Dazed and Confused (Democrats miss the clue bus, the clue train, the clue 747 …)

The American Thinker ^ | February 18, 2005 | Thomas Lifson

[quidnunc]

I find myself stunned by the magnitude of the quick victory President Bush has won on tort reform, with the new bill, now awaiting his signature federalizing most class action lawsuits. No longer will judges and juries in obscure rural counties of Illinois, Mississippi and Alabama be able to award hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars to nebulous classes of supposedly injured consumers or shareholders, at the expense of productive corporations, on the thinnest of evidence. Instead , the federal judiciary, which used to be so beloved of the Democrats when it was intervening in Southern elections, will apply uniform rules to cases of national scope, under the supervision of judges who earned their place on the bench with Senate confirmation, whenever $5 million or more in damages is sought in a class action case.

Within the first month of his second term, this long-sought goal is accomplished by President Bush, with no heavy breathing, much less muscle strain. An epic battle is won with scarcely a casualty. The tort bar is vanquished. There are still more items to address in reducing the toll this vastly wealthy interest group exacts from the wealth-producing sector of the economy, but this is a major step forward.

Keep in mind that class action litigators, with their billions a year appropriated from wealth-producers, are a key element of the Democratic Party financial base. Nobody is going to be moving from Persian-carpeted suites in high rises into the poorhouse in the next few months, but the prospect of multi-billion dollar class action settlements replenishing the ample coffers of predatory law firms is diminished, which means that future "investments" in Democrat contributions will be less generous.

-snip-

[MikefromOhio]

the clue 7e7

the clue moon

the clue planet

the clue star

the clue galaxy....

:)

[writer33]

Who is this fascist, quidnunc?

:) Hehe!

Great post!

[quidnunc]

writer33 wrote: Who is this fascist, quidnunc?

He posts on L.com under the handle Berkeley Thomas.

[highpockets]

Good read BTTT

[ArmyBratproud]

Actually, the three counties where the most class action suits are filed in Indiana (Mason), Florida, and Texas (Jefferson County).

Here in Texas...the judge issue in Jefferson County is rather notorious.


Last week, FNC reported about the 3 counties when they were talking about the Senate passing the tort reform.

No More Kickbacks and Questionable donations in Jefferson County!

The get rich quick type lawyers must feel real frustrated now.

[An Old Marine]

Excellent article.

[ArmyBratproud]

Here is some good info on the need for tort reform-

http://www.gppf.org/article.asp?RT=&p=pub/LegalReform/medical_liability.htm

"The risk of medical injury due to physician negligence is the same today as it was 30 years ago. Medical liability awards have greatly increased, medical insurance rates have greatly increased, but the risk of injury due to negligence has remained the same."

"Only 42 percent of the money awarded in medical tort cases ever reaches the patients or their families."

"33 percent goes to lawyers and 25 percent goes to administrative costs."

[writer33]

He posts on L.com under the handle Berkeley Thomas.

I'm guessing that isn't Liberal.com. :) Hehe!

Thanks for the info, Q.

[bert]

What will happen to the lawyers? Do they pay unemployment?

What of their staffs and researchers? what of the paralegals? Where can they find work?

Tech, Tech tech..........what a wonderful problem.

[RJL]

In his first term, President Bush appointed African Americans and Hispanics to powerful positions never before open to members of these groups. In his second term, he is upping the ante. The message is getting through. Actions speak louder than the words of a Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton or a Charlie Rangel. The GOP share of the black vote went from 8% to 11%. Three incremental points may not be that impressive, but it is a 37.5% increase in the share previously won. The fluid which seeps out of the first cracks in a dam is not that impressive a volume of water, either. But if the cracks are not rapidly stanched, they quickly grow. Such a prospect of a widening rift in the voting patterns of black Americans is not unrealistic, given the disarray of today’s Democrats,.

The Democrats have had the African American vote in their pocket for 50 years, but for the most part have done nothing but talk.

The "cracks" will surely grow. Democrats are now out of power in Washington and are unable to do much of anything for their voters, this will ensure Democrat defections which will weaken them further.

[N. Theknow]

But if the cracks are not rapidly stanched, they quickly grow. Such a prospect of a widening rift in the voting patterns of black Americans is not unrealistic, given the disarray of today’s Democrats,.

Blacks are to the Democrats like a live-in girl friend to a guy who has no intention of marrying.

[Goodgirlinred]

Never fear, there are always car accidents, plane and train accidents, etc. As long as there are insurance companies, they will have plenty of work.

[7thson]

Good article. But I am waiting for the first up/down judicial vote in the Senate. That will be the real test.

[Congressman Billybob]

The Democrats and the MSM are both clueless in the same way, and for the same reason. Both have as their central purpose the maintenance of their own institutional rules. Both are slowly but steadily slipping into irrelevance.

And the underlying reason for that persistent failure, day by day and year by year is the same. They do not GET THEIR FACTS STRAIGHT to begin with. And starting with a false premise, they consistently reach the wrong conclusions.

Congressman Billybob

Latest column, Confessions of a "Salivating Moron"

[wolfpat]

The Democrats and the MSM are both clueless in the same way, and for the same reason.
You say that as if they are two different entities.

[foreshadowed at waco]

I was stunned myself that the tort reform bill passed both Houses so quickly.

[Republican Babe]

Does anyone here suspect that the bill leaves many loopholes for the greedy lawyers to feast on. Wouldn't they have tried to hold it up.

[CyberAnt]

"the prospect of multi-billion dollar class action settlements replenishing the ample coffers of predatory law firms is diminished, which means that future 'investments' in Democrat contributions will be less generous"

Hmmmm ..?? Ya don't suppose that was part of the plan do ya ..?? Just another part of the Karl Rove magic.