Posted on 07/14/2005 9:51:41 AM PDT by Tumbleweed_Connection
President Clinton yesterday added his voice to a growing chorus of Americans of various political persuasions who disagree with a recent Supreme Court ruling that upheld the government's use of eminent domain powers to take private property from one owner and give it to another.
Speaking to a conference of liberal college students, ...Clinton stated his disagreement with the court's decision last month, by a 5-4 vote, to allow a Connecticut city to carry out a redevelopment project by seizing 15 properties over the owners' objections.
...Clinton's views on the issue did not appear ironclad. After offering his assessment, he added, "I might be wrong." He also flubbed the name of the city involved, which was New London, not Norwalk.
In his speech, ...Clinton also criticized press coverage of statements his wife, Senator Clinton, has made recently in which she appeared to stray from a doctrinaire line advanced by abortion rights advocates...
"I wouldn't make that old lady in Norwalk sell her house," the former president said. "She was all 70 years or 80 years old. I thought it was wrong."
The former president used the example to illustrate his belief that few Americans are strictly orthodox in their political views. He said it was the first time he could remember agreeing with a dissent filed by two of the court's most conservative members, Justices Scalia and Thomas.
"I never thought it would happen," said ...Clinton, who once taught constitutional law... in Arkansas.
Property-rights activists, who have deplored the ruling, said they were delighted and not entirely surprised to have ...Clinton speak out against the decision.
"That underscores what we've seen since the opinion was announced, this outrage from liberals and conservatives, Republicans and Democrats alike..." said Chip Miller, a spokesman for a conservative legal group, the Institute for Justice.
(Excerpt) Read more at nysun.com ...
Gee...uh, thanks Bill. But when we want your opinion, we will ask for it. Now go back into obscurity.
If he meant that in general, he might be wrong, then this was the only time I've heard him tell the truth.
well thank you Bill!
While everyone in Washington should have stood up and recoiled at what the socialists on SCOTUS did, beware that only Billy Boy is talking about this...we know this pair too well to trust in anything about them, except their radical lust for self and power, at any price.
Even a broken clock is right twice a day.
Name one..?
Well I guess Clinton is saying we need more Justices in line with Rhenquist, Scalia, and Thomas....
Taking a page out of John Fraud Kerry's playbook. Play both sides in case you need to change positions...
Unfortunately, he hasn't obscured himself since Jan. 20, 2001. I am also getting sick and tired of the press constantly reporting what Slick thinks of this or that.
I'm not suprised to hear him speak out against it. I am suprised it took so long for Hillary to figure out the mood of the American people and give him permission to speak.
I may be wrong, but didn't Clinton take private property to build his library?
Bill says postive things that are irrelevant.
Then the MSM will implay that Third Way Hitlary actually said it.
Has Bush condemned the ruling yet? It would be hilarious if Clintpon beat him to it. And also very very sad.
His appointees did it.
Say what you want about Clinton, but I don't hear any Republicans sticking up for anything conservative, including the Second Amendment or the duty of the Federales to defend this country against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
The Clinton Legacy!
Someone should ask the slickster why his wife doesn't immediately co sponsor federal legislation to undo the decision.
Look for the Bitch he calls a wife to follow suit in opposing it.
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.