Wednesday, October 19, 2005

Frivolous Lawsuits

Sometimes even CSPAN drives me nuts. It's not their fault, they broadcast the House and the Senate live. The straw that breaks the camel's back this morning is James Sensenbrenner (R Wis) introducing the "Personal responsibility in food consumption act," limiting the right of obese people to sue food companies - I kid you not.

Don't get me wrong. I'm all for personal responsibility in lots of areas. But, in the true Republican spirit of free markets, why can't we count on lawyers simply to decline to take frivolous cases? Don't bother trying to explain this to me. I really do get it already. But where is the logic that informs Republicans it's a good idea to limit liability for doctors, gun manufacturers, food companies but not to restrict the amount of toxic waste they pour into the air and water? Or the amount of critical habitat they can pave?

Who thinks Congress should spend their time on frivolous lawsuits when they could be considering solutions to health care issues, poverty, world peace, better education? Ah, maybe there's the key... education standards for national leaders.

4 comments:

Jim said...

Go Mary Ann!

I loved this rant, and I'll be back soon to read more.

Nice name for a town, Freeville...

Mary Ann said...

Yikes. Then I'd better get going and write some more.

I've heard Freeville is the only town in the US by that name. If I didn't already live here, I'd be tempted to move here - just for the name.

I enjoyed earth home garden.

Anonymous said...

Well, shucks. you gotta' know those legislators are busy earning their lobbyists $$$. Have you tried to understand the new Medicare D fiasco? The drug companies have managed to "write" it in such a confusing manner so as to make the whole thing even more ridiculous than thought possible. Seems the seniors, once they "choose" a "plan", will be locked into it for a year, barring catastrophic calamity. However, the drug companies are free to change the rules any number of times during that same year, dropping certain drugs from coverage, changing (read: increasing) the cost of others. What a mess. So, I was interested to see you write of the issues to which those legislative folks apply themselves. Out of control world, for the most part, eh?

likwidshoe said...

But where is the logic that informs Republicans it's a good idea to limit liability for doctors, gun manufacturers, food companies but not to restrict the amount of toxic waste they pour into the air and water? Or the amount of critical habitat they can pave?

Yes. Just where is that logic? I've never heard of it before. Could it be a product of your imagination?

Who thinks Congress should spend their time on frivilous lawsuits when they could be considering solutions to health care issues, poverty, world peace, better education?

Congress shouldn't be considering solutions to health care issues, poverty or education to begin with. They only make problems in those areas.