Cindi Scoppe, Cheerleader for Thieves

Two days after the 4th of July, Cindi Scoppe does a little dance around the mangled corpse of another constitutional right slain at the hands of our out-of-control Supreme Court. The 5th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees two protections against arbitrary government takings of private property. In order to take private property, the government must:

prove it has a public purpose

provide just compensation to the original owner

In the recent case of Kelo v. New London, homeowner Suzette Kelo challenged the city of New London's decision to condemn her home in order to give the property to a private corporation that would build a bigger development and provide more tax revenue. (Details here.) The U.S. Supreme Court decided that in fact the city of New London had the right to do this, notwithstanding the constitution's strict limits on government takings.

Let's call this what it was. In plainly contradicting the Constitution, the U.S. Supreme Court sanctioned a theft. By virtue of its legal authority, it lent the feint air of legitimacy to what was fundamentally the government taking property from private owners, for private use. The Supreme Court says that it's okay to steal provided it yields more tax revenue.

In light of this assault on logic, constitutionality, and fairness, the Supreme Court should be ashamed. Decent people around the country are decrying this outcome.

And what's Cindi Scoppe's reaction? Excuses, alibis, and callous indifference.

There's a word for people like Cindi Scoppe: disgusting.

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