Tort Reform: Dead presidents are reason enough to keep the ball up in the air.
Melinda Ballard
Policyholders of America
9-26-03

Picture this: You're a judge or hold some other elected office. No matter what side of the aisle you call home, you depend on campaign contributions to fuel your next big conquest.

Enter the insurance lobby flaunting fists full of dead presidents. If you will champion their cause, those crisp bills could be yours. Just ask Joe Nixon, Republican State Rep. from the Houston area who, unlike 90% of his constituents who filed insurance claims, hit the lottery at the expense of other policyholders who paid for his non-covered $312,000 claim. Old Joe got new digs, new landscape and tons of new appliances at the expense of other Farmers' policyholders in Texas. Many of his constituents got the middle finger from their insurer. Joe delivered consumer-hostile tort reform like the mailman. Of course, in the process, he probably sealed his fate as "loser" in the next election because his constituents were unimpressed with the claimola scandal in which he was embroiled. These same constituents worn their disgust on their sleeves and went to the polls and voted against the man they had elected to serve them and author of the most sweeping med mal tort reform bill ever contemplated by any state legislature. Nonetheless, the bill passed by a narrow margin.

Multiply the Nixon scandal by tons of judges and legislators who are getting the same "cash and carry" sweetheart deal. POA is fortunate enough to attract whistleblowers willing to offer up such evidence and sing like birds come the next election. Believe me, this is one juicy scandal in the making.

Now enter the lawyers - both the defense and plaintiff bars. They both stand to lose with tort reform because if there are no plaintiffs, there's no reason to hire defense attorneys. Tort reform is to lawyers, what Arafat is to Israelis: a common enemy.

Lawyers too, have plenty of dough and will spend it to jumpstart campaigns.

As long as tort reform is a hot political issue, it is a campaign contribution bonanza for Democrats and Republicans alike. The more hey they make out of the issue, the faster the money flows into the campaign coffers. The smart play is to drag out tort reform and pass nothing. Be certain to keep it in the news so that it generates lots of public debate. In other words, soak it for all it's worth.

And, while you're getting some free political advice from someone who gets paid the big bucks, find a group other than doctors to paint as victims. My doc just bought a 90 foot yacht, is on his eighth wife, he thinks he's God and he cruises around in a Viper. I simply cannot muster up sympathy for his high med mal premiums. I wish I had his problems.

1/6/04
Avoiding Self-Inflicted Claim Wounds

12/5/03
SOLUTIONS FOR HEALTHIER BUILDINGS AVOIDING WINDOW AND DOOR LEAKS

11/19/03
THE RATE GAME: A STACKED DECK AGAINST THE POLICYHOLDER.

9/26/03
Tort Reform: Dead presidents are reason enough to keep the ball up in the air.

7/21/03
Did Republicans Put Their Eggs in the Wrong Basket?

3/3/03
The Goose and the Gander

11/5/02
LET 'EM GO!

8/19/02
Yeah. That's it. Let's Blame it All on the Lawyers.

7/9/02
REFORMING TORT REFORM:
Three Strikes; You're Out

6/19/02
WANT LOWER INSURANCE RATES?
Federal Mold Bill is the Answer 

5/31/02
What's In A Name

5/6/02
ONE MAN’S GARBAGE IS ANOTHER MAN’S GOLD

4/22/02
TOXIC MOLD: The Best Thing To Hit Insurance In Years  

3/12/2002
Insurance: Another ENRON?

2/27/2002
Having a Horse in the Race

2/20/2002:
The Forest and the Trees

©2001-2005 Policyholders of America, Inc. All Rights Reserved.