Do I really want to buy my own home?
When the Kelo decision was first announced, I was appalled. I seemed to recall there being something in the Constitution about not taking private property for "public use without just compensation". I didn't recall the Constitution saying anything about taking private property for private use.
As someone who dreams of owning her own home someday, this ruling made me very nervous. I have a five-year plan to save up enough money to put approximately 20% down on a 3 or 4 bedroom house (I want lower house payments so I have a little extra to do what I want with the house). I want a fenced-in yard where my dog can run and play (he really doesn't like the leash). Maybe I'll even try to find a house with a pool (this is Texas, after all). I don't want to scrimp and save, buy my house, only for "the government" to claim they can make better use of my property and take it all away from me. I'd fight them, just like the people of New London fought their city.
But now comes this story (H/T Betsy Newmark) about how, based on the fact that New London originally condemned the houses in 2000, the city is 1) only going to pay the owners the market value of their homes as valued in 2000 and 2) going to charge the owners rent for the time they have spent living in the "city's" property for the past five years.
I share Betsy's pessimism that the Supreme Court would agree to hear the case again. Maybe if O'Connor had been part of the majority, Roberts' presence on the court would make a difference, but no. But Americans are fighters. So we need to talk to our elected officials. Obviously, talking to the cities won't accomplish anything - they're usually the enemy in these cases. Write to your state officials, your Representative, your Senators. America can't take this travesty lying down or "we the people" will have lost a little part of our dream of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness".
As someone who dreams of owning her own home someday, this ruling made me very nervous. I have a five-year plan to save up enough money to put approximately 20% down on a 3 or 4 bedroom house (I want lower house payments so I have a little extra to do what I want with the house). I want a fenced-in yard where my dog can run and play (he really doesn't like the leash). Maybe I'll even try to find a house with a pool (this is Texas, after all). I don't want to scrimp and save, buy my house, only for "the government" to claim they can make better use of my property and take it all away from me. I'd fight them, just like the people of New London fought their city.
But now comes this story (H/T Betsy Newmark) about how, based on the fact that New London originally condemned the houses in 2000, the city is 1) only going to pay the owners the market value of their homes as valued in 2000 and 2) going to charge the owners rent for the time they have spent living in the "city's" property for the past five years.
I share Betsy's pessimism that the Supreme Court would agree to hear the case again. Maybe if O'Connor had been part of the majority, Roberts' presence on the court would make a difference, but no. But Americans are fighters. So we need to talk to our elected officials. Obviously, talking to the cities won't accomplish anything - they're usually the enemy in these cases. Write to your state officials, your Representative, your Senators. America can't take this travesty lying down or "we the people" will have lost a little part of our dream of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness".
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