Property Rights Protect the Poor

Stephen Greenhut writes about the horrible legacy of the recently-overturned Poletown decision. Though there hasn't been much in the news about it recently, the Tuscaloosa Downtown Project is still in the works. Thanks to Sen. Richard Shelby, the politically-unconnected businesses in downtown are getting the boot so that the land can be given to private developers to put in high-rent offices and shops. Greenhut is right--property rights are most important for the poor and those without political pull. When property rights are not secure, the rich and powerful can use government to take what they want from everyone else. There is no difference between "property rights" and "human rights." Without property rights, you have no rights at all.