True, but the guy that got rearended and missed a week of work would get screwed. Of course, he'd be better off dealing directly with the insurance company despite plaintiff attorney propaganda that they get taken advantage of.
I'm sure if "true", "quality" Tort Reform (with limits on awards and/or attorneys) was introduced to the American "tax-paying" public (not the "live off the government" crowd) we would probably have 80+% in favor of the plan. Regardless...this would be off the table for this Congress as it's unfortunately one of those "protected" groups (attorneys) that political parties don't touch. Most Americans (Democrats, Republicans, Independents, conservatives, liberals, moderates) are in favor of serious Immigration Reform as well...yet both major parties (Bush, Obama, McCain, etc.) are more in favor of amnesty because neither wants to offend the fastest growing demographic and risk pushing them to the other party. They're more interested in the opinions of the big-business "money" crowd (WalMart, Tyson Chicken) who make fortunes from hiring illegal aliens than what the actual voters think. Our representatives don't give a $%&! about our opinions and just do what they want. (That's pretty obvious with Health Care Reform.) Isn't it amazing how quickly they agree when it's time for a raise or additional benefit involving them? Behind closed doors I bet both parties collectively laugh their ass off at the rest of us. That's one reason I'm in favor of term limits. We don't need Senators with 40 years of so-called "service" building an empire and having far too much power. So much for "of the people", "by the people", "for the people".
personally i would like to see a law passed that would ban any donations to campaigns by corporations. why is it that insurance, and prescription drugs cost so much, much more in this country than others, why are prescription drugs 4 times more expensive in this country than in mexico? My question i guess, does corporation campaign donations drive up costs of prescription drugs and coverage? Do these corporations give so much money to legislators, and lobbyists, to push their agenda, that they need to charge insane prices to keep profits so many percentage points higher than the previous year? Greed is what is wrong with this country. We are being run by a bunch of Gordon Gecko's who's only interest is keeping the people that pad their pockets happy, which are bankers, wall street, drug, and insurance companies. Lets all be honest here, i am no republican, and i never will be, but it isn't republicans fault that nothing has been done about health care reform. Democrats own the house and senate, if they wanted something done, they have the power to do it. They just cant get their heads out of the asses of the special interest groups that run them. i also like the idea of tort reform, and i like red's idea of capping what attorney's make, instead of them getting a percentage. really all i want, is affordable health care, and affordable prescription drugs. If it has to come from washington, so be it, at least my tax dollars will be going to something that effects me and my family, and not the military industrial complex.
Let me rephrase, I don't think you follow me. What compromises are republicans willing to make for the democrats to concede limits on awards? If both sides are interested in finding a workable plan rather than expecting the other side to concede completely, it will require concessions. Republicans tend to protect businesses. Democrats tend to protect individual citizens. Moderates like me want the two parties to compromise and find a level of judgment that is neither an overcompensation to plaintiffs nor a free pass for businesses. Republicans calling for tort reform seem to be suggesting that this reform means only reducing the judgements that can be awarded to victims. I'm suggesting that to get judgement limits into the health bill, republicans must be willing to meet the democrats halfway and offer some assurances that guilty providers will still have a serious responsibility to compensate victims.
Because his case isn 't worth enough for the lawyer to take on an hourly basis. That may be the biggest crock of sh!t I've read in 7 years of TF membership. I haven't heard any GOP specifics, only that they want some form of tort reform in the bill. Limits, even generous ones need to be imposed to counter the runaway verdicts that often occur in venues like the Bronx, Jefferson County, Texas, Orleans Parish, etc. where jurors largely tend to be economic idiots. (Don't scream, stats will back me up). In "The Valley" of SW Texas, Hispanics are routinely turned into millionaires for the most routine cases. To be honest, too much tort reform would not necessarily be a good thing for insurance companies because without risk, they don't sell policies. My main concern is that the abuses in the medical malpractice arena are rampant and drive up premiums for the provider which cost is passed on to the consumer. It won't solve all of the problems but it's something. FK the lawyers. They'll still be making money.
That's your response? :dis: Then make your case. It's pretty obvious to most people that Republicans favor business rights and Democrats favor personal rights. From Wikipedia:
Red, historically i would agree with you, but that isn't the case these days, for the most part anyway, there are still some democrats who fight for the people, but i would venture to say that just as many democrats today only push the agenda that benefits the corporations who fund their campaigns. Democrats are just as crooked as Republicans are, and both are driven by special interest groups that fund their campaigns.
I was watching Bill Moyers last night on Bill Maher's show, and I think Bill Moyers said it best, and can articulate it alot better than i. Money in politics -- you’ve had in the last 30 years, money has flooded politics . .. the Supreme Court saying "money is free speech." It goes back to the efforts in the 19th Century to give corporations the right of personhood -- so if you as a citizen have the right to donate to campaigns, then so do corporations. Money has flowed in such a flood into both parties that the Democratic Party gets a lot of its support from the very interests that -- when the Republicans are in power -- financially support the Republicans. here is the link to the entire interview. Bill Moyers on the health care debate, Democrats, and Afghanistan - Glenn Greenwald - Salon.com