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“And lest we forget, there are no real leaders in the GOP in either Oklahoma or nationally. There is no figurehead to which we can turn and wrap our hearts and minds around at present. Senate President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee finds himself in a world of political hurt and though right now he is the John Gotti (Teflon Don) of Oklahoma politics and Coffee’s man man Fred Morgan (Sammy Gravano) are both damaged goods. House Speaker Chris Benge has the personality of wet grass and is clearly in the hip pocket of the insurance lobby. So who is left? The youngster, Ken Miller? Nope. State Senator Randy Brogdon? Hell no – Charlie Meadows has effectively taken Randy off the table as a viable leader.”
Related:
Any Resemblance to Ex-Presidents – Living or Dead – is Just a Coincidence
We received this email yesterday from a reader named “Leah Morse.” Ms. Morse describes herself as a “concerned and politically aware” Oklahoma mother of four who lives in central Oklahoma. She writes that the tort reform issue is very important to her because she has “elderly relatives with medical issues.”
“Embattled tax cheat and Senate president So Temporary Glenn Coffee’s office posted a press release ignoring the reality of the storm swirling about him. Temporary was only too happy to claim victory for a ‘tort reform’ bill that passed out of committee. The media is just regurgitating his press release, so we really don’t have any idea what’s in the bill. But we can sure bet that tax cheats and insurance company executives (especially the ones the taxpayers are bailing out) won’t have a problem with what’s in there. THIS MAKES ME SO ANGRY!!!!”
Related:
OK House Press Room: House Votes to Target Corruption
Tulsa World: Dems’ chief calls out Coffee
Okie Funk: Corporate Amnesty Bill Moves Forward
From Examiner.com:
The media is not letting up their focus on issues surrounding Sen. Coffee. Several Oklahoma doctors showed up at Capitol yesterday to try and refocus attention on their legislative agenda, but it won’t matter much on Wednesday. Political blood is in the water and the sharks are circling.
One veteran observer says that after nearly two weeks of missteps by the Coffee team, the momentum is shifting toward the anti-tort reform forces. “Coffee had it going, but he’s really screwed the pooch. His ham-handed handling of the back tax and campaign spending issues have increased interest in his motives, and some are going to start questioning precisely what is in these bills for big business. Heaven help him if it’s revealed some of those ‘bailed out’ companies are getting a sweet deal because of Coffee,” he says. Read more…
Related:
The Journal Record: Physicians voice approval for civil justice measure
Ada Evening News: Sen. Coffee should resign his position
An agreement on lawsuit reform is possible this year, according to the Republican co-chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, if Gov. Brad Henry is willing to make a counter-offer to the bipartisan lawsuit reform plans that he rejected during the 2007 legislative session. OK Sen. James Williamson (R-Tulsa):
I believe that a meaningful lawsuit reform bill is doable this year if the governor will get engaged in the process and make a formal counter-offer to the bipartisan proposals he rejected last year…There was a lot of talk last year by the governor and his surrogates about how close an agreement was, yet Gov. Henry still has not provided legislative language to show what he supports. If he truly wants to reach an agreement on lawsuit reform, it is time for Gov. Henry to put his cards on the table.
In 2007 Henry vetoed Senate Bill 507, a bipartisan lawsuit reform bill that passed the Senate and House of Representatives. Henry also rejected a second bipartisan compromise that sought to resolve his complaints about SB 507.
Williamson said the need for lawsuit reform is clear, but it is ultimately up to Henry whether Oklahoma doctors and businesses receive relief this year from lawsuit abuse.
For the fourth consecutive year, the Judicial Hellholes report published by the nonpartisan American Tort Reform Association (ATRA) gives Oklahoma a “dishonorable mention.”
Survey data from the Oklahoma Alliance of Physicians for Tort Reform showed the threat of lawsuits caused nearly one-fifth of Oklahoma doctors to consider leaving the state, while 60 percent of doctors have stopped performing riskier procedures (like delivering babies) in order to avoid lawsuits.
Lawsuits are also playing a role in the growing shortage of critical medical specialties here, such as obstetrics, especially in rural Oklahoma. Meanwhile, The Houston Chronicle reported that tort-reformed Texas is attracting doctors from non-reformed states like Oklahoma and Pennsylvania, making it difficult for Texas to keep up with the requests for new medical licenses. Similarly, a recent State Chamber survey of businesses showed that 87% believe that Oklahoma’s legal climate hurts job growth, while 52% said they would consider moving their business out of state because of lawsuits.
A 2007 report in Directorship magazine – widely read by job-creating CEO’s and directors – ranked Oklahoma’s legal climate a paltry #44 for business and job growth. The nation’s preeminent business newspaper – The Wall Street Journal – has scolded the governor in editorials because of Oklahoma’s lack of lawsuit reform. Williamson:
A majority of state legislators support real, comprehensive reforms to halt lawsuit abuse. We’re hopeful that Gov. Henry will choose to be a catalyst for reform this year instead of being the road block he has been in past years. All we are asking is that the governor fulfill his pledge to Oklahomans for Texas-Plus lawsuit reform.