17 Aug 2005 Liberty Matters: Property Rights May Be a Major 2006 Election Issue

The Liberty Matters News Service, writing August 5, had some good news for property rights advocates:

The Supremes’ decision in Kelo v. New London in June has had some unforeseen results; people in all walks of life have suddenly realized their homes are not secure from government seizure and are taking steps to correct the problem. ‘A property rights revolt is sweeping the nation, and Alabama is leading it,’ said Republican governor Bob Riley, as he signed the nation’s first bill to prohibit local governments from seizing private property to turn it over to other private interests. The Kelo decision has been a wake-up-call for those who have long considered property rights concerns to be ‘red state’ issues. ‘A recent Wall Street Journal/NBC poll found that Americans cite private property rights as the current legal issue they care most about.’ Donald Lambro, writing for the Washington Times said; ‘[T]he property rights movement, which had been somewhat moribund before the court acted, has spawned what many political strategists expect to be a major issue in the 2006 election cycle.’