Virginia Sliding Under Trial Lawyer Ally Tim Kaine
|
|
An outfit that ranks states on the basis of potential litigation against private business used to have Virginia ranked 2nd in the nation, but that ranking has dropped to number 8 in just one year — and guess what? They list Governor Tim Kaine as the very reason for the slide. There are a number of interesting issues in this study, but the main one is that Kaine has been detrimental for business, as it relates to their exposure to litgataion and torts
See the study here. Virginia is on page 3.
Here’s a quote from Virginia’s entry:
Based on disappointing 2007 election results, there is a one-vote pro-plaintiffs’ lawyer majority in the state Senate. Governor Timothy Kaine is considered an activist and opponent of liability reform. He is, for example, pursuing state-level climate change policy that may subject businesses to new areas of liability.
In other words, Kaine has taken the side of ambulance chasers over those who create jobs. What do you expect from a former ACLU lawyer?
Ambulance chasers vs. those who create jobs?
1. Who are “those” who create jobs? Name them.
2. How are trial lawyers so evil?
The Oath:
HB 172 was a huge victory for the Trial Lawyers, maybe you will benefit, but like the rest of us joe sixpacks…. we’ll just be paying higher auto insurance premiums…
http://www.spankthatdonkey.com/spankthatdonkey2/2008/3/10/trial-lawyers-victorious-hb-172-passes-house-senate.html
Folks… this is bad legislation, trust me.
Oath –
I don’t know how difficult it could be to understand. Those who create jobs are private sector companies, for example Philip Morris, USA, which until recently was the largest non-government employer in Virginia. (If you have to ask what I meant by “those who create jobs” then you have qualified for your junior Karl Marx Club fanzine subscription. Watch your mailbox for the newest edition.)
That kind of company is the sort that creates jobs. You know, how they sell a product the people want, make money and hire people? A foreign concept to some, but not amongst those who don’t hate capitalism.
In answer to your second question, the exact thing wrong with trial lawyers is that they sue businesses, extracting outrageous sums out of them (torts), thereby making business too expensive to conduct, thereby killing jobs.
First was asbestos, then tobacco, now the global warming hysteria market … who’s next? Trans fats? Alcohol? Pick one to sue. Let’s bleed capitalism dry, shall we?
The tort industry is now the 17th largest economy in this country. It makes a few lawyers very rich and eliminates thousands of jobs.
And Tim Kaine is their prince.
Here’s something else I just thought of, though I don’t know why it didn’t occur to me before.
One of the biggests mouths about the cost of health care has been former North Carolina Senator John Edwards (D-Lawyer Lobby).
Let’s examine this irony for a second.
John Edwards got substantially wealthy from suing doctors and health care interests. He then goes on the war path and rails against the high cost of health care.
Does anyone know what contributes to the cost of health care the greatest, as far as doctor-level costs go? That’s right. Malpractice insurance. And why do they need malpractice insurance?
Because of trial lawyers.
Now, that, if you will pardon the pun, is rich.
I hope that helps answer your questions, The Oath.
First of all, there is little the governor could do in one year to substantially increase the number of lawsuits in the state. The supposition is illogical.
Secondly, malpractice insurance is a miniscule contributor to health care costs - read the book “Slaves to Medicine” written by a Republican doctor in Texas if you want real insight (beyond bumper sticker slogans) into why health care is as costly as it is.