OT: Why do GOP rank and file support massive product liability reform?

Vess Irvine · 2004-10-12T02:58:15+00:00

Hi guys:Point 1:I don't get it.Kerry says only 1% of healthcare costs in the USA are for medicalmalpractice insurance premiums. Others say it is even less, perhaps 1/2%. Ihave no reason to disbelieve these statistics.Putting caps on lawsuit claims for pain and suffering will not fix thesoaring cost of healthcare. That is what I read from the above paragraph.But it will make it impossible for middle class people to sue bigcorporations when a defective swimming pool drain sucks out the intestinesof their daughter, all because of a bad 2 cent screw. Without the big bucksat stake, how can the little guy afford a smart lawyer to take on thelegends of corporate lawyers?The Bush tort reform plan = taking away rights from middle class people.The rank and file of the GOP are middle class.Why do they vote against their own interests?I donna know. Go figure.Point 2:There is no such thing as a "successful frivolous" lawsuit. If a suit issuccessful, it is not frivolous, by definition. Juries are not stupid. Whenthey return a multi-million dollar penalty against a corporation, there is agood reason.And yet in the last debate, Bush sneeringly criticized frivolous lawsuits.How is it this galvanizes the GOP middle class "base?"I think it is a good thing to put the fear of retribution into the hearts ofcorporate executives. It means they will design their stuff with safety inmind. That is good.Without that fear, they WILL design stuff for profit first, and nothingelse. That is what corporations do. Eventually it catches up with them, asin the Ford SUV rollover examples. Sales of Ford Explorers cratered. But bythen, the CEO is retired and has his millions in stock options cashed in. Hedoesn't care.I want to be able to sue Ford if they kill my daughter. Bush is saying Ican't...../VDisclaimer: I am a "Ford guy." 74 Ranchero and 68 Mustang Fastback. But Inever heard of a Ranchero tipping over in a solo accident. Thanks LeeIaccocca.