Why we will not see Tort Reform any time soon. From Doug Ross:
Top Nine Health Care Charts You've Never Seen Before
Trial lawyers are the second biggest donor to the Democrats' Political Action Committee, trailing only the union bosses of the IBEW.
The "lawsuit industry" gives more money (roughly $127 million in 2008) to Congress than the every sector of the health care industry, combined.
Medical malpractice costs continue to skyrocket to new historical highs, growing far faster than any other component of health insurance premiums.
Visit the site to see the rest. Basically, 75% of what we pay for medicine goes to the lawyers one way or the other. Tort reform would be a great way to knock this down to 15% or so (you do need some measure of malpractice insurance) and cut people's medical costs by well over half. Unfortunately, Tort Reform is a States Rights issue so although the lawyers are lobbying in Washington, they cannot be legislated against except at a state level. Texas did this with great success.
