Senate Fails to Pass Good “Tort Reform”

President Bush said senators failed to pass "good tort reform" during his news conference this Monday.

Tort law, like most of our legal system, is traditionally a matter of state "common law" and legislation. But Bush Administrative legislative initiatives seek to partially modify this by imposing uniform limits applicable to all states making tort reform a major part of the Bush Administration's domestic agenda.

According to recent sources, tort costs are astounding, for example:

They surged from $205 billion in 2001, according to the American Tort Reform Association, to $233 billion last year, an increase of nearly 14 percent.

The actuarial firm of Tillinghast-Towers Perrin reports in a new study that tort costs hit each American for $809 a year; by 2005, the report projects that the cost could exceed $1,000 per person.

The House has already placed limits on class-action suits to relieve the system of some of the abuse it endures, the Senate failed to cap medical liability lawsuits which are sending health care costs to record figures.

Polls show Americans Strongly Support Bush

As the third year of his presidency draws to a close, the capture of Saddam has catapulted President Bush's poll ratings above both his father and Clinton.

Several polls taken before and after the capture of Saddam Hussein indicate a dramatic increase in the approval of Bush.

A New York Times/CBS News showed that before the capture of Saddam, 47 percent of poll participants said the war in Iraq was going well for the United States . However, figures increased to 64 percent in the poll that was taken after the capture of Saddam Hussein.

A CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll released this week shoed Bush's approval rating increased by 13 percent over the last month to 63 percent, his highest since June this year.

60 percent of poll respondents consider it was worth going to war with Iraq .

The poll also finds Bush significantly ahead of leading Democrat presidential frontrunner Howard Dean by 23 percent.