Via Yahoo! News.

The Supreme Court has ruled that the government can take a person’s home or business for new development projects.

By a 5-4 vote, the high court upheld as constitutional the taking by New London, Connecticut of 15 properties belonging to nine residents or investment owners for a project to complement a nearby research facility by the Pfizer Inc. drug company.

….
Stevens upheld the city’s plan under the U.S. Constitution, which allows the government to take private property through its so-called eminent domain powers in exchange for just compensation.

In her dissenting opinion, Justice Sandra Day O’Conner wrote, “Any property may now be taken for the benefit of another private party, but the fallout from this decision will not be random. The beneficiaries are likely to be those citizens with disproportionate influence and power in the political process, including large corporations and development firms.”

I suppose historically, this isn’t a new policy of our government; they’ve been pushing people off private lands since the pilgrims first landed on Plymouth Rock. It does seem, however that in this day and age, and given our country’s rich tradition of the American dream and owning land, individual rights would prevail in the face of big business, power and influence.

If you can’t feel safe and secure and proud in the home you’ve worked for and earned for your family, what do you really have as an American. Our rights seem so temporary when the government collectively swings it’s might.

The Grapes of Wrath, 1940
Makes me think back on John Steinbeck’s novel, “The Grapes of Wrath” (novel, movie). We have not come very far.

Read the full article at Yahoo! News.

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