Jim Hightower - What's behind "Tort Reform?"

[Democrat 4 Ever]

I received my February 2005 copy of The Hightower Lowdown* today. Good ol' Jim always has such a way with the words. He had a few choice words about "needed" tort reform from King Chimpy and his buds -

WHAT'S BEHIND "TORT REFORM"?

At George W's recent "National Economic Conference," an entire session was devoted to bashing trial lawyers. Home Depot's CEO, Bob Nardelli, a fat-cat Bush donor, wailed that his $64-billion-a-year retailing Goliath is a target for pesky consumers and their lawyers. "You've got deep pockets colliding with shallow principles," Bob snorted, drawing guffaws from an appreciative George, who is demanding that Congress limit the rights of consumers to bring lawsuits against Home Depot.

Missing from Bush's BashFest was Mary Penturff. Even if invited, she couldn't have come, for her head was crushed by a 75-pound box that fell from one of Home Depot's "high-stack" shelves. Nor could Janessa Horner be there since the body of her three year old was shattered by wood fragments when more than a ton of kitchen countertops fell 10 feet from a Home Depot forklift.

Nardelli tries to keep secret the number of people killed or maimed by Home Depot, which has been labeled "the most dangerous store in America," but it was reported recently that they were getting 185 injury claims per week. It's more profitable for boss Bob to settle with the families than to change the dangerous way his stores operate—and better yet if Bush succeeds in getting Congress to keep families like those of Mary Penturff and Janessa Horner from suing Home Depot for their loss, pain, and suffering.

http://www.hightowerlowdown.org/articles/feb05_v7_n2/Shorts.cfm#4

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