Musings of the Chronologically Challenged™ Fourth Generation

 


IN-BOX -- Maria and Tom - SLC, Utah

I received a comment from my dearly beloved liberal friends in Salt Lake City on this quote posted Jan 8: "Well, folks, it's started – the presidential race. Democratic Senator John Edwards of North Carolina, who is also a personal injury attorney, has announced he's running for president in 2004. Good slogan, too: "Elect me and there will be one less lawyer." -- Jay Leno

Says Maria and Tom: "How come everytime Edwards' name is mentioned it is followed by "personal injury attorney or "who made millions as a trial lawyer"? Why isn't Bill Frist noted as "having made millions from a medical corporation that recently settled a medicaid fraud suit with the government for over $175,000,000", or George W. Bush, who "turned a $600,000 investment in the Texas Rangers into a 16 million dollar fortune by being the son of the sitting president"? Me thinks it is the propagation of the right wing to further smear a man who actually took cases for the little people against the powerful corporations. If anyone would look at the cases he won instead of assuming they were another McDonald's coffee suit or tobacco class action, they would see he really has helped those seeking true justice. What everyone forgets is that it was the juries who awarded those big damages and they are you and me, not professional jurors. I oppose and fight trial lawyers for a living as an Insurance Adjuster for a large national insurer and am in favor of tort reform within reason, but to try and limit damages to the GOP planned $250K would be a travesty to the working people of this country who sometimes do need to have help in getting JUSTICE! And that's my two cents."

Indigo's Response: "Add my 5 cents to your 2!!! I agree totally with your 2, other than your exception to the Leno comment. (It's a joke, son; a joke!) Leno is fairly level-handed in bashing. Just so happened that particular night Edwards' announcement set up a better joke. As to Edwards and Frist being described differently in regard to their millions", it seems to depend on who is reporting. i.e., why do commentators refer to Repubs as "conservative", but never put the "liberal" label on Dems? Just politics as usual, in my eyes. I, too, worked in insurance claims for seven years and totally agree on the need for tort reform. When liability has been assigned, claimants who will need life-long care SHOULD get large enough awards for that care. As you pointed out, cases such as McDonald's and the tobacco companies have left such negative impressions in the public's collective mind, some juries truly penalize the "poor slobs" and do not award what they deserve. Wrong. Wrong!! WRONG!!! but c'est la vie. A step in the right direction might be for DC politicians to be mindful of the welfare of ALL Americans, rather than what would be advantageous for either lawyers or doctors, or Democrats or Republicans. And that's MY nickel!"



posted by HCL at 2:13 PM