Ambulance Chasers (For Justice)

By fitsnews • on August 12, 2008

NAMES CHANGE, ANTI-COMPETITIVENESS REMAINS THE SAME

FITSNews - August 12, 2008 - A little over a year ago, the Association of South Carolina Claimant Attorneys - or whatever that amalgamation of liberal lawyer scum called themselves - realized it would be much easier to continue the systematic rape of South Carolina’s business climate if they had a catchier name … say, the “Injured Workers Advocates.”

So they changed it, and all of a sudden the cold, hard obstructionism of our state’s failed status quo had a warm and fuzzy feel to it. Sort of like when career educrats seeking to pad their bank accounts tell you it’s all “for the children …”

Well today, the South Carolina Trial Lawyers Association has officially followed suit, formally changing its name to the “South Carolina Association for Justice.”

Awwww … how sweet - like Pogo the Clown.

Of course, neither semantic obfuscation changes the fact that these two groups are absolutely killing South Carolina small businesses to the tune of tens of millions of dollars a year, costing our state jobs, investment and income growth with their ongoing anti-business jihad. And ironically, the very small businesses they’re sticking it to are “represented” in Columbia by the “S.C. Small Business Chamber of Commerce,” an ambulance chaser front group run by Frank Knapp, who is slightly to the left of … well … most Republican politicians in South Carolina.

The names have changed, people, but the anti-competitive song remains the same …

UPDATE - Speaking of which, we’re waiting to find out if the trial lawyers have adopted Garth Brooks’ “Shameless” as their official song yet … we’ll let you know what we find out.

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Comments

By sclawyer on August 12th, 2008 at 4:28 pm

As a lawyer who otherwise loves this blog, Will, the trial lawyer rhetoric is beginning to get pretty ridiculous. The way you portray the profession, there’s a shadowy backroom somewhere in Columbia or Charleston or wherever in which a bunch of capricious plaintiff’s lawyers sit around planning their next move to oppress the always-blameless, never culpable small businessman. It’s a nice fantasy world, Will, and Grisham would probably love it. But it’s not at all grounded in reality. Of course there are shady, unethical trial lawyers, just like there are shady, unethical businessmen. And if you want to point out the things that the minority of unethical attorneys do, be my guest. Our profession thanks you if you do.

Realism tells us that the vast majority of people, in a political sphere, will act in their own best interest. So it shouldn’t be surprising that trial lawyers sometimes support measures that are in their best interests, just as it shouldn’t be surprising that the “reformists” whose ideas you push are acting in their own best interests. But it gets frustrating, Will, to see tort “reform” and workers compensation “reform” sold to the average blue-collar voter in this state as though it will solve all of their problems, when the real goal is simply to enrich others at their expense. Like I said, there are unethical lawyers. There are also judicial mechanisms in place to dismiss frivolous lawsuits. But the kind of wholesale, logically fallacious generalizations you make as exemplified in the above post demonstrates an ignorance, either willful or dangerous, of the reality that there are real plaintiffs, with real problems, that other people are often the cause of and legally liable for.

By The Rest of The Story on August 12th, 2008 at 4:38 pm

Hmmm, the South Carolina Civil “Justice” Coalition was once South Carolinians for Tort Reform. http://www.legalreforminthenews.com/Op-Ed/Op_Ed-CC-South_Carolina.html

Guess everyone is all about justice and Cam had to broaden his scope to keep members.

By fitsnews on August 12th, 2008 at 4:51 pm

#1-

That’s a fair point. We don’t hate lawyers, because quite frankly we would be in some pretty deep sh*t without them.

Of course, having said that, these two organizations are dedicated to advancing flawed public policy at the expense of SC businesses - and we just can’t abide by that.

Your points are well-expressed, however, and well-taken. And we agree tort reform and workers’ comp reform won’t solve the problem for all small businesses, but they will help … along with tax cuts, state revenue caps and long-overdue choice in education.

Until we start legislating w/ an eye toward national competitiveness, we will continue to live in a third-world state.

-FITSNews

By Amazed on August 12th, 2008 at 6:06 pm

Amen Will!

By Red Bank Bar on August 12th, 2008 at 7:18 pm

So tell us exactly what “flawed public policy” you’re referring to?

Your RNC, Club for Greed rhetoric is certainly a fact-free zone.

