The Seizure of Property Without Just Compensation: Circumventing the Constitution
In the US, the 5th Amendment to the Constitution provides that “...nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation...” The purpose of this provision is to forbid the government from seizing a person’s property unless that person is justly compensated (i.e., to be paid fair market value for the seized property; this is known as “eminent domain” [or “compulsory purchase” in the UK]). Although I never particularly put thought into this Amendment, this Amendment will become relevant under a possible Socialist government under Biden and beyond.
Whenever I mention this to Leftists colleagues of mine, they say that this is nothing more than a boogeyman or a conspiracy theory based on fiction due to the 5th Amendment (and State Constitutional Amendments) already protecting private property. And for the longest time, they appeared to be correct, and I had no valid reply (after all, citing to the Soviet Union and Maoist China were inapplicable examples due to their lack of Constitutional protections to begin with).
Then suddenly it dawned on me this past weekend. I have been watching the “free stuff” riots for the preceding two months, in which BLM and Anti-fact (with the support of the Democratic Party, media, academia, big tech, corporations, sports organizations, etc…) were looting, burning down buildings, destroying private property, etc…. Some of the property damage and personal intimidation had been so intense, that many homeowners and business owners had actually abandoned their properties in some prime real estate areas. With the fear of violence that BLM and Anti-fact instill on people, these properties have zero value to them and to potential buyers, thus they cannot be sold since nobody wants to own them. (Hence, the owners literally abandoned their properties, remaining for any person/entity to seize it; whether squatters, or by banks in foreclosure, or by government by “condemning” the property). Once the property is taken by either non-government actors OR by the government by foreclosure or by condemnation of property, then the prior owner receives zero dollars for this property (hence, circumventing the eminent domain clause in the 5th Amendment).
And due to the preliminary success of this Socialist Justice program of redistribution of wealth to the undeserving and unworthy, this program will no doubt expand from commercial areas to residential areas.
The lesson here being:
- Do not study in school
- Do not work hard
- Do not save your money
- Do not make good life choices
- Just blame whitey, and
- riot, loot, burn down homes,
- And get yourself the home of your choice for free
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