Intercondimental crisis ( Heinz meets KELO)

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review ^ | 09-08-05 | Editorial

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Intercondimental crisis

Thursday, September 8, 2005

A state governor and strong ally of Venezuela's Marxist President Hugo Chavez seized a closed tomato-processing plant owned by H.J. Heinz Co.

The "intercondimental crisis" little affects the Pittsburgh-based food giant's operations. Gov. Jose Gregorio Briceno, while crushing property rights and saying without substance this is a job-creation measure, did not offer a plan for crushing tomatoes.

Venezuela's constitution provides for a form of eminent domain. The state may seize property for public use or in the "social interest" with compensation paid.

This, in principle, is similar to U.S. constitutional law. After the Kelo ruling this year, there is no constitutional prohibition against the government seizing land for public benefit by turning it over to a private party.

Which is what the government of Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy threatened a few years ago to benefit the H.J. Heinz Co. The fires of Pittsburgh paranoia stoked by City Hall suggested that Heinz might disappear from the local scene if it didn't get what it wanted.

There was no eminent domain lawsuit. Heinz eventually obtained the reluctant Pittsburgh Wool Co. of the North Side -- with millions in financial help from the city -- and built a warehouse.

Pittsburghers should ponder the similarities between their corporate welfare community and Marxist Venezuela...

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[martin_fierro]

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[clee1]

Couldn't happen to a more deserving couple of scumbags.