Bush Says Asbestos Suits Hurt U.S. Economy

[Robbien]

By Caren Bohan | January 7, 2005

CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (Reuters) - President Bush urged Congress on Friday to curb asbestos litigation he said was putting too many U.S. companies out of business and charged that frivolous lawsuits were harming the economy.

<snip>

Corporate America has long sought legal reform, saying businesses are being hurt by runaway lawsuits. Opponents say many legal reform efforts are aimed at protecting special interests such as companies with asbestos liabilities.

"The system's not fair," Bush told a forum in Clinton Township, a Detroit suburb. "It's not fair to those who have been harmed. It's not fair to those who are trying to employ people."

The president said the lawsuits were hurting victims of asbestos-related illness because bankruptcies by companies resulting from claims lacking merit were leaving those with valid claims nowhere to turn for compensation.

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/president/bush/articles/2005/01/07/bush_says_asbestos_suits_hurt_us_economy/

[NightTrain]

1. And they're uncomfortable as hell to wear!

Sorry, couldn't resist. :evilgrin:

[Robbien]

6. No wonder

Its hard to make one in the US Economy's size

:evilgrin:

[Califooyah Operative]

22. haha. wow. nt

[Padme Amidala]

2. Maybe those companies should stop using asbestos.

It is outrageous to blame victims rather than the bringers of death.

[Eloriel]

15. Thank you -- and what a shame

the freaking OBVIOUS has to be pointed out: did it ever occur that it's the asbestos DANGERS AND DAMAGE that harms the economy?

:grr:

[Straight Shooter]

3. Dupe. Posted this a.m.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1129885

[earthside]

4. Wrong Again, George.

Seersucker suits ... Especially radical Republicans wearing seersucker suits ... They really hurt the economy and everyone's fashion sense, too.

[Soopercali]

5. You mean like Halliburton?

http://www.busrep.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=2361959

Man, they're not even subtle.

[Fridays Child]

8. No fucking shit...

I am, more and more, struck by the prescience of Frank Zappa's observation...

"The illusion of freedom (in America) will continue as long as it's profitable to continue the illusion. At the point where the illusion becomes too expensive to maintain, they will just take down the scenery, they will pull back the curtains, they will move the tables and chairs out of the way and you will see the brick wall at the back of the theater."

[lfairban]

7. I have been following asbestos issues for years.

I can't say I am surprised.

Check out my asbestos links.

[Lostnote03]

19. Haliburton+Dresser=Cheney!!!

........I'm certain that you are more aware of this subject than I.....My take is that the No-Bid contracts were Cheneys insurance plan for his buddies at Haliburton if the lawsuits are to be succesfull.....Not to say that this is all encompassing however Cheney is one deceitful human being!!!!

[sandnsea]

27. Dresser - Bingo!

That was my first though too, help Halliburton out of their Dresser asbestos mess.

[morcatknits]

21. I'm not surprised, either

I've been following what asbestos has done to my patients for years, as a nurse. That mesothelioma is really tough on them too. Same with black lung.
Good knitting,
morcatknits

[Lostnote03]

24. Cheney gave Jr his marching orders

[roguevalley]

9. the dork. what he meant was that the US economy should wear

asbestos suits while he hurts it.

[DS1]

10. I heard Asbestos Suits chafed your sensitive bits

;-)

[leesa]

11. This is just absurd! Lawsuits are such a small part of the economy.

If the filthy corporate whores would be properly regulated it wouldn't cost hardly anything because people wouldn't be forced to sue, now would they. This man is pure evil.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

12. They should curb it...

And to further aid those who are trying to employ people, Congress, the Pretzeldent, and his cabinet should immediately move their offices to asbestos-riddled buildings.

Fuckers.

[Catchawave]

13. So, are they going to reinstall it in elementary schools? -nt

[dweller]

14. meanwhile the *moron

gets retread in Teflon.


dp

[AP]

16. ...and asbestos hurt a lot of people...and not returning ill-gotten gains

to people injured by negligence is REALLY bad for the economy.

Why should taxpayers support the injured (and accept the opportunity cost of losing them from the work force) when there's a very obvious culprit who probably made a lot of money in the course of causing these people injury.

[Deja Q]

17. ASBESTOS HURTS PEOPLE MORE, YOU HYPOCRITICAL DICKLESS FUCKER!

Sheesh, for all the hyperbole he spews about "culture of life" this and "value life" that and "choose life" the other thing.

He is so full of it. I am so damn tired of this "money and things over people" mantra that those satan worshippers maintain.

Edit: Spelling

[Lorien]

18. NEWSFLASH: Bush* is hurting the US economy

no amount of lawsuits-frivolous or serious-can harm our economy the way BushCo has.

[truthisfreedom]

20. Asbushtos harms economy

[ScrewyRabbit]

23. I was on a jury for asbestos poisoning

The jury found in favor of the defendent. There was SO much evidence against the corporations who DENIED any conspiracy against the poor assholes killed by asbestos...

