I Sure Hope They Don’t Forget…
…what they were working on over the long weekend.
Congress works to blunt court decision
DeLay calls Supreme Court ruling on seizing private property ‘horrible’
WASHINGTON – Lawmakers are trying to blunt a Supreme Court decision that says local governments can seize people’s homes to make way for shopping malls and other private development…
…The House on Thursday approved by a 231-189 vote a bid by conservative Scott Garrett, R-N.J., to bar federal transportation funds from being used to make improvements on lands seized via eminent domain for private development.
Legislation in the works also would ban the use of federal funds for any project getting the go-ahead using the Kelo v. City of New London (Conn.) decision.
Not everyone’s behind it. What a surprise.
House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California says she is opposed to any legislation that would withhold federal dollars “for the enforcement of any decision of the Supreme Court, no matter how opposed I am to that decision.”
Here’s hoping the ‘ooh, something shiney‘ principle doesn’t apply. And that California voters remember what ‘Miss Liberty’ Pelosi said about their property rights when it comes to re-electing her.
And if your state is NOT on this list, you need to start letter writing and agitating.
At least eight states — Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Montana, South Carolina and Washington — already forbid the use of eminent domain for economic development unless it is to eliminate blight. Other states either expressly allow private property to be taken for private economic purposes or have not spoken clearly to the question.
I like the ‘haven’t spoken clearly’ bit. Voters need to speak loud and clear then, so the good old boys get the message. But quickly, ’cause don’t think for 2 seconds your City Hall isn’t already planning some sleight of hand land grabs before the shock wears off and the community wakes up.
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July 1, 2005 9:32 am
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Why does Scott Garrett get the “conservative” tag slapped on him by MSNBC, while Pelosi is simply House Democrat leader? Could it be to distinguish the letters “R-N.J.” from the Whitman/Pataki arm of the party?
And can Mr. Garrett send a copy of the memo to the such-and-sos busily turning much of Monmouth County’s shoreline into Condo Central?
House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California says she is opposed to any legislation that would withhold federal dollars “for the enforcement of any decision of the Supreme Court, no matter how opposed I am to that decision.”
Soooo…let’s introduce a bill giving funds to enforce Dredd Scott or Plessy v. Ferguson; she’ll support that, no?
She actually shot her mouth off a good deal more than that in the snippet they showed on World News Tonight BUT damned if I can find the whole thing yet. I’m assuming this halfhearted mini-quote is damage control, courtesy of NBC.
THS — Captain’s Quarters had a post on this, with more details.
She really is unbelievably stupid. She simply hasn’t got the slightest idea what she’s talking about.