Another new low For USA

[Andrew]

High court OKs personal property seizures

The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that local governments may seize people's homes and businesses -- even against their will -- for private economic development.

Wow. That's great. I'd love to own a house in a city and have city officials come tell me they are going to take my home whether I like it or not. And build an office complex. For a private company...

As a result, cities have wide power to bulldoze residences for projects such as shopping malls and hotel complexes to generate tax revenue.

"The city has carefully formulated an economic development that it believes will provide appreciable benefits to the community, including -- but by no means limited to -- new jobs and increased tax revenue," Justice John Paul Stevens wrote for the majority.

Because those new corporate [walmart] stores have no impact on local stores (assuming there are any in cities).

[GUNWOUNDS]

There has to be loopholes to this.... there is no way they could bulldoze your 3 story house.... full of antique furniture.....with you and your family and pets inside....with you shooting at the bulldoze driver with your shotgun.

Unless of course they bring in SWAT to remove you and your family from the house and then proceed to bulldoze your beloved house and valuables.

[exatreide]

Its plain english gunwounds, they have the right to, it could be a mansion, it doesnt matter. If its in the way. Your gone.

[GUNWOUNDS]

Like i said tho... there has to be loopholes... Bills like this are massive in length and have tons of paragraphs and sentences.

[GhostHunter]

STKHalo07 (11:25:30 PM): This is what we call..

STKHalo07 (11:25:37 PM): Imperial Capitalism.

STKHalo07 (11:25:51 PM): Know why we call it that?

STKHalo07 (11:25:54 PM): Cause it's the only time.

STKHalo07 (11:25:58 PM): Where capitalists.

STKHalo07 (11:26:04 PM): Eat off lower capitalist (small businesses)..

GalaxyPAIV (11:26:10 PM): yeah...

STKHalo07 (11:26:20 PM): Who in turn..

STKHalo07 (11:26:23 PM): Turn Marxist.

STKHalo07 (11:26:33 PM): Which stengthens the Capitalists pride and determination to fight the 'enemy'...

STKHalo07 (11:26:39 PM): Which makes them have kids.

STKHalo07 (11:26:44 PM): And raise them Capitalist.

[ordos45]

Welcome to the United States of Wal-Mart.

[Caid Ivik]

Until 1989 we were finding highs for Soviet Union, when our cs.statistics weren't enough, now we turn to find lows of USA. I would say slovak spirit is spreading through the world  ;D

[Egeides]

I see parallels here, while I would not be happy to see someone pushing them further in some hyperboles.

Il Duce (Mussolini)'s family is still active in Italy, and his sister is now in politics. While openly fascist, she says that it is not the simply a copy of the past system. It seems to be (potentially demagogic and restrictive) promotion of "Italian tradition, culture and values". I heard that in the past... erm... Augustus anyone? Julius ("the Apostate")? Supporters of a past [static] "great culture" by taking rights of un-Romans. Or for what risks to turn in "fascism" stereotypes: Hitler, Mussolini, Franco. I heard about a debate about taking some people's individual rights if they did not fit in the "Italian model", which in this debate meant be a child of unmarried couple. Let's mention that her support grows, and she recently said that she was unjustly not permitted to participate to elections, blocked by the system (it's true: apparently for fraud. But not all Italians heard that less sensational part, in selling-oriented sensational press for example).

Yay... we are in such a bad shape that we NEED to take rights to conserve the "Good Old Ways". Get a Hitler loving a romantic Wagner with his Valkyries, some Atlantide-like past (Aryan, etc.), violins and weapons for Nationalism defending "the essence of our Civilization". Like I said, this must not be extrapolated unduely as if we were in a nazi system, and I dunno if this article about the US shows a general legal trend or anything. But I do see that fascism tends to have such an orientation. This tendancy to hit long term development for short term "let's save the situation" development, coupled with "tradition" and romantic nationalism, is very interesting in nazism (or whattever it's called othewise). It is not a stereotyped "fascism", but a direction societies can take (to different levels).

[Andrew]

Countries prefer communism over American Democracy

;)

[Aristeas]

I haven't heard of this ruling, but this isn't something particular to the US.  Not that I'm not scared to death at the turn my country has taken since 2000. Historically, the threat to liberty has almost always come from the right and always under the pretense of protecting the people.  Sometimes I really wonder if my country is in for another civil war.

