"Many Democrats who used to scoff at conservative fears about activist judges are now joining their barricades when it comes to eminent domain," John Fund writes in OpinionJournal.com. The Kelo decision, handed down by the court's liberal wing, empowers governments to transfer property from its owners to its coveters. Since the city of New London reasoned (in the court's words) that transferring working-class people's property to wealthy developers would "provide appreciable benefits to the community, including, but not limited to, new jobs and increased tax revenue," the court rationalized the government-sanctioned theft.

Since the targets of such expropriation tend to stand on the lower rungs of the economic ladder, those representing such constituences, including most of the Congressional Black Caucus, are fighting mad. Fund quotes Wilhelmina Leigh of the DC-based Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies: "[Kelo] means you have to hope and trust in the goodness of other human beings that if you buy real estate that you will be allowed to keep it." Kelo abolishes the right to private property, which theoretically makes property "rights" in the U.S. no more stable than....

...in Zimbabwe, which, based on the same logic that guided Kelo, has been expropriating the land of white farmers for several years. The farmers' land, it is argued, would better serve the community if it were split among the populace. The property of New Londoners, it is argued, would better serve the community if it were absorbed by a corporation. While there is an economic role reversal in those targeted, the guiding justification is the same: private property coveted by private citizens can be taken when politicians perceive reward (be it economic or electoral).

And now Zimbabwe targets shantytowns--urban blight, Africa-style--for destruction. Replacing open-air markets and humble domiciles with new structures, Robert Mugabe's government holds, will improve the lives of its citizens. The citizens living in the condemned dwellings don't agree. Michael Davies, chairman of a residential association of three million Zimbabweans, explains that Zimbabwe is "basically in a war situation where the police don't respect due process." Thus, many residents don't even get to make their case before a judge. And the residents who do get their day in court? "The police just ignore court orders," Davies continued. "We have criminals in charge of the state, and criminals don't respect the law. If you order them off your property, you are asking for a truncheon across the head."

Thank goodness I don't live in Zimbabwe, at least not yet.

This eminent domain ruling is truly freaking insane. I am sure, thankfully that it willl not stand long but still, the fact that it ever passed is ludicrous.

Ireland in five, baby!

Out of the land of welfare, war, violence, ineffectual millionaire pols in $3,000.00 suits who are surely heading us in the direction of a banana republic.

I don't know if I would go that far asdf, but it's unsettling to be sure.

Yet another reason to strip Mugabe of his honorary degree from MSU. http://www.mugabe.org

No Jason you misunderstand. Being a brutal dictator will GET YOU an honarary degree from America's universities, not cause it to be taken away.

"We have criminals in charge of the state, and criminals don't respect the law. If you order them off your property, you are asking for a truncheon across the head."

That is why non-criminals need the option of being armed.

Down with Robber B. Mugger!