EVERYTHING in West Virginia - homes, health care, roads, schools, courts, police protection, poverty programs - depends on how much wealth the state's private sector can create.
If companies in West Virginia have competitive problems, West Virginians lose wealth. So when
the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce speaks, state residents have everything to gain by listening.
The chamber has 5,000 members, from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies. They spoke recently through the chamber's policy papers for 2009, making observations on 33 topics. They are worth reading.
Take for example, the section entitled Comprehensive Civil Justice Reforms, which reads in part:
"West Virginia's system of largely uncontrolled lawsuits and a small cadre of activist judges have hindered business investment opportunities and has hurt employers in their ability to conduct business, employ people and grow in our state. Without enactment of additional meaningful civil justice - or 'tort' reforms, West Virginia will be at a continued disadvantage . . . ."
What should West Virginians look at?
Holding people and companies liable for damages only to the degree juries determine they were at fault.
Allowing courts to consider other compensation
EVERYTHING in West Virginia - homes, health care, roads, schools, courts, police protection, poverty programs - depends on how much wealth the state's private sector can create.
If companies in West Virginia have competitive problems, West Virginians lose wealth. So when
the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce speaks, state residents have everything to gain by listening.
The chamber has 5,000 members, from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies. They spoke recently through the chamber's policy papers for 2009, making observations on 33 topics. They are worth reading.
Take for example, the section entitled Comprehensive Civil Justice Reforms, which reads in part:
"West Virginia's system of largely uncontrolled lawsuits and a small cadre of activist judges have hindered business investment opportunities and has hurt employers in their ability to conduct business, employ people and grow in our state. Without enactment of additional meaningful civil justice - or 'tort' reforms, West Virginia will be at a continued disadvantage . . . ."
What should West Virginians look at?
Holding people and companies liable for damages only to the degree juries determine they were at fault.
Allowing courts to consider other compensation
a plaintiff has received to prevent double-dipping.
Limiting punitive damages, as other states have.
Limiting the liability for products to 18 years.
Reining in the state Supreme Court's creation, in 1999, of a new cause of action that lets people exposed to hazardous substances recover damages for medical monitoring when they have no physical injuries. "This new cause of action exposes many of West Virginia's businesses to potential liability even through there is no actual injury associated with the exposure," the chamber said.
The chamber also notes that West Virginia "is one of only three states that does not provide an absolute right to appeal a final judgment from a lower court."
Such observations are not the products of enemy forces out to skin people. They are the comments of the employers upon which West Virginians pin their economic hopes.
Why legislators and jurists preserve such impediments - preserving poverty - demands explanