BUSINESS: Bush Curbs Class-Action Lawsuits

President George.W. Bush today signed into law new legislation to curb class-action lawsuits after business argued they were overburdened by the costs of the suits. Opponents say the legislation will make it harder for ordinary citizens to hold big companies to account. "This legislation essentially denies consumers access to a uniquely important legal tool against corporate wrongdoing," said Rachel Weintraub of the Consumer Federal of America.



It's payback time !!!

Yep, that's right G.W.Bush now has to repay all those campaign "donations".

But no one can say they didn't know Bush's priorities before the election. No excuses.

"It shows we're making important progress toward a better legal system," Bush said in a White House East Room signing ceremony.

Yeah.........another one for the corporate world. And like you said a payback for the nice campaign and the lavish inauguration.

And as usual the wealthy wins and the rest of Americans loses.

American people has become powerless against big government and its interest.

Oh, marg, you won't get any more checks for $0.50!

I think this is a great law, class-action lawsuits are a scourge that hurt most consumers, not help them. The only people to gain from these lawsuits are trial lawyers.

All I can say to those who voted for Bush is this - when you get screwed by some Corporation, don't come whining to me. You brought this hell upon yourselves. Unfortunately you also dragged everyone else along for the ride.

Just you wait - it's going to get a lot worse.

Originally posted by Pisky
All I can say to those who voted for Bush is this - when you get screwed by some Corporation, don't come whining to me.

You can still sue, there is nothing to prevent that, but if your suit does not have merit, its going to get tossed. And as the previous poster pointed out, that 50 cent check usually means a price hike for goods and services down the road.

This law helps stop corporations from getting screwed by trial lawyers who file these class action lawsuits in one of only about 3 counties in the entire United States! The law makes large class action suits be filed in Federal court, which is logical since they cover millions of people in multiple states. It doesn't protect corporations from being punished for wrong doing, it only prevents trial lawyers from taking advantage of them by cherry-picking favorable districts to grant settlements that end up in millions of dollars in legal fees but just 50 cent checks or even coupons for the plaintiffs.

Originally posted by djohnsto77
Oh, marg, you won't get any more checks for $0.50!

I think this is a great law, class-action lawsuits are a scourge that hurt most consumers, not help them. The only people to gain from these lawsuits are trial lawyers.

Hey I have nothing against getting the middle man out of the way, I used to work for a lawyer and is a scam.

But at the same way we are going to lose at the end, believe it or not.

Now money can be used to pay off for better lawyers to help the corporations win.

The lawyers just will move from one side to the other.

Darn it!

There goes my lawsuit against McDs because I got fat eating their food. Now what am I going to do?

Yeah, and there goes the class action law-suits for the 27,000 heart attacks attributed to viox.http.www.msnbc.msn.com/background/drugs/cox2
You middle-class Republicans had better wake-up. Bush doesn't give a s--- about you.

kazi, your link doesn't work (at least for me, just get a blank page)

But nonfrivilous lawsuits will not be affected by this new law, they will be tried in federal court and if they are valid the plaintiffs will prevail and get a meaningful settlement.

You clearly did nto read the law. Existing class action suits would go foreward. Also, if most of the people effected were in one state it can be filed at the state level. Also, the Vioxx suit has merit based on open literature and would continue albeit in Federal court.

Originally posted by kazi
Yeah, and there goes the class action law-suits for the 27,000 heart attacks attributed to viox.http.www.msnbc.msn.com/background/drugs/cox2
You middle-class Republicans had better wake-up. Bush doesn't give a s--- about you.

kazi, I apologize for seeming to take this lightly. Not 10 minutes ago I read a link to the committee hearing on this bill posted by soficrow 1/31/05. It was all about obesity and suing fast food restaurants.

No one takes responsibility for their own actions any more. Always blaming someone else.

Now in the example you posted this was a real problem and I believe it will be addressed as others have mentioned.

Hey, I agree there are class action lawsuits that make me want to puke, Johnny Cochran has won his share in Mississippi-the pig--I just think there needs to be more effort spent on definning frivelous vs. legitimate.

Originally posted by djohnsto77
kazi, your link doesn't work (at least for me, just get a blank page)

But nonfrivilous lawsuits will not be affected by this new law, they will be tried in federal court and if they are valid the plaintiffs will prevail and get a meaningful settlement.

The problem is how to make the connection between them and the corporations has plenty of money to make sure they all be called "frivolous"

This just another slap on the consumer face for going against big daddy.

wow the little man gets pissed on again....

Histrionics Versus Reasoned Discussion

I see a lot of hot air being blown around in this thread, but little substance.

For those who are ignorant of how the U.S. government functions, it is our House of Representatives and Senate that vote legislation up or down, and the president may either veto it or sign it into law.

The president can promote and lobby for legislation, but he doesn't get to vote on it -- only veto it if he doesn't like it.

We elect our representatives by voting for them, and a majority of them in both houses decided this was a good law.

If you have a problem with that, then you have a problem with our system of government.

I'm personally concerned about elements of this law, but I am more trusting of the wisdom of my elected representatives than I am of people on these forums with track records of lying to me and throwing insults around in apparent disregard for facts and truth.

The “Bush is the source of all evil” rhetoric is false, tiresome and exposes those who keep parroting it as people whose minds and opinions are for rent to the lowest bidder.

Give it a rest, for Pete's sake.

Try intelligent and informed commentary instead of breathless alarmism, insults, name-calling and deliberately spreading lies, and maybe those of us who value truth might start giving you more of our attention.

Sorry about the website not working. I don't know what happened. hopefull;y it won't happen again.

funny how viox and bextra anounce inmediatly that they will be back in the market thinks like this make you go hum.............................big daddy at work for profits not your safety.

Good news for me! Georgia-Pacific stock goes up!!!!!!!!!!!!