Amazing - It comes out Bush's mouth and suddenly it's a pundit talking pt.

[beaconess]

Medical malpractice/tort reform has not been an issue in this entire campaign. But Bush started whining about it on Friday night and now George Will/Cokie Roberts are talking about it as if it's the pivotal issue of the campaign.

[Cobalt Violet]

1. Are the sheep willing to go to their own slaughter on this one?

I mean I know that they all live to vote against their own interest but I thought most people aren't yet will to give up thier rights to court yet.

[izzie]

4. I am with you on this. Why would you give up your right?

Do these Conservative really think that only their rights will be kept? I do not at all under stand their thinking. I hear them say well you should not be able to sue. I mean tell me about the man that had the wrong leg cut off? Give me a brake. I think we have had these rights in some form since King John.

[Guaranteed]

5. Wrong leg cut off?

Pssh. That guy's nothin' but a WHINER.

[kizzy]

10. This goes for the physicians who shill for the insurance companies, too

I can't help but wonder how these doctors, who have aligned themselves with Republicans and the insurance companies who are gouging them to attack trial lawyers and demand caps on damage awards will feel when they succeed in their quest and then find that their malpractice premiums are STILL sky high? After all, it's not the malpractice awards that are causing the high premiums, but the insurance companies who are bleeding them dry.

Be careful what you ask for, doc.

[newyawker99]

13. Hi kizzy!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[olddem43]

2. Since lawsuits only add 1% to health care costs, -

why is this an issue? Every time the repugs bring this up that should be the answer. It is simply a phony charge that this is a big problem.

[librechik]

12. It's a diversion to keep the heat off their buddies in the insurance

industry, the pharmaceutical industry, and HMOs.

[iamjoy]

3. Actually, It Has Been An Issue

They've passed a bill in Congress, blocked in Senate.
An Amendment is on the Florida ballot to limit attorney rewards in malpractice cases. They make it sound nice like they're looking out for the victim, really what this will do is make it harder for people to sue.

[roseBudd]

6. A recent AP story on Texas told of a woman who could not sue

a contractor for a house she had just bought that was negilgently constructed. She had to pay $300,000 to correct the problems herself.

Yes that is right Texas.

Talking points for LTTEs.

Wish I could, but I can't, I work for a newspaper.

[iamjoy]

14. Valerie Lakey Was Eviscerated!

but the way the Republicans would have it, she wouldn't have been able to sue even though the company that made those defective drain covers had hidden a dozen other incidents of injury/death.

So, the message we send companies is that it is okay to break the rules, and worse still, to make unsafe products - even if some one loses their financial security, is injured or killed as a result. Let the buyer beware, I guess. Tough shit, maybe.

[beaconess]

11. It hasn't been an issue in this campaign

[Minimus]

7. They need to read the GAO report on this "issue"

http://www.atlanet.org/ConsumerMediaResources/Tier3/press_room/FACTS/medmal/GAO.aspx


Chart:

http://www.atlanet.org/ConsumerMediaResources/Tier3/press_room/FACTS/medmal/mm_hlthcosts_01.pdf


And this great article

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2003/0310.mencimer.html

[underpants]

9. Another GREAT resource

http://www.insurance-reform.org/

Big insurance companies want to make their problem your problem.

Their problem: Poor business practices, shady accounting,
money lost in the stock market, not enough profits.*

They’ve even scared some people into fighting their battle for them,
like doctors, patients, homeowners and small businesses.

Why do they want to shift their responsibility for mismanagement to us?
What else are they up to?

Insurance company proposals to weaken our civil justice system
only make rich insurance companies richer.

SAY NO!
FIGHT BACK!
JOIN AMERICANS FOR INSURANCE REFORM!

Reform the insurance industry instead of taking away rights to hold wrongdoers accountable in court.

For more information about this problem and measures that can help

[radfringe]

8. DOODY DOODY DOODY

after the 9/30 debate - the bush chorus was out in full voice yammering about "GLOBAL TEST", now it's tort reform

Jon Stewart - Daily Show - picked up on this chorus and remarked that if John Kerry had talked about duty that the GOP chorus would be all aflutter about "DOODY"

well, during the 10/8 debate it was bush* that said "DUTY" -- my partner and I burst out laughing and yelling "bush* said doody! he said doody!!!"

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/debateref...

BUSH: And I know it's necessary. I can remember being in upstate New York talking to FBI agents that helped bust a Lackawanna cell up there. And they told me they could not have performed their duty, the duty we all expect of them, if they did not have the ability to communicate with each other under the Patriot Act.

----------

DOODYDOODDYDOODYDOODDYDOODYDOODDYDOODYDOODDYDOODYDOODDYDOODYDOODDY

---------------------

ok tort reform -- we know there are people out there that are sue-happy, and alot of junk lawsuits -- but the problem is more than just filing lawsuits. if we are serious about tort reform we also have to look at the courts, the laws, the insurance companies, the reasons behind lawsuits etc. etc.

bush* has a very "simplistic" view of things -- curbing "awards" won't stop/slow law suits, capping lawyer fees won't stop/slow law suits and certainly insurance companies won't be lowering their premiums and passing the savings on to consumers

Many states have passed a NO-FAULT for car insurance -- it was suppose to lower premiums, reward good drivers... well -- how does your "good driver rewards" compare to the hikes every year in your car insurance?

Sorry, bush*'s tort reform is more gimmees to insurance companies