Supporting Individual Rights, Opposing Eminent Domain Abuse

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“A recent blogpost published by Doug Kendall of the Constitutional Accountability Center (with whom we sometimes work with on op-eds and briefs) criticized Cato’s involvement in Mount Holly v. Mount Holly Gardens Citizens in Action as cowardly, and inconsistent with our ideals. While Cato has great respect for any organization that, like the CAC, works “to preserve the rights and freedoms of all Americans,” their criticism of our brief is baseless, and grossly mischaracterizes Cato’s position in the case and track record generally.

While I’m wary of misrepresenting the post through over-simplification, it can be boiled down to the following:

  • Mount Holly is a case about eminent domain;
  • Pro-property rights groups (including Cato) have a history of “howling” against eminent domain;
  • Those groups’ failure to argue against eminent domain in this case (and their support of the Township of Mount Holly), is inconsistent with their previous stance on property rights, and evinces a lack of moral courage;
  • That failure can be explained because this case is also about civil rights and equality, and conservative groups hate equality, and live to help the state further oppress the downtrodden masses. “

    read the entire article

    Shapiro, Ilya. Cato Institute 31 October 2013.

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