"Whose side are you on"

This week in the newspaper a story appeared to the effect that the Putnam County Fair Board had asked the County Commission for help in meeting its liability insurance premuim payments needed to insure the operation of this year's County Fair. It seems that despite the promises of the insurance industry during the 2005 legislative session to lower rates in exchange for the surrender by West Virginians of significant legal rights, the cost of insurance for the fair has actually gone up dramatically. One would expect this news to be greeted with outrage at the deceit and greed of the insurance industry and calls for an investigation into the claims history of the Putnam fair and other similar events around the state to see if there is any legitimate basis for these increases or if we are just seeing price gouging.

Well, with the predicatability that comes with slavish devotion to the interests of the vested interests, the Charleston Daily Mail on May 4, 2006 blamed the people of West Virginia themselves for insurance company greed. You see, if we get hurt we may bring a lawsuit. We have lawyers who are not afraid to take and prosecute claims for innocent people who are injured by the negligence or even criminal conduct of others. Have any of these calims involved West Virginia county fairs? Apparently not or we would have been given specifics by the fearless editorial staff of the Mail. Instead all we get are the same old generalities and platitudes--give up more rights and we will make things cheaper. How much cheaper? Well, we won't tell you that until you give up your part; then we will give you what we think is fair, if anything. This is the most shockingly shallow response possible to news of possible price gouging of our non-profit organizations. As the words of the great labor anthem of the nineteen thirties asked "Whose side are your on?" I think we can all figure that out from the Mail's disgraceful response.

Good to be here

I have finally figured this blog out and write these lines to say greetings and salutations to any who may visit this site.

It seems that the United States Chamber of Commerce and the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce have launched a big money campaign to take more and more from West Virginia consumers for the benefit of the multi-national business groups that pay their not insubstantial salaries. BEWARE. Ask for the facts when these people start talking in generalities; the goal of the Chamber is to benefit big business and corporate CEOs who are ruining this county's manufacturing and research base in the name of short term profits. The wailing they do about "trial lawyers" is just a public relations stunt to divert attention from what they really want. The Chamber has done some polling that shows the phrase "trial lawyer" to have a negative meaning with the general public so they try to use that phrase all the time--even when the surveys they rely on don't even mention the word "lawyer." Do not trust these people. They tell only half truths. They wish to deceive you into giving up your rights and hurting our system of government.What big business really wnats is to control your judges and public officials so no one will be watching the store the next time an ENRON type scandal rolls around. It is the judges and the Attorney General they are after and all this BS about "trial lawyers" and "frivilous lawsuits" is just a smoke screen for that plan.

Call Steve Roberts at the state Chamber office and ask him how many times the phrase "trial lawyer" or "frivilous lawsuit" is mentioned in the Harris survey the Chamber is so proud of these days. If he will even give you an answer and if, this is a BIG if, he will tell you the truth, he will disclose that this survey didn't even ask about these supposed "problems." What the siurvey did was rate your judges as the most incompetent in the country and our juries the second most biased and unfair in the United States. Why doesn't Mr. Roberts tell you this? Because to do so would be to reveal the true nature of the Chamber's goals. It would also give a you a realistic area that you could inquire about. But, if you were allowed to do that you would be able to determine that the Chamber survey is just a fluff piece written by the richest people in the world to promote their agenda at your expense. DO NOT FALL FOR THIS BALONEY.

Ask for specific facts. Ask for verifiable information. If you have a question for me, just send it here. Lets have a little honest debate and leave the big business syncophants at the Chamber where they belong--in New York counting their money.