Bush Moves to Protect Private Property

On this one year anniversary of the infamous Kelo decision, President Bush has issued an Executive Order protecting private property:

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and to strengthen the rights of the American people against the taking of their private property, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Policy. It is the policy of the United States to protect the rights of Americans to their private property, including by limiting the taking of private property by the Federal Government to situations in which the taking is for public use, with just compensation, and for the purpose of benefiting the general public and not merely for the purpose of advancing the economic interest of private parties to be given ownership or use of the property taken.

I don't know why this couldn't have been done a year ago, but it's welcome nonetheless. You can read the entire order here.