|
|
| (167 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown) |
| Line 1: |
Line 1: |
| <div id="mainpage"></div>
| | #REDIRECT [[Tort Reform, Corporate Liability and the Rights of Injured Americans]] |
| <!--
| |
| ------------------------------Tort "Reform"------------------------------->
| |
| {| style="border-spacing:8px; margin:-8px -8px;"
| |
| |style="width:100%; border:1px solid #7BA7E1; background:#7BA7E1; vertical-align:top; color:#7BA7E1;"|
| |
| {| cellpadding="2" cellspacing="5" style="vertical-align:top; background:#7BA7E1; color:#7BA7E1"
| |
| ! <h2 style="margin:0; background:#7BA7E1; font-size:162%; font-weight:bold; border:1px solid #7BA7E1; text-align:left; color:#FFF; padding:0.2em 0.4em;">ALEC's Efforts to Limit the Rights and Remedies of Americans Injured or Killed by Corporations</h2>
| |
| |-
| |
| |style="color:#000; padding: 0 0.5em 0 0.5em;"|
| |
| <font size="3">'''Through the corporate-funded American Legislative Exchange Council, global corporations and local politicians VOTED BEHIND CLOSED DOORS to change the laws to limit the rights and remedies of Americans injured or killed by corporations.'''
| |
| <br>
| |
| <br>
| |
| These so-called "model bills," advanced by corporations, erode the rights of an injured person, or that person's family, who files a complaint alleging that a corporation caused injury or death and should be held responsible for the damages its actions caused.
| |
| <br>
| |
| <br>
| |
| '''According to bills <span class="plainlinks">[http://www.prwatch.org the Center for Media and Democracy]</span> has helped reveal through ALEC Exposed, corporations had "both a VOICE and a VOTE" in the specific changes to the law that were then proposed in legislatures across the country. DID YOU?'''</font>
| |
| |}
| |
| |}
| |
| <!--
| |
| -------------------------Begin left column------------------------>
| |
| {| style="border-spacing:8px; margin:0px -8px;"
| |
| |style="width:49%; border:1px solid #c9d7f0; background:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top; color:#000;"|
| |
| {| width="100%" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="5" style="vertical-align:top; background:#FFFFFF;"
| |
| <!--
| |
| -------------------------Featured Work------------------------>
| |
| |-
| |
| ! <h2 style="margin:0; background:#CC0000; font-size:160%; font-weight:bold; border:1px solid #435c7a; text-align:left; color:#FFF; padding:0.2em 0.4em;">READ the "Model Bills" HERE</h2>
| |
| |-
| |
| |style="color:#000;"|
| |
| | |
| [[Image:Hot_Topics.png|left|180px]] | |
| <br>
| |
| [[media:7G0-9.zip|This is a test link.]]
| |
| <br>
| |
| [[Image:Full_Set.png|left|180px]]
| |
| <br>
| |
| This is a test link.
| |
| <br>
| |
| <br>
| |
| '''<big>See the full list of bills here.</big>'''
| |
| | |
| <!--
| |
| -------------------------Task Force------------------------>
| |
| |-
| |
| ! <h2 style="margin:0; background:#000; font-size:160%; font-weight:bold; border:1px solid #435c7a; text-align:left; color:#FFF; padding:0.2em 0.4em;">WHO Is Behind ALEC?</h2>
| |
| |-
| |
| |style="color:#000;"|
| |
| <big>Just who is behind ALEC? Here are links to the names and backgrounds of the ALEC players:</big>
| |
| | |
| * As of 2011, (FILL and link) and (FILL and link) (and FILL and link, if needed) were the '''co-chairs of this ALEC task force.'''
| |
| | |
| * Here are the businesses, organizations, and people that have been part of '''the ALEC Civil Justice Task Force (add LINK).'''
| |
| | |
| * Here are the corporations and people that have been on '''ALEC's boards''' (add LINK).
| |
| | |
| * Here are the current and past '''leaders, staff, and "experts"''' of ALEC (add LINK).