[The_Casual_Observer]

25. "not fair to those who are trying to employ people."

More duplicity from the dirty motherfucker. He invents a new one of these little underhanded bromides at least twice a day. He deserves a crippling stroke for this one alone, god knows what he deserves for the sum total of these over the last 4 wretched years.

[gardenista]

26. How much more transparent does this asshole need to get

before people realize he is hell-bent on destroying this country just to help his buddies make a few bucks?

Shameful.

[AgadorSparticus]

28. is this supposed to be a dig on the trial lawyers? someone feeling

a little vindictive and nasty?

[Guaranteed]

29. Are you guys seeing this???

"The president said the lawsuits were hurting victims of asbestos-related illness because bankruptcies by companies resulting from claims lacking merit were leaving those with valid claims nowhere to turn for compensation."

What in the HELL?

The lawsuits are hurting the VICTIMS of asbestos- because there are some frivolous ones? And, because of that, he wants to curb the lawsuits entirely???

Totally ridiculous.

[Tight_rope]

30. OH...WAIT A FUCKING MINUTE...I KNEW MY RESEARCH WOULD

COME IN HANDY ONE DAY....I WAS DOING SOME RESEARCH AWHILE BACK ABOUT WHY AND HOW BUSH DECIDED TO GO TO WAR WITH IRAQ. AND I FOUND SOME INTERESTING ARTICLES WITH CONNECTIONS TO DICK CHENNY, HALLIBURTON AND ASBESTOS LAWSUITS.



Monday, September 02, 2002
Cheney left Halliburton holding asbestos bag

The Associated Press
DALLAS — In its first 75 years, Halliburton Co. grew to become a critical cog in the oil industry and a presence in construction circles, even as it remained unknown to most Americans. The company's profile has risen considerably since 1995, when it picked Dick Cheney as its top executive — but not always by choice.

Halliburton has been in the news often this year, mostly for the wrong reasons. It lost $476 million through June. It is under attack from disgruntled investors who have seen the value of Halliburton's stock fall more than 70 percent since Cheney left in August 2000.

The stock price collapsed under the weight of falling energy prices, accusations of shady accounting and lawsuits over asbestos.
http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2002/09/02/fin_cheney_left.html

Asbestos claims hit ex-Cheney firm

David Teather in New York
Thursday July 25, 2002
The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/bush/story/0,7369,762778,00.html

Halliburton, the oil services firm formerly run by US vice president Dick Cheney, yesterday announced losses as it set aside $391m (£250m) to meet asbestos-damage claims.
The majority of the claims are against companies acquired by Halliburton during Mr Cheney's tenure as chief executive between 1995 and 2000. The Dallas firm's total liability is now estimated at $2.2bn over the next 15 years.

The company also disclosed that it recently cut 1,600 jobs

NOW: After reading these 2 articles, I got to thinking that Cheney must have told those stockholders at Haliburton not to worry that they should be cool and that they (Haliburton) would be rewarded handsomely once he was in the White House. Hence, the "NO BID CONTRACTS" in Iraqi. So now Bush wants to help Haliburton screw the American people who got sick from asbestos exposure.

[KayLaw]

32. Nah!

Don't be so cynical. It's just pure coincidence. These are godly men you're talking about. It does seem a tiny bit odd that whatever serves their own interests is what helps us get jobs, but, hey, do like the freepers and just trust them...they're the government.

:eyes:

[spooked]

33. The War in Iraq HAS BEEN PAYING FOR Halliburton's Asbestos Settlements!

Asbestos & the Halliburton Connection

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/story/0,3604,1285225...


"The United States army will withhold payment of up to $60m (£32.8m) a month on future invoices submitted by Halliburton, the firm formerly run by vice-president Dick Cheney, due to a continuing dispute over work done in Iraq...

The decision puts Halliburton under further financial pressure. The company needs cash to pay for a $2.3bn settlement of asbestos injury lawsuits stemming from a division acquired during Mr Cheney's tenure as chairman and chief executive."

[rzemanfl]

31. Cheney, Halliburton, Dresser and asbestos

Ask yourself. Why would a man in his 60's with lots of money and a really bad heart condition want to be Vice-President? Answer, to put in the fix on the mistakes he made when he was running Halliburton.

[teryang]

34. Translation: Corporate wrongdoers who injure and kill

...should go scott free and not suffer any consequences for their immoral acts.

The victimized should suffer alone without right to redress of grievances in a court of law.

Our system of Anglo-Saxon jurisprudence developed over the last 1000 years should be shitcanned for totalitarian government in favor of the corporate feudal lords.

[0007]

35. Gotta be kidding, eh? I'd say those Carlyle & Halliburton suits

are twenty five times more lethal. junior talking out of ass again for the big insurance companies that supported him.

America is the joke of the world!

[Moderator]

36. duplicate

locking

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1129885