Re: class action madness continues

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"absolute power corrupts absolutely" Lord Acton

The main parties are simply two sides of the same coin and the
public will continue to be a pawn for them. The two party
system is archaic and allows a sort of corporate anarchy to
thrive.

Class action suits rarely benefit the victim, but do, in some
cases, benefit the larger public because of gross dangers that
they are alerted about. Without stellar awards, why would most
lawyers risk careers, lives, etc.. to take on these giants?
There are not that many altruistic individuals out there,
unfortunately.

On 4/15/04, Greg Weatherman wrote:
> Mary,
>
> This is the definition of disproportionate awards. The
> residents of Anniston, AL have suffered for years while the
> company responsible claimed they were either crazy or the
> health problems were not related. They should be compensated
> but, why do they get so little?
>
> Their individual medical bills in one year alone would
> surpass the indivual awards. Why couldn't the attorneys get
> a higher award for the ones who suffered?
>
> Shouldn't judges step forward and make sure the victims come
> first? That's not democracy. That's hogs at a muddy trough.
>
> The problem starts with the judge who allows this to happen.
> next comes equal blame for both legal teams for different
> reasons:
>
> 1) The defense team wants a total figure to give accountants,
> bankers and insurance companies so they can incorporpate it
> to the bottom line of the company. They can't leave the
> checkbook open or the company stock will lose value. Who is
> the company? Monsanto? I bet the amount awarded is chump
> change since it is comparable to the yearly political
> donations or PR programs.
>
> 2) The plaintiff team clearly did not do their clients a
> favor. These attorneys should be compensated for their time,
> enormous investment and good work. They sould get a higher
> award since they are representing victims who need help or
> will need help. This was their original task when they were
> hired by the victims.
>
> The whole scenario reminds me of the asbestos lawsuits. In
> the Washington DC area, we are incessantly barraged by
> commercials for and against the proposed "asbestos bailout"
> bill in Congress. This would let companies of the hook for
> past judgements. The arguments are good on both sides. They
> have lumped everything into one.
>
> What is lost is the individuality. Some suffer more than
> others and deserve more compensation. Some companies are
> much more guilty than others and deserve to pay more. The
> attorneys are living large. The politicians are greased to
> the point of becoming another OPEC nation. The politicians of
> both parties are complete idiots with nary an original idea
> in their enormous heads propped-up by stiffly starched, white
> collars. I often wonder how they can stand or walk given
> their spineless nature.
>
> This is like lazy contract managers who want to lump every
> service or supply into one prime contract even if the price
> is ridiculous. Afterall, this thinking leaves more time for
> doing nothing while looking busy for the news cameras.
>
> The federal governments should take a reasonable amount of
> money from these companies to put into a special social
> security account to take care of vicitms as the need arises.
> Each victim or their families should get the full award if
> they develop the illnesses atributed to asbestos. The
> government could earn interest on the money while
> administering the funds. The companies could get-on with
> their commercial lives. The economy would benefit by
> increased jobs since someone like US Gypsum is obviously a
> company with something to sell that has enormous impact on
> the economy. The government would also get more revenue by
> the increases in economic gains like jobs and taxes.
>
> Why can't the knotheads on Capitol Hill and the White House
> figure it out? The Republicans (not the party of Lincoln)
> are a pack of thieves waving their bibles like really bad
> southern salesmen(FF and JC will understand this picture). I
> stated just after Dubya was awared the election how the
> scenario was like Warren G. Harding winning the first vote
> women were allowed to participate under the Constitution.
>
> The Democrats have no self confidence since they have no
> identity the electorate will buy. Their ineptitude is only
> surpassed by their penchant for clinging to fringe goups
> arguments while ignoring the common person. They have
> forgotten the Roosevelts. The Roosevelts were known for
> helping the common person as "quickly" as possible (this is
> called PROGRESSIVE not LIBERAL). Teddy ran Carnagie and the
> other monopolizing tycoons out of town and FDR promised "a
> chicken for every pot".
>
> "Those who don't study history are doomed to repeat it"
> (someone said it).
>
> Oh, I know, Ralph Nader will save the beleagured
> mortals...........afterall, he first told us the Chevy
> Corvair was a bad car because it was so unsafe. Detroit gave
> us gas-guzzling battleships while the Japanese and Europeans
> took the automarket and the jobs with cars that closely
> resembled the old Chevy Corvairs. Dubya probably gives
> donations (secretly) to Ralph Nader while snickering. I bet
> Dubya does a wild chicken dance every time the news cameras
> show Ralph Nader campaigning.
>
> The courts will continue to be a problem no matter who wins
> since none of these guys have a track record for the common
> person AND intellectual ability. (A politician with
> intellectual ability does not compare the current Iraq
> mission to Vietnam unless they want to insult everyone who
> ever died or was wounded in a GI uniform.)
>
> That's my soapbox from the Beltway for the next few weeks.
> I've got reports to get done if I want to get paid.
>
> Regards,
>
> Greg Weatherman
> Aerobiological Solutions Inc.
> Arlington VA 22202
>
> gw@aerobiological.com
>
>
> ************************************
>
> On 4/14/04, mary wrote:
>> And this mass tort class action nonsense is a good idea
>> for plaintiffs?
>>
>> Mary
>>
>> From the AP:
>>
>> "BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - A $300 million settlement of
>> federal claims over PCB contamination in Anniston, Ala.,
>> will give plaintiffs an average of $7,725 each while
>> paying their attorneys millions apiece - including $29
>> million to the firm of California celebrity lawyer Johnnie
>> Cochran."
>>
>> See more at the AP website
>>
>> http://fsnews.findlaw.com/articles/ap_stories/f/1310/3-23-
>> 2004/20040323140003_20.html

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