog Eminent Domain, I better talk about this. Here is Kelo in action. The people who live in Riviera Beach value their homes. They may not be rich, but this is all they've got. Now, thanks to Justices Stevens, Ginsburg, Breyer, Souter, and Kennedy, Mayor Brown can break out the bulldozer. Aside from being incredibly unfair and morally wrong (in my opinion), the taking private property by government for private development sets a bad standard for local governments. Now, mayors and city councils can just gut entire areas as long as they show a projected economic improvement. They no longer have to encourage development in under-used or blighted areas. They don't have to come up with innovative ideas. They have a city planning short cut. It's city government for dummies.
