All ownership rests with the government

The Supreme Court just ruled that local governments can, indeed, seize private property without cause and against the will of the lawful owners for the purposes of private economic development. As noted by Albert Burns a little over 3 years ago, state and local agencies to having been working with private business and the American Planning Association to ensure the government has eminent domain over any property for any reason at any time. This is, as Burns, states was

a mechanism for the federalization of all land control in the United States. It is a formula for "top-down" planning and control of all land and businesses with local communities, and owners, losing virtually any input into the process.

The plan seems to have worked in the favor of the government, the APA and real-estate development firms. As Sandra Day O'Connor noted in her dissent:

"Any property may now be taken for the benefit of another private party, but the fallout from this decision will not be random," O'Connor wrote. "The beneficiaries are likely to be those citizens with disproportionate influence and power in the political process, including large corporations and development firms."

In what seems to be a role reversal on the court, she was joined in dissent by Rehnquist, Scalia & Thomas.

Just remember, you may pay for house and property and assume all liability for what happens on it, but you most certainly do not control it - that is the government's domain and the Republican Party leadership has made it pretty clear they plan to exercise this right to it's fullest extent.

Tags: SCOTUS; property rights; politics

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