A Repug After All?

I’ve admired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens in the past for his rulings and his outspoken nature, because I usually think he’s right (he was dead-on in his assessment of the court’s performance in the Florida vote recount in November 2000, for example).

However, this particular quote from a recent speech in Las Vegas concerns me (as documented in "The Waah" as Atrios calls it...couldn't find any lamenting of poor, victimized Judy Miller today):

His own view (concerning the Connecticut "eminent domain" decision), Justice Stevens told the Clark County Bar Association, was that "the free play of market forces is more likely to produce acceptable results in the long run than the best-intentioned plans of public officials."

(Yes, I know I initially defended the eminent decision in a half-hearted way because I thought, based on the way the judges ruled, that they would rather let private entities have the right of eminent domain than the federal government, and in this particular case, Stevens and the majority thought it was an appropriate use. However, upon further reading and consideration, I realize what a bad precedent the Supremes set by this, though I expect that another case will one day make it to a hearing with them and they will rule in such a way as to invalidate the initial decision and probably create a new set of problems in the process.)

I think Stevens, at this stage of the game, is trying to just play the “elder statesman” and go out being loved by all (go ahead and rip the death penalty – that plays well). In a way, I can’t blame him, but in the process, I hope he doesn’t accidentally give aid and comfort to all of the right-wing zanies trying to get Roberts confirmed to “the show.”