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2004-07-13 Home Front: Politix

Edwards starting to make his presence felt in the polls

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Posted by Damn_Proud_American 2004-07-13 11:44|| || Front Page|| [1 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 As a North Carolinian I could have told you that Edwards wouldn't much affect the race here. Charlotte's mayor has already come out and said Edwards has been absent in NC for the last 6 years. There was a good chance he would not have been reelected as senator if he had run. The more people learn about this trial lawyer, his voting record and his absenteeism from his senate job the less favorable people may see him.

Posted by AF Lady 2004-07-13 12:21:44 PM|| 2004-07-13 12:21:44 PM|| Front Page Top

#2 Felt? No. I think he likes John better.

Posted by Thresea 2004-07-13 12:21:53 PM|| 2004-07-13 12:21:53 PM|| Front Page Top

#3 Careful on the trial lawyer part, folks. Lotsa common folks out there think a trial lawyer is on their side against the evil insurance companies, etc. Fact is, for the average working joe/joan, a trial lawyer might just be the best advocate they'll ever have.

Posted by Steve White 2004-07-13 5:17:44 PM|| 2004-07-13 5:17:44 PM|| Front Page Top

#4 He's actually been a fairly strong supporter of democracy promotion. Not clear how that will fit in with Kerry's striped pants "realism". Also had Larry Diamond of Hoover Institution as a foreign policy advisor - LD was another democracy promoter, who actually worked for the CPA IIUC. IF Kerry want to run a "It was right to go into Iraq, but Dubya didnt do it quite right" campaign, this could be interesting. Unfortunately he alienates over half the Dem party if he does that, and they might either sit it out or vote for Nader.

Posted by Liberalhawk 2004-07-13 5:31:13 PM|| 2004-07-13 5:31:13 PM|| Front Page Top

#5 Fact is, for the average working joe/joan, a trial lawyer might just be the best advocate they'll ever have.

Take a look at the guy's cases. Was he suing for millions and millions? If judgements in his favor were for really large sums of money, I'd suspect that gunning for big paydays was more of an objective than an interest in being some sort of voice for the little guy.

Posted by Bomb-a-rama 2004-07-13 5:48:53 PM|| 2004-07-13 5:48:53 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 "Take a look at the guy's cases. Was he suing for millions and millions? If judgements in his favor were for really large sums of money, I'd suspect that gunning for big paydays was more of an objective than an interest in being some sort of voice for the little guy."

No doubt. But that's because he's him--not because he's a trial lawyer.

Another, easier-to-understand example: Warren Hern, "M.D." is responsible for perfecting the partial birth abortion technique (which is nothing more than a modifcation of another technique performed in utero, which he also developed) --not because he's a physician, but because he's him.

Scumbags are scumbags--regardless of their profession.

Even though Edwards might suck, the conservatives should get off the big-business payola of the insurance companies and support the lawyers and our consitutional right to jury trial. Despite the inequities and rip-offs that happen, when it all shakes out, the little guy stands a much better chance. It's a shame that the insurance companies and other business interestss have made ATLA pretty much a one-party organization.

Posted by ex-lib 2004-07-13 6:19:28 PM|| 2004-07-13 6:19:28 PM|| Front Page Top

#7 I know it is crazy to say nice things about lawyers, but since I have been in the business since 79, conservatives sometimes don't realize that there are plenty of little guys that get help by lawyers. No silk-stocking $450 per hour lawyer is going to take the case of a factory worker's kid who has become a vegetable because of a hung-over surgeon. It will be some variety of "ambulance chaser"if you will. The $450 per hour guy/gal will be working for the insurance company just as hard to make sure that family doesn't get one penny. It's a wicked world.

Posted by Sgt.DT 2004-07-13 7:45:48 PM|| 2004-07-13 7:45:48 PM|| Front Page Top

#8 1. Fact is, for the average working joe/joan, a trial lawyer might just be the best advocate they'll ever have.
Trial lawyers looking out for the little guy? LOL. I don't think so. Because of excessive tort litigation, the majority of "little guys" in America end up paying "tort tax" which is increasing each year.
...Tillinghast-Towers Perrin, an independent consulting firm, reports that in 2002, the total costs from tort litigation jumped by 13 percent to $233 billion. That's an astonishing 2.23 percent of our entire Gross National Product, and these costs are passed on to all consumers in the form of higher prices for goods and services. According to the Department of Treasury, this "tort tax" works out to $809 for every individual and more than $3,200 for a family of four, every year...
In fact, because of the out-of-control trial litigation situation in America, Congressman Chocola and Senator Lindsey Graham have introduced "loser pays all" legislation, called the Legal Expense Equity Act of 2004, similar to what many Western countries have in place for years, so that U.S. trial lawyers and their clients think twice before filing a frivolous lawsuit.

2. No silk-stocking $450 per hour lawyer is going to take the case of a factory worker's kid who has become a vegetable because of a hung-over surgeon
I would suggest to you that the number of "hung over" surgeons causing a vegetative state in the patient actually occured in maybe 1 case out of the hundreds of thousands of lawsuits filed in the past 20 years. More likely are hundreds of thousands of frivolous, trolling for an out-of-court settlement lawsuits filed against excellent and dedicated physicians.
...Frivolous lawsuits brought by irresponsible trial lawyers are hurting our nation-driving up healthcare costs, putting doctors out of business, eliminating thousands of jobs, while devastating our economy,â Chocola said. âIt is time to reform the tort process by ensuring that both defendants and plaintiffs have a vested interest in each case brought before a judge...

http://www.cse.org/informed/issues_template.php?issue_id=1768

3. Here's an excellent website that Laura Ingraham, a constitutional lawyer herself, links to for further information on the excesses of tort litigation in the USA and the need for reform:
http://www.pointoflaw.com/

Posted by rex 2004-07-13 9:35:49 PM|| 2004-07-13 9:35:49 PM|| Front Page Top

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