So I had just finished writing an email to my Mom (long-time liberal, independent voter, new internet user) on how the Net-Eyes are everywhere and all over every issue we care about, and how the bloggers are putting steel in the spine of Congressional Democrats and breathing new life into the Party.
And then I open Friday's New York Times and see this: Senate Committee Passes New Lawsuit Rules!
Thursday . . . the Senate Judiciary Committee overwhelmingly approved legislation that would shift most class-action lawsuits from state courts to federal courts. . .
More below on whodunit, and why we should care.
The legislation, sponsored by Senator Charles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa, would give federal courts the authority to hear any class action in which the money at issue exceeds $5 million and a single member of the class is from a different state than the defendant.
Who's interests are being served?
The legislation has been heavily promoted by business interests and opposed by consumer and civil rights organizations . . . its critics maintain that it will close the door to many worthy lawsuits involving consumer fraud, employment discrimination and environmental issues.
Some of the Judiciary Democrats stood firm against these interests:
. . . five Democrats on the committee who voted against the measure sharply criticized it, saying that it was special interest legislation at its worst, and that it would go a long way toward protecting corporate misconduct. "This legislation would make it harder for American citizens to protect themselves against violations of state civil rights, consumer, health and environmental protection laws by forcing these cases out of their local state courts," said Senator Patrick J. Leahy of Vermont, the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee. "This is a high-handed override of the rights of the American people, intending to benefit wealthy and powerful special interests." Also voting against the measure were Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware, Russell D. Feingold of Wisconsin and Richard J. Durbin of Illinois. . . "This is the class-action moratorium act," Mr. Durbin said.
And who, you may ask, voted for this heinous bill? Why, my Democratic Senator, that's who! (And perhaps yours too.)
Senator Herb Kohl of Wisconsin, a co-sponsor of the measure . . . joined two other Democrats, Dianne Feinstein of California and Charles E. Schumer of New York, in supporting the bill, along with the committee's 10 Republicans.
The bill goes to the floor for a vote this week, perhaps as early as Monday. So I wrote what is probably a vain email to Sen. Schumer, who has not responded in the past (and sent less-testy emails to Sen. Clinton, who has, and to the Democratic leadership as well).
Here's my letter to Schumer (from my husband and me):
Senator Schumer,
We are highly distressed to learn that you voted as a member of the Judiciary Committee to approve a measure that limits our rights to bring class action lawsuits against large corporate interests!
In a time when government oversight is being weakened and corrupted, the ability to bring such suits is all that protects the public from environmental, health, and economic abuses by large corporations.
Senator, we are sure that you know that corporations perform cost-benefit analyses to determine whether it will be economically beneficial to bother to protect our environment, health, civil rights, and other vital public interests. The threat of class action lawsuits is a key part of that calculation.
By voting in favor of this bill, you have voted to make it less expensive and less risky for corporations to harm the public interest. This bill is being rushed through the Senate, in an apparent attempt to forestall public debate and opposition. And on your website there is nothing at all in reference to this issue.
We had hoped to make our next message to you one of thanks for your vote of conscience against the nomination of Alberto Gonzales, and for your staunch opposition to social security privitization. Instead, we are forced to write this message of profound disappointment.
Senator Schumer, please explain your vote and your position on this critical issue to your constituents!
This is the first onslaught in Bush's "tort reform" agenda (a.k.a. the War on Health, Safety, & the Environment). Even if we can't stop this thing, we need to let them know we are just as strongly opposed to dismantling our legal rights as we are to dismantling social security.
So please, write/call your Senators today or Monday morning! A few lines, to let them know that you care and are watching what they do, is all you need. You can find their contact information and send an email here.
(Btw, an amendment has been proposed that would limit the damage the bill would do, and Sen. Specter is supporting it in opposition to Sen. Frist, so there may be a partial reprieve. PA residents might want to let Specter know you appreciate it.)