Posted on 04/26/2018 5:56:55 PM PDT by Kaslin
The United States is supposed to be the "land of the free," a country where individualism and private property are sacrosanct. Yet it's difficult to maintain this belief while watching Courtney Moorehead Balaker's newly released movie, "Little Pink House."
The film portrays the real-life story of the determined families who fought to protect their homes in New London, Connecticut, during and after city officials' shameful attempts to evict them starting in 1998. Shockingly, in 2005, it was the Supreme Court that inflicted the ultimate defeat to the homeowners, who lost everything in the process.
Depressing, right? Actually, the movie turns out to be one of defiance and courage in the face of the government's misuse of the Constitution's takings clause (i.e., eminent domain). It's the inspiring story of the pro bono lawyers who represented the victims all the way to the Supreme Court because of their belief in economic freedom.
It's also an important reminder that the fight is never over, even after five justices ruled that it was OK for the government to confiscate private property because it thinks it would be more lucrative in the hands of others. Ultimately, it's a story of those who fight for their rights no matter how small their odds of prevailing are.
This story's main hero is Susette Kelo, the face of the rebellion and owner of the "Little Pink House." She wouldn't sell to the New London Development Corp., a private nonprofit body that wanted to use her land to build a biotech park, complete with a hotel and fancy houses. Note that we aren't talking about government's forcing people to sell their homes to build highways or hospitals. We're talking about a nongovernmental organization's being granted authority to kick people out of their homes in the name of the "public benefit." That's redefined here to mean the proceeds, real or imagined, from the giant pharmaceutical company Pfizer's constructing a global research center. The movie repeatedly treats us to a sleazy NLDC representative touting the 1,000 jobs and potential $1.3 million in annual taxes from the Pfizer investment and equating it to social justice.
The film's other heroes are the lawyers of the Virginia-based Institute for Justice. Throughout the film, they relentlessly expose an unfair system that allows a company to take someone else's property just because it can potentially generate more tax revenues. IJ defends its client before the Supreme Court, but it's clear that it is also fighting for all of us who might similarly lose our homes in the future.
It's fighting for the Motel 6 that could be displaced to build a Ritz-Carlton -- and all of the other small businesses that might stand in the way of something bigger. Though Kelo lost in a 5-4 decision, the plea for economic freedom over the unfair confiscation of private property was heard by millions of concerned Americans. The argument founded a movement that introduced legislation to curtail similar governmental actions in 21 states within a month of the infuriating ruling.
The worst villain in this movie isn't an actual person, but it's still on display throughout the film. It's the disgusting alliance between government and private businesses. Scene after scene pits a politically connected company against Kelo and friends. But these victims were visible and didn't go without a fight. Unfortunately, collateral victims don't often know that they're the victims of crony programs such as this, which protect profits rather than people.
And as if Kelo's losing her home weren't punishing enough, the saga continued after the ruling. Once Pfizer exhausted the subsidies that the city used to attract it to New London, it moved again, to collect subsidies elsewhere -- leaving behind a vacant lot where the Little Pink House once stood.
This cronyism is rampant at all levels of our government. But no matter what form it takes, it always hurts the most vulnerable and least politically connected Americans while propping up the profits of the most powerful and plugged-in companies. "Little Pink House" puts a real face on these victims and those who abused them, and it shows why we must always fight against this injustice.
This is a film I really want to see.
.
That case really got to me. I’ll never forget it.
There's a bit more to the story than this.
Pfizer was already in New London. The eminent domain case involved a redevelopment plan that would have them relocate and expand to a new building.
Shortly after the case was decided in the U.S. Supreme Court, Pfizer merged with Wyeth and the merged company consolidated its Connecticut operations. So Pfizer not only never moved into its proposed new location ... they left the city entirely.
Without Pfizer signed to a lease, the developer couldn't get financing for the project. The whole redevelopment site is vacant to this day.
It's probably a good idea to consider the site cursed ground. I'll buy a grain farm in Zimbabwe before I buy so much as a cup of coffee in New London.
I always think about where the right to bear arms figures in cases like this, though, I’m sure anyone trying to use fighting tyranny as a legal defense will lose off the bat.
It got to me, too. The U.S. Supreme Court decision was a disgrace.
It led to a constitutional amendment being adopted in Virginia to prevent such an injustice from occurring here. It is the only time I cast a ballot FOR a proposed constitutional amendment in my 36 year history of voting in Virginia.
How do we, as a Nation, allow a Judge to change the wording of the 5th Amendment to the Constitution, from “public use” to public benefit”?
I don’t suppose she could get the house back, could she???
The house has been demolished.
OOps! I thought the house was moved to somewhere else.........
Corporate welfare in all of its ugliness.
The use of arms to secure you’re rights implicitly means the law has failed and its judgments no longer carry any moral authority.
I think Thomas Jefferson, in the opening paragraphs of the Declaration of Independence, brilliantly laid out the reasons why we [thus far] tolerated such horrible behavior by our government.
This was a bad one, though. As far as I am concerned, Kelo is the single most egregious violation of the rights of The People by our highest court in at least the last 150 years. Every single justice who suppported it should have been impeached, or otherwise removed from office.
I had a yellow lab, white German Shepherd mix dog years ago and he cornered a little lizard on the back patio. My dog was a loving dog and was more scared of the lizard than the other way around. The lizard was probably a thousand or more times smaller than Yeller but he opened his mouth and made a little hiss and Yeller backed off. I grabbed the lizard and set him or her free. What I learned was that no matter the odds it’s better to go down swingin. Now my cat, she’s a cold blooded killer.
And the moral of that story is that it’s time to quit trying to be liked like a Lab, and start being feared like a cats.
Trump understood that. While the other Republicans were busy trying to be liked by everyone, we voted for Trump because he was willing to be the baddest tomcat in the alley.
I love Trump but unfortunately he has used imminent domain to his advantage if my memory serves me well.
It is a favorite club of mine to counter assertions that Progressives are more compassionate than Conservatives. The Court's Conservative wing stood up for the little people--the Liberal wing of the court sided with the corporation--in the name of tax revenue for the false idol of Government.
Sorry, it’s emminent domain and this was a travesty.
Scalia was ballistic as I recall.
Take the ferry from New London two Orient Point , L.I.
Beautiful Landscape with empt Pfizer Buildings and ...Why?
Because Democrats run CT (In to the Ground)
Everyone is leaving. Highest taxed next to CA and NY.
Buh Bye
The Congress, had it any round objects should have intervened immediately. They out rank the Judicial Branch.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.