I don't know if you guys follow news regarding Supreme Court decisions, but the Kelo v. New London 5-4 decision is a big one. In Kelo, the Court held that local governments may seize people's homes and businesses and then turn the property over to private economic developers. The Fifth Amendment allows governments to take private property through eminent domain if the land is for "public use." The Kelo decision defined "public use" in such a way that if the new use of the property were to generate higher tax revenues for the local government, then this is a "public use."
The liberal wing of the court, joined by the moderates, was the majority. The conservative justices strongly dissented, but only had 4 votes.
People on both sides of the political spectrum are very upset - for various reasons. Instapundit.com has roundups here, here and here.
Donald Sensing points out that churches would be the number one targets for seizure. Any business would generate more tax revenue that a church would...
Bad decision. Consequences remain to be seen.
C
- posted by Christoph Roggenkamp @ 6/24/2005 03:12:00 PM