Let the Big Dog Off the Porch

Bill Clinton was on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart tonight, responding reasonably and eloquently, but passionately, to Stewart's leading questions about the tone of the campaign the Republicans and their surrogates are running against Kerry, comparing it, as many others have, to the campaigns run against McCain in 2000 and Max Cleland in 2002. Clinton's main point was that when the nasties bring out their gutter attacks you have to respond point-by-point and show them up as the low life political scum they are.

The thing is, with his grasp of policy, his personal charm, and the way he manages to respond forcefully without appearing to actually be mad, Clinton is probably the best we have at countering the kind of campaign that is being run by Bush, Cheney, and all the other slithering little republican operatives. He can speak their language while remaning above them. I understand the reticence of the Kerry Campaign to let him loose upon the land. Clinton will always remain a polarizing figure. The way I see it, though, there is nobody out there that Clinton will offend who isn't already opposed to Kerry. There are a great many middle of the road voters, however, who will fondly remember the economic prosperity of the nineties and will respond to what Clinton has to offer. I think we have to take the leash off him.

Chavez Wins in Venezuela

Only in a country that has swung as far right as ours could this, "(Chavez)has diverted oil wealth to housing, medicine, education and food for the country's poor majority," be described as "left wing."
The good news is, Chavez, despite all the efforts of the international business community and yes, the US government, seems to have won the election.

Tort Reform

When you hear the words "Tort Reform," what most often springs to mind is the need to change our legal system to prevent "frivolous" law suits. You've heard dozens of what are largely made-up or over- simplified legal horror stories that illustrate how our legal system is rife with stupid or overly sympathetic juries willing to hand over multi-million dollars in awards to stupid people. What you rarely, if ever, hear of is the abuse of our legal system by corporate defense lawyers. This FindLaw article addresses one aspect of that side of the story.
One of the things the writer, Trevor Morrison, discusses, is the legal strategy employed by corporations with very deep legal pockets of employing stalling and diversionary tactics to exhaust plaintiff's resources.
I have written before here that I welcome an honest and open debate on the topic of legal reform. Articles like this, hidden though it is, help contribute something from the side of that debate that is usually overlooked.