Hard to define an amount of money as being worth something other than that amount of money, but the socialists would try. Or just tax it 100 percent if you don’t hand it over to the government. This is what makes Roberts’ decision so insidious; through a tax, you can violate all the other parts of the constitution. It is the end of the Republic and our rights as citizens, as a legal matter, unless a later court repudiates it.
“Hard to define an amount of money as being worth something other then that amount of money”
Ah, but your using the old standard definition of “just compensation” as equivalent to the market value of whatever’s been confiscated. But we have this new—or not do new but newer than regular old justice—concept of “social justice.” It’s like justice, but only benefits politically favored groups. Since we have a living Constitution “just compensation” now reads “socially just compensation.” And the floodgates are open.
“unless a later court repudiates it”
I have been hoping after someone actually pays it the penaltax/taxelty will be struck down as an illegal head tax. But I doubt it. Also, I had been lamenting Roberts’ infamy as the end of our Republic, but must admit that he was anticipated by previous cases, including Helvering and Steward Machine Company. If not during the Civil War, our system failed in 1937. The Annis horrilibus.