July 20, 2005

Supreme challenge!

If you agree with the title then just imagine this: You've just worked a 12hr shift for the 3rd straight day in a row as a registered nurse for the local hospital. It's the day before Thanksgiving and as you drive home late that evening your looking forward to a quiet family holiday dinner the following day. Upon arriving at your home you find stapled to your door a 30 day eviction notice certified by Marshall's at the request of Your City Gov't.

In this case it was the City of New London Connecticut. What was going to be built on her property and that of her neighbors that required her eviction from her long time home? A nice big INDUSTRIAL park!

So, yes Virginia, they can take that away from you and the Supreme Court Justices said so. I wonder what they were smoking or what drugs they were on when they rendered THAT decision? Still don't care or don't think that Bush's nominee is at all important to you. Then go read Stephen Bainbridge's article at Tech Central Station on the significance of this vote and how the 5-4 vote played out. This article explains the situation quite well and succintly all in nice English and not legalese.

Essentially, the Majority of the Justices felt that "local officials know how to best help their own cities" Yes folk your elected politicians can vote today to have your home taken away and tomorrow, when they're out of office and work for the very developers, and live in the very development, over the land that was once your property. Don't think that can happen? That's exactly what did happen in Passaic New Jersey and the Supreme Court now says it's all perfectly legal!

Feel strongly about this, then go to Hold the Mayo and read the petition which Stephen Macklin and others have forged. It's now available for online signing and endorsement, through the link below. Update: the petition has been relocated to a new site. The link below will get you there.


Open Source Amendment Project






Posted by Michele at July 20, 2005 12:32 AM | TrackBack
Comments

This ruling has had my dander up since I first read it. I'm still pissed at the lack of common sence.

Posted by: Contagion at July 20, 2005 09:48 AM

Pisses me off everytime I think about it.

Posted by: vw bug at July 20, 2005 10:10 PM

Yep, it has happened all over and for quite sometime too. There is a group of homeowners just a few miles south of me here on the Jersey shore in Long Branch waiting for their homes to be taken by the town to be given to developers as the rest of their neighborhood is now gone condo.

Also, I hate to think it; but I feel that it is just a matter of time before we see in the news a 'Waco' style assault on a homeowner somewhere in the U.S. who feels so cornered by local politicians handing hands with developers that he has nothing to lose.

Posted by: Charles at July 20, 2005 10:11 PM

There is a new url for the petition.

You can find it at my sight: nomayo.mu.nu

(can't post a url or link in the comments)

Posted by: Stephen Macklin at July 22, 2005 06:53 PM