[neonext]

the fifth amendment allows governments to take private property if the land is for public use. the states, however, can decide what protections to give homeowners. at least 8 states already have laws forbidding this type of land grab for economic purposes

[DukeLeto]

This ruling is particularly disturbing around here.  In Daytona, near where I live, the government is planning on seizing a large number of private residences to put in condos and stip malls.  The reason?  The government gets more taxes from these businesses.  Pathetic.

[GUNWOUNDS]

the fifth amendment allows governments to take private property if the land is for public use. the states, however, can decide what protections to give homeowners. at least 8 states already have laws forbidding this type of land grab for economic purposes

Good ... hopefully this crap stays in Conneticut.  Would be best if this type of snatch and grab were only in isolated states.  Which i guess from what you are saying is the case.

[Andrew]

I think you quoted the wrong post Gunwounds. Either that or I am very confused. :(

Another cnn article about it Here

Location, location, location just got a lot easier for businesses.

"if we put this walmart in the middle of a suburb, we will be rich!"

[neonext]

he was quoting my post. the point is that the ruling allows states to take what they want, but some states don't have to agree with this, and can write their own rules on aquiring private property for development.

[Andrew]

Freeport moves to seize 3 properties

LOL! It has started already!

[Khan]

Its plain english gunwounds, they have the right to, it could be a mansion, it doesnt matter. If its in the way. Your gone.

To be honest it would be unlikely if they seized any mansions.

[ps501]

After coming back from New Port Beach in California, (and reading this article too) there are many homes there that were built on the beach 50,60+ years ago.  The previous US Supreme court ruling upheld that you could "immenient domain" a blight,  this ruling is significant insofar as it does give permission to take any property for public gain.  It allowed many cities in American the chance to revitalize a downtown area, for instance.

So if California received an attractive proposal to take these homes and replace them with million dollar condos, then the government could allow it, and the home owners that have lived there for the past 6 decades would not be able to stop the government.

To be honest it would be unlikely if they seized any mansions.

And your probably right...  elected officials need funds to be re-elected.  They know where the power base is.

[Dude_Doc]

It's maybe not relevant, but recently I heard, on the radio, that Britain would recieve new laws from it's government that would restrict anyone to critizise any religion.

Seems like the lawmakers go haywire all over the world these days...

[nemafakei]

The UK may pass laws making it illegal to incite violence against particular religious groups. Criticising them will still be fine.

[Dude_Doc]

Criticising them will still be fine.

But that is what they said - even criticising openly would not be tolerated. But I guess you know, since you live in UK.

[Barbarossa]

I wonder if this will become an issue where I live in Chicago. Walmart has tried to move into the poorer areas (i.e south side) several times, but had been unsuccessful due to problems with obtaining enough land, and intervention from local residents. This new act would allow them to move in at nearly a whim.  :-

[neonext]

I highly doubt it. Illinois is one of the eight states where the use of eminent domain for private development is all but prohibited by law

[Davidu]

It's maybe not relevant, but recently I heard, on the radio, that Britain would recieve new laws from it's government that would restrict anyone to critizise any religion.

Seems like the lawmakers go haywire all over the world these days...

LOL, some sh*t like this happened in Romania lately. Last year if I'm correct. You can get arrested and risk prison if you sustaint that Holocaust didn't happen in Romania during WWII. It's a direct hit at free speech. That part of our history is still heavily debated, so people have different opinions, and that's NORMAL. Thankfully no one dared to enforce the law.

So yes Cyborg, things are getting ridiculesly out of control.

[Andrew]

I've got a great idea! Lets change when our daylight savings time occur and not give a shit what our neighbours to the north think even though it will directly affect them.

Ignorance is bliss.

Hey my deputy minister of energy is on there

On Prince Edward Island, the deputy minister of energy said there are no plans at present to change the time there. But John McQuarrie added that the province is willing to look at anything to save energy costs and cut down on energy consumption.

The last time the United States and Canada observed different winter time systems was during the 1974-75 oil crisis. The U.S. did not turn its clocks back at all that fall in an attempt to conserve energy.

So I guess we are in an oil crisis. Not enough oil in Iraq?

No, this rant isn't about how this could help save energy, but the fact that Congress goes about doing things that affect the world and they don't even give a shit.

Does this mean everyones watches/electronic equipment will become obsolete?

Better get out that manual for the VCR!