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Why tort reform is not part of the health care package...

... despite the fact that everyone knows it would dramatically reduce medical costs.

Let's see if you can connect the dots.

Dot A: progressive/liberal-philosopher guru (and occasionaly Obama campaign consultant) George Lakoff:

Another multifaceted conservative strategic initiative is "tort reform," which has been made to sound like it is just about capping large damage awards and lawyers' fees. It is really a destruction of the civil justice system's capacity to deter corporations from acts that harm the public, since it is the lawyers' fees that permit the system to function. Moreover, if successful, it will also dry up one of the major sources of campaign finance for progressive candidates, which comes from trial lawyers.


Dot B: presidential campaign contributions 2008 from Lawyers and Lobbyists:

Lawyers & Lobbyists
Obama, Barack $43,440,058
Clinton, Hillary $16,941,277
McCain, John $11,290,948


Dot C: President Obama does not want tort reform as part of the health care package.

Gee. This has been a tough one.
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Comments

Miko said…
Killing everyone on the planet would drastically reduce medical costs too. Doesn't mean that it's a good idea.
June 25, 2009 at 4:28 PM
Anonymous said…
Steve wrote:

.. despite the fact that everyone knows [tort reform] would dramatically reduce medical costs.

Don't you just love "everyone knows" statements? I know that I do.

So, Professor Newton, can you please cite a credible academic reference or Government study to support this "everyone knows" assertion?

I think it should be easy since ""everyone knows."

anonone
June 25, 2009 at 4:57 PM
Anonymous said…
About half of the states have enacted "tort reform" legislation over the past several years. Many of these states have enacted strict caps on noneconomic damages and regulated the way lawyers are compensated. In some states the number of malpractice cases have been significantly reduced.

And guess what? In not a single state has "tort reform" lowered medical costs. It doesn't even slow down the rate of increase.

So much for what everybody knows.
June 25, 2009 at 9:04 PM
Nancy Willing said…
PWN'd??
June 26, 2009 at 12:40 PM
G Rex said…
Pwned? Really?

Click here for a study on the increase of Caesarian section deliveries in response to lawsuits against OB/Gyns and subsequent increase in malpractice insurance for that specialty:

http://www.advance.uconn.edu/2008/080902/08090203.htm

Who was it that made ll that money convincing juries that all those medical experts were wrong about the cause of Cystic Fibrosis? Oh yeah, it was John Edwards. And what is it, 95% of Congressmen who are lawyers? Not expecting anything that hurts that lobby any time soon.
June 26, 2009 at 10:14 PM
Anonymous said…
*Crickets Chirping*

Steve, I hope you find your critical thinking hat again.

What "everyone knows" often ain't so.

anonone
June 28, 2009 at 5:45 PM
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