As you all know, the State Supreme Court invalidated Wisconsin's "Medical Damages" legislation because the cap on damages did not meet the Court's concept of what's right.
So our Leggies went back to "work," coming up with another law. Doyle vetoed it. Now, of course, the screaming commences: "Doyle's in the Pocket of the Trial Lawyers!!" or in the alternative: "The Republicans' Cap is Too Small!!"
yah, hey.
A friend called and mentioned that the deal could be done. While the PI lawyers want a $1 million cap and the MD's/Hospitals want a $450K cap, it would be no big deal to split the difference and simply call it a day at (say) $750K. Everybody would be happy, including the Supremes.
So why not?
Because certain Republican Leggies will NOT allow this to happen. They want a Gubernatorial campaign issue (can you say Mark Green/John Gard?) and if common sense prevails, there will be no ISSUE!!
Another reminder why Conservatives are often NOT Republicans. Who needs their crap?
Yet another reason why professional politicians like John Gard should be thrown out of office. Only now the little dummy is running for Congress...and positioning his primary opponent, Terri McCormick, so that none of her legislation even gets a vote in the Legislature. This guy is simply a jerk. And his supporters either are hoping to gain something from him, or owe him something.
ReplyDeleteIn Wisconsin it's called pay-for-play. Most legal people would simply call it bribary.
Conservatives have been known to regard as problematic that a "Court invalidated ... legislation because [it] did not meet the Court's concept of what's right."
ReplyDeleteYou hit on my main gripe with Republicans. Now that they are in the majority, they seem to be incapable of governing. Instead they let issues simmer unsettled strictly to make a political point in some future election. Nothing gets done because people like John Gard and Scot Jensen have no interest in getting anything done without money on the table or something in it for them. This is why we have no TABOR. This is why we have no compromise that will raise the CAP on school choice. This is why we have no compromise on the liability cap. AND most of all this is why public school funding is such a mess and we have a huge property tax revolt on our hands. I can't think of a problem we have that could not be solved if people like Gard or Jensen had any desire whatsoever to solve the problem.
ReplyDeleteTerry, while I'm no fan of Courts in general, and while the WISC acted like a bunch of 13-year-olds in their decision, that's not the point.
ReplyDeleteThe point is that some damn fools will NOT simply get together and resolve the problem.
You like NO caps? Nope. Neither do I.
Perhaps one factor in this is to highlight, in next year's election, that the governor has the power to appoint judges when a vacancy occurs between elections.
ReplyDeleteYeah--but whom will Green/Walker appoint?
ReplyDeleteGriesbach (Fed Bench, Green Bay) would be great. That's one.
Maybe you know of others?
Even a blind pig finds an acorn once in awhile.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Daddio. You hit this one right on the head.
Christopher, please note in my post I said that I was "reliably informed" or words to that effect.
ReplyDeleteThat means that a compromise IS possible. Your tinfoil hat should be taken off before you read.
As far as I'm concerned, a reasonable compromise is a hell of a lot better than none at all...