Rodent Regatta

”This is why we – an ardent Republican and an ardent Democrat – are announcing…

a new bipartisan coalition, Common Good (www.ourcommongood.com), to advocate a basic overhaul of our legal system.”

This is quoted from an Op-Ed piece titled We’re Reaping What We Sue in the April 17, 2002 Wall Street Journal. The editorial was jointly written by George McGovern and Alan K. Simpson – both former senators. I’m always a little leery of any of these organizations which are formed some years after politicians retire from public office. However, no cause could need as much attention as the overhaul they speak of. Whether criminal or civil, Federal or state or local, the legal system in this country which finds lawyers lining up to help people sue anyone at anytime for anything without regard to merit. Here’s another quote:

”Many disputes in social settings involve value judgments, not ’proof.’ All that’s needed to bring a lawsuit is a theory. in hindsight, it is often easy to think of something different that could have been done. Resourceful lawyers soon learned they coud bring lawsuits for almost anything, and in almost any amount. The idea of ’rights’ was turned upside down, from being a shield against abuse to being a sword for personal gain.”