Thread: Leviathan Begins To Stir (Let The Feeding Frenzy Begin)

http://www.cuttingedge.org/news_updates/nz1913.htm

Leviathan Begins To Stir

by John Fund

June 25, 2005

After celebrating the Supreme Court's decision yesterday to effectively give local governments carte blanche to seize land for private development, some local officials began quickly moving to use their new unlimited authority. Officials in the beachfront town of Freeport, Texas, announced they would move forward with plans to commandeer property owned by two seafood companies in order to allow the construction of a 900-slip private marina. Freeport will even be loaning the developers $6 million to finance the project, and if it fails the town won't be getting its money back. What is certain is that the displacement of the two seafood companies will cost scores of jobs.

The Supreme Court's decision, by a narrow majority with Justice Anthony Kennedy as swing vote, has prompted state Rep. Frank Corte, a Republican from San Antonio, to propose a state constitutional amendment limiting the power to condemn private land for use by other private entities. He says the amendment is now necessary in order to "limit a local governmental entity's power of eminent domain, preventing them from bulldozing residences in favor of private developers." No doubt there will be similar moves in other states as voters wake up to the realization that the Supreme Court has granted revenue-hungry local governments more or less unlimited authority to seize homes and businesses in order to achieve a "higher use" of the property.

If this ruling didn't wake up the people of America......I don't think anything will.

How lame can you be? Unless you don't own anything and get everything from the government.

Is there nothing whatsoever we can do to stop this abrogation of our constitution rights???
How many more will follow on the heels of this??
RR

And what is el Presidente's take on all this?

While he was unable to find the time to take questions himself, since he was busy attending a ball game yesterday, his spokesman Scott McClellan did hold a press conference.

By Les Kinsolving © 2005 WorldNetDaily.com

At today's White House news briefing, WND asked presidential press secretary Scott McClellan about the landmark Supreme Court decision yesterday allowing local government to seize a home or business against the owner's will for the purpose of private development.

McClellan's first statement on the issue came in response to KGO radio reporter Sarah Scott.



KGO: Scott, does the president plan to introduce legislation to counter the Supreme Court's decision on eminent domain? Isn't a man's home his castle? McCLELLAN: First of all, on the Supreme Court decision from yesterday, we were not a party to that case. The president has always been a strong supporter of private property rights. Obviously, we have to respect the decisions of the Supreme Court, and we do.

Later in the briefing, WND asked McClellan:


WND: Suppose McLennan County, Texas, decides that a center for slot machines would bring in much more revenue than the Bush ranch. Would the president try to fight the eminent domain, as now legalized by five members of the Supreme Court, by means of the Aderholt-Shelby bill, or how? McCLELLAN: You know, I don't know of any attempt by McLennan County to do such a thing, first of all. And, second of all, if they did, it's a matter for McLennan County to deal with. But I know of no such effort.

WND: He would fight it, wouldn't he?

McCLELLAN: Les, I think the president has made his views clear when it comes to private property rights. In terms of Supreme Court decisions, we obviously have to respect the decisions of the Supreme Court.

WND: Does the president feel as strongly about that lady in New London, Conn., who will be forced out of her home where she was born and has lived for 87 years [as a result of the high-court decision], does he feel as strong as Justice O'Connor feels, and does he believe this decision will help with his nomination of new justices?

McCLELLAN: Les, we just haven't talked about it, but the president is always concerned about the American people and their well being.

WND: He really is concerned about this lady, isn't he?

Anyone who believes that there's going to be any kind of action out of this White House over this also must believe the WH is working furiously to solve the border problem.

I notice the question was never answered....

King George Really Cares about the people.

Yeah, its good to be the king!