Trial lawyers represent people with first and last names, not Allstate, AIG, or other corporate criminals who make up the base of the Republican Party’s effort to merge government interests with corporate interests (otherwise labelled by Mussolini as Fascism).

By baker on August 12th, 2008 at 7:48 pm

Will — I know basically squat about the subject of this post. But maybe it’s a bit like the school issues — “choice”, spending, test scores, local control, etc. — you write about. That is to say, there’s plenty of room for debate, and you often express things in perfectly reasonable terms. Your response ‘comment’ here is evidence of that…..it’s a thoughtful and altogether decent response to “sclawyer”’s argument.

But that comment is very different from your initial post, which included words/accusations like “rape” and “jihad” and “killing….small businesses” and “ambulance chasers.” Which is reminiscent of words like “idiot” and “greedy” and so forth that turn up so often in your criticism of the people who work in public education.

I guess keeping things edgy is part of the blogging business. And as I’ve noted before, I do find some of it entertaining and informative. And I give you credit for describing your blog up-front as “unfair.”

Still, it is interesting to note the vast difference between your initial, accusatory and insulting post and your more reasoned and polite response to sclawyer’s comment.

By Ambulance Chasing for excercise on August 12th, 2008 at 8:49 pm

After Florida entacted “tort reform” insurance premiums went up, just like they always did (actually a little faster). In another year or so I think it will be interesting to see how the “tort reform” enacted in S.C. in 2005 went over.

If it is like most “tort reforms” the insurance companies will win out big, and businesses will just have the same premiums, but injured individuals and workers…well they can hold the bag.

By CL on August 12th, 2008 at 8:55 pm

“The way you portray the profession, there’s a shadowy backroom somewhere in Columbia or Charleston or wherever in which a bunch of capricious plaintiff’s lawyers sit around planning their next move to oppress the always-blameless, never culpable small businessman.”

Have you ever been to a SCTLA or Auto Torts gathering? There were endless presentations about getting jurors to turn off their brains and rule on emotion and how to provoke your opponents through unprofessional tactics (e.g. appearing at a video deposition dressed like a homeless person to elicit scorn from witness). Not to mention the political update that could have been delivered by Howard Dean (except for that surreal moment where they gushed about their “best friend in the Senate” Lindsay Graham). I felt like I needed a shower afterwards.

By SCACDL Attorney on August 12th, 2008 at 9:27 pm

CL You must have been the scumbag who surreptiously taped Andre Bauer telling people to get involved in the political process and then claimed he was somehow a tool of lawyers who represent people, and not corporate America. You must have lied about representing plaintiffs when you signed up for the seminar.

I practice almost all criminal defense with an occasional work-related injury case(the original tort-reform) so I don’t have a dog in this fight. I have attended the SCTLA and Auto Torts presentations for outstanding speakers and CLE credits.

Your post is fantasy. The presentations are based upon overcoming factless propaganda from the Manhattan Institute, et al, that originated in the 1950’s with magazine ads and have progressed, among others, to party platforms for the Repugnant Party.

Trial lawyers want jurors to consider facts presented in the courtroom, not policy arguments designed to denigrate plaintiffs of any nature without reference to the individual facts of their cases. Trial lawyers want corporate tort-feasors, insurers who cover drunk drivers, and rogue doctors operating while high to accept responsiblity for their actions in a civil court of law. People like you have never met a reckless and life-endangering corporate criminal you couldn’t apologize for.

No one “gushed” about Little Lindsey. His bizarre theories during the political theatre that was impeachment won him no friends. His mindless support of John McSame and President Junior’s Iraq follies caused many reasonable people to withhold checks. He supported class action and securities “reform” that led directly to Enron and other Republican-inspired corporate corruption and criminal acts.

He occasionally breaks his lock-step with the Chamber of Commerce but he’s certainly no “best friend’ of consumers in any legislative body.

By Stroker Ace on August 12th, 2008 at 11:08 pm

AMEN SCACDL !

By Andy Groucho on August 13th, 2008 at 2:34 pm

#11- Although I usually disagree with Cindi Ross Scoppe, aka Pippi Wrongstockings, here is a good read for someone who takes Joe Taylor seriously. What was once the most feared economic development engine in the United States (SC’s Commerce) is now a laughing stock thanks to Joe Taylor and Mark Sanford.

Anyway: http://www.thestate.com/editorial-columns/story/487137.html

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