Wednesday, July 20, 2005

More Eminent Domain

Once again the ED issue finds another voice indicating just how hard it is to pigeonhole people ideologically on this issue. Writing in the Sun, Jamal Watson inveighs against the use of eminent domain, at any time, for the purpose of economic development.

In particular, Watson pinpoints the potential that the policy has for disadvantaging poor people. He approvingly cites Justice O’Conner on this point:

The beneficiaries are likely to be those citizens with disproportionate influence and power in the political process…
In response to the Court’s ruling, Watson suggests that New York adopt Utah’s recently passed legislation that bans the use of eminent domain for economic development “once and for all.” In this he diverges from Chris Owens's position – no doubt mimicking his congressman father’s – that ED can be a useful tool in some situations. We welcome people’s comments on all of this since it is not an issue that can be easily resolved given the lack of neatness in the real political world.