MORE PLAINTIFF'S ATTORNEY BALONEY

3--25--2001

An infamous plaintiff's attorney of dubious reknown as specialist in the suing of anyone and everyone in aircraft tragedies was recently quoted in a respectable aviation magazine regarding his outlook on an aviation liability and insurance crisis. His excuses, twisted reasoning, and nonsensical claims were typical of plaintiff's attorneys. As usual for those of his ilk he attempted to place responsibility for his onerous trade everywhere but where it truly belongs.

The true blame for the liability problems and resulting insurance crisis of general aviation - as well as in nearly every other area - can be focused on two targets: 1) the lawyers and judges, and 2) the public who sits as juries. We live in a nation unique for its ridiculous, twisted tort system. Nowhere else is there found a legal system so consistently unanimous in repudiation of personal responsibility, immoral extortion of innocent parties, and the facilitation of mindless suing sans all accountability. Were it not for the power and resilience of the market, free enterprise would crumble under the weight of the liability monster instituted and driven by such as Wolk and his ilk.

Lawyers and judges have knowingly, purposely created this monster - a system of greed that first and foremost lines the pockets of attorneys. Most won't bother defending their perversity. Various others have spouted their defensive propaganda of "helping the poor," "promoting safety," and defending "rights" for so long that like the naked emperor they have come to actually believe their own dung-encrusted rationalizations and excuses.

Not even a child on the playground would mistake the immorality of inflicting harm on another without responsibility (suing without recompense for the damages imposed on the defending party when you lose), the unjust punishment of Johnny for misdeeds committed by Sammy ("deep pockets"), or the unfairness of expecting everyone else to replace the marbles poor Willy lost through his own carelessness (the basic "gospel" of the liability trade itself).

The other half of the problem is those citizens who, as jury members, overlook responsibility for the common good by supporting this order of legal extortion with outlandish awards. Yet even though the illicit drug trade cannot flourish without foolish users, we despise the dealers who prey on their fellow man nonetheless. In similar vein, the lawyers and judges who have created and fostered the tort cancer that infects our nation deserve the stinging approbation heaped upon them and more. The havoc they practice is truly more harmful to the nation.

America is singular among our world in many things, much of which uniqueness is enlightening and commendable. But our insane tort system is a darkened, shameful example of irresponsibility, legal manipulation, injustice, and greed.

Like cockroaches in the kitchen, lawyers colonize our legislatures. The plaintiffs' bar, made rich by immoral suing, has become the second most powerful lobby in the nation and buys political influence to sustain the corruption with its ill-gotten gains. This legalized mayhem that stifles innovation, destroys lives and industries and reputations, raises the cost of almost everything by 10 to 50% or more, that smothers even generosity and kindness due to liability apprehensions - this poison will not go away quietly. But until the nation's citizens awake, arise, and demand change, the great millions of Americans will continue to pay and continue to suffer at the hands of the mere 800,000 legal terrorists who make up the so-called "bar."