APPEL: Stuck Pigs Squeal The Loudest, And So Do The Lawyers

Earlier this month I wrote about the terrible impact that the U S Chamber’s study placing Louisiana dead last and New Orleans third to last for civil justice fairness had upon opportunities for our citizens. Wow, the reaction from trial lawyers and extreme Left was overwhelming!

I guess that I should have expected it but the virility of the attacks was something to behold. As is usual it wasn’t a defense of the indefensible that was on display, it was personal attacks against me.

History is prologue and the Left’s favorite tactic, “if you don’t like the message, kill the messenger” was in full bloom. Based upon their reactions I am thrilled with the logic of my arguments in that piece. I clearly struck a cord and the other side realizes that they can’t let the awful truth see the light of day.

Just so that I can irritate them some more, let me clear up some of the garbage that has been thrown out there.

First, it really doesn’t matter if the Left and the trial bar tries to cast disparagement upon the US Chamber’s report by claiming that the Chamber is prejudiced against Louisiana and our businesses. Let me remind them that the Chamber serves business in ALL states and that the poll that was used to compile their rankings was done by corporate attorneys who practice in ALL states. It is a joke to think that these attorneys all got together and decided to pick on poor old Louisiana, but that is what the trial lawyers here would have you believe

Further and perhaps most important, it really doesn’t matter what the Left or our trial bar thinks of the report, it is business that counts. As I have said many times business expansion and location decisions are driven by a checklist of sorts that defines the ability of business to achieve its fundamental goal – to make a profit and to keep that profit. In doing so fairness of a state’s or a city’s civil justice system is a major element of their decision-making metrics.

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Another rather odd argument that was made was that we had strong tort reform in 1990 and we have not seen business growth. WHAT are they talking about? Reforms put in place 27 years ago and that have been picked apart by trial bar-controlled legislatures and governors! That was an incredible statement, these people must think that we are stupid or something. In that 27 years we have had hurricanes, national recessions, two major oil recessions…..! Even if such reforms survived, which I seriously doubt, they would have been outflanked by trial lawyers long ago.

Ironically this last statement brings forth the real issue. In that 27 years the economies of our state and city have declined precipitously. That is not due to tort reform, that decline is due to liberal programs and crony politics. We have done the same things over and over and never have we seen success. In fact, we have created a state and city that screams to business, “please come here and take our resources and then take all the profits back to your home in Atlanta, Dallas, and Houston.” That is exactly what Left-wing politicians have done to our state.

So let me suggest that you people who try to defend the worst civil justice system in America should hang your head in shame. You get rich while our people suffer in poverty and mediocrity. No, tort reform is not the single tool to change our state. Anyone who tells you that any single thing …education, tort reform, tax reform, lower taxes, infrastructure or anything else… is the sole solution to our problems is deceiving you. Anyone who tells you that we have tried one of these things and that it didn’t deliver change is lying to you. None of these elements of themselves are our solution. ALL of them together are the solution, but every time a special interest, and especially the one containing all the lawyers, gets a podium they use personal attacks, fear, and lies to prevent us from taking our rightful place in the sun.

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