| |
| | |
| <!--
| |
| -------------------------Related topics------------------------>
| |
| |-
| |
| ! <h2 style="margin:0; background:#000; font-size:160%; font-weight:bold; border:1px solid #435c7a; text-align:left; color:#FFF; padding:0.2em 0.4em;">Related ALECExposed Articles</h2>
| |
| |-
| |
| |style="color:#000;"|
| |
| | |
| <big>Here is link to more information about ALEC, its funding and its activities (LINK).</big>
| |
| | |
| Here are some of the other issues VOTED on by corporations via ALEC that affect the rights of injured people:
| |
| | |
| * ALEC bills have sought to protect industry members, such as ''' the asbestos industry''', '''Big Tobacco''', and '''the health care industry''' -- find out more about these protections here (link), here (link), and here (link), respectively.
| |
| | |
| * ALEC also sought to change the rules for people injured on the job. Its "model" legislation to change the rules in workers compensation cases is included in our article about ALEC's efforts to '''limit or eliminate workers' rights''' (including the right to unionize), which is available here (link).
| |
| | |
| <!--
| |
| -------------------------What the Bills Do------------------------>
| |
| |-
| |
| ! <h2 style="margin:0; background:#000; font-size:160%; font-weight:bold; border:1px solid #000; text-align:left; color:#FFF; padding:0.2em 0.4em;">Ways Corporations Tried to Rewrite the Law</h2>
| |
| |-
| |
| |style="color:#000;"|
| |
| | |
| <big>The bills VOTED on behind closed doors by corporations and their politician allies through ALEC try to change personal injury law by:</big>
| |
| | |
| * ''Making it easier for corporations'' to get a judge to dismiss an injured American's case before it gets to a jury;
| |
| * ''Making it harder for injured people'' to use "class action" procedures which strengthen their negotiating power;
| |
| * ''Making it more difficult'' to introduce new scientific research in injury cases through expert witnesses;
| |
| * ''Limiting the liability of corporations'' by changing the rules for apportioning fault and thus limiting recover;
| |
| * ''Limiting the ability of Americans to sue for injuries'' where the cause or effect was not known until much later; and
| |
| * ''Changing the rules about where an injured American can sue'' and the process for appealing a ruling;
| |
| | |
| ALEC corporations and politicians also VOTED to change the legal rules by:
| |
| | |
| * ''Limiting liability for injuries or death to Americans from defective products'' if a product is approved by the government (many regulatory agencies have been captured through the revolving door between government and the industries being regulated);
| |
| * ''Limiting the power of Congress to create national rules to protect Americans'', no matter their state residence, if injured by defective corporate products distributed nationally; and, among other things,
| |
| * ''Limiting the power of courts'' in personal injury cases;
| |
| | |
| ALEC also advanced the agenda for particular industries through its tort "reform" legislation. For example, its corporate-politician groups VOTED for:
| |
| | |
| * ''Limiting litigation over cancer'' and other deadly diseases caused by exposure to '''asbestos''';
| |
| * ''Limiting the power of state Attorneys General to protect dying Americans'' '''in tobacco''' litigation and other cases; and
| |
| *'' Limiting the liability of health insurance companies'' and '''doctors''' by changing the rules for suing for medical malpractice, when a doctor's negligence causes injury or death, and changing the rules for injured Americans who have health insurance and have been harmed by decisions of their '''HMO'''.
| |
|
| |
| <!--
| |
| -------------------------Helpful Resources------------------------>
| |
| |-
| |
| ! <h2 style="margin:0; background:#000; font-size:160%; font-weight:bold; border:1px solid #7ba06d; text-align:left; color:#FFF; padding:0.2em 0.4em;">Other Helpful Resources</h2>
| |
| |-
| |
| |style="color:#000;"|
| |
| | |
| Here are links to organizations that have been working to expose the Wall Street agenda and its affect on ordinary people:
| |
| | |
| * The Center for Media and Democracy: SourceWatch (link) and PRWatch (link)
| |
| | |
| * Add
| |
| | |
| * Add
| |
| | |
| * Add
| |
| | |
| | |
| Other helpful information on the tort "reform" agenda:
| |
| | |
| * Ghostwriting article
| |
| | |
| * Other articles
| |
| | |
| * Other articles
| |
| | |
| | |
| |-
| |
| |}
| |
| | |
| <!--
| |
| --------------------------------Begin right column------------------------------->
| |
| |style="width:45%; border:1px solid #c9d7f0; background:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"|
| |
| {| width="100%" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="5" style="vertical-align:top; background:#FFFFFF;"
| |
| | |
| <!--
| |
| -------------------------How You Can Help------------------------>
| |
| |-
| |
| ! <h2 style="margin:0; background:#000; font-size:160%; font-weight:bold; border:1px solid #435c7a; text-align:left; color:#FFF; padding:0.2em 0.4em;">Top Ten Ways YOU Can Help</h2>
| |
| |-
| |
| |style="color:#000;"|
| |
| | |
| '''You CAN help:'''
| |
| <ul>
| |
| # '''Share''' the information on this page through Facebook or email.
| |
| # '''Tweet''' about this story along with the hashtag #ALECExposed.
| |
| # '''Create a sign about ALEC''' for people to use outside the next ALEC convention or the next time a bill voted on by ALEC's corporations is proposed in your state, and post a picture of that sign on our ALECExposed page on Facebook; or create a video about ALEC corporations having an "equal" voice and vote as ALEC legislators and what that means for our democracy and then link to your video on our ALECExposed youtube page.
| |
| # '''Support the Center for Media and Democracy's work''' building articles about the corporations and people involved in ALEC on ALECExposed's sister site, http://www.SourceWatch.org.
| |
| # '''Support ALECExposed's work''' building articles about ALEC-related bills to repeal laws in your state, using this LINK.
| |
| # '''Ask your representatives''' if they are involved in ALEC and to disclose any bills they supported that were VOTED on by corporations and to return any money their campaign received from any past or present corporation or CEO involved in ALEC.
| |
| # '''Demand the truth''' from the ethics office in your state about politicians using taxpayer dollars to pay "dues" to ALEC or accepting "scholarships" or reimbursement from ALEC's corporate-funded coffers to pay for luxurious trips for themselves and their families for ALEC conventions; and submit a tip to tipline AT sourcewatch.org about information you obtain.
| |
| # '''Write a letter''' to the editor of your local paper about ALEC and about politicians accepting "scholarships" for trips to luxurious ALEC events funded by corporations that favor legislation in your state; and ask your local television and radio stations to report about politicians connected to ALEC and ALEC corporations.
| |
| # '''Write a blog''' documenting information about ALEC or ALECExposed bills and post the link to this page, below, or propose a freelance reporting article on ALEC for publication by the Center for Media and Democracy's http://www.PRWatch.org, by emailing tipline AT PRWatch.org.
| |
| # '''Tell the corporations''' your views about their role in ALEC: make a decision about whether to puchase any more of their goods or services and then write the companies (and the newspapers or magazines that run their ads) to tell them your decision and ask your friends to do the same.
| |
| </ul>
| |
| '''Help your family, friends and fellow Americans better understand how global corporations are trying to rewrite your rights.''' You can also start an online discussion of these or related issues in the ALEC Exposed discussion page LinkHERE.
| |
| | |
| <!--
| |
| -------------------------Did You Know about these Bills------------------------>
| |
| |-
| |
| ! <h2 style="margin:0; background:#000; font-size:160%; font-weight:bold; border:1px solid #7ba06d; text-align:left; color:#FFF; padding:0.2em 0.4em;">Did You Know about ''these'' Bills?</h2>
| |
| |-
| |
| |style="color:#000;"|
| |
| ------
| |
| <h3>Some of This Corporate Agenda Has Become Law</h3>
| |
| Add narrative here. Plus link to article on Wisconsin. Add narrative here. Plus link to article on Wisconsin. Add narrative here. Plus link to article on Wisconsin. Add narrative here. Plus link to article on Wisconsin.
| |
| Add narrative here. Plus link to article on Wisconsin. Add narrative here. Plus link to article on Wisconsin. Add narrative here. Plus link to article on Wisconsin. Add narrative here. Plus link to article on Wisconsin.
| |
| Add narrative here. Plus link to article on Wisconsin. Add narrative here. Plus link to article on Wisconsin. Add narrative here. Plus link to article on Wisconsin. Add narrative here. Plus link to article on Wisconsin.
| |
| Add narrative here. Plus link to article on Wisconsin. Add narrative here. Plus link to article on Wisconsin. Add narrative here. Plus link to article on Wisconsin. Add narrative here. Plus link to article on Wisconsin.
| |
| ------
| |
| <h3>Limiting Recovery to Economic Damages versus Emotional Damages for Losing a Child or Spouse</h3>
| |
| One of the corporate-politician proposals of ALEC would limit the ability of a family to recover for emotional damages due to the death or injury of a loved one. This type of legislation basically makes working class or poor people's lives worth less to their families since they would be limited primarily to recovering the cost of lost earnings and medical care and not able to recover fully for the emotional damages caused by a traumatic injury or loss. These kind of provisions seek to prevent a jury of your peers from awarding you damages for all you have lost or suffered as a result of corporate negligence, malfeasance, or greed. Is a politician elected to represent and protect you actually protecting corporate profits through such legislation instead of you and your family?
| |
| | |
| ------
| |
| <h3>Limiting Corporate Liability for Killing Your Beloved Pets</h3>
| |
| In addition to limiting the rights of people injured by corporations, under the guise of limiting "frivolous" litigation one of the proposals would make it harder for you to obtain any compensation from a company whose negligence killed your family pet. In 2009, Americans learned that many U.S. pet food companies had shipped the production of food for their four-legged companions overseas and that Chinese contractors had contaminated the pet food with melamine in order to increase profit margins, resulting in the death and serious injuries of numerous dogs and cats in the U.S. ALEC's corporate-politician proposal would make it very difficult for a person to recover any damages for the loss of their beloved pet due to corporate negligence or misconduct in manufacturing food for Americans' pets.
| |
| | |
| | |
| |-
| |
| |}
| |
| |}
| |
| | |
| <!--
| |
| -------------------------Critiques of ALEC's Efforts to Rewrite Personal Injury Law------------------------>
| |
| {| style="border-spacing:8px; margin:-8px -8px;"
| |
| |style="width:100%; border:1px solid #7BA7E1; background:#7BA7E1; vertical-align:top; color:#FFF;"|
| |
| {| cellpadding="2" cellspacing="5" style="vertical-align:top; background:#7BA7E1; color:#FFF"
| |
| ! <h2 style="margin:0; background:#2966B8; font-size:160%; font-weight:bold; border:1px solid #2966B8; text-align:left; color:#FFF; padding:0.2em 0.4em;">What's Wrong with Rewriting the Law to Help Corporations that Injure Americans??</h2>
| |
| |-
| |
| |style="color:#000; padding: 0 0.5em 0 0.5em;"|
| |
| <big><b>Here's what people are saying about ALEC's agenda</big><br>
| |
| <br>
| |
| Add select quotes here or swap in different section.
| |
| This is some text analyzing the corporate agenda here. This is some text analyzing the corporate agenda here. This is some text analyzing the corporate agenda here. This is some text analyzing the corporate agenda here. This is some text analyzing the corporate agenda here. This is some text analyzing the corporate agenda here. This is some text analyzing the corporate agenda here. This is some text analyzing the corporate agenda here.
| |
| |}
| |
| |}
| |
| <!--
| |
| ------------------------------Contact Information------------------------------>
| |
| {| style="border-spacing:8px; margin:0px -8px;"
| |
| |style="width:49%; border:1px solid #aaa; background:#000; vertical-align:top; color:#FFF;"|
| |
| {| width="100%" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="5" style="vertical-align:top; background:#000;"
| |
| |-
| |
| |style="color:#FFF; padding: 0 0.5em 0 0.5em;"|
| |
| ALEC Exposed is a project of the Center for Media and Democracy. CMD does NOT accept donations from for-profit corporations or government agencies. You can contact the publisher of ALEC Exposed, CMD's Executive Director, Lisa Graves, via editor AT prwatch.org.
| |
| |}
| |
| |}
| |
| {{browsebar}}
| |
| __NOTOC__ __NOEDITSECTION__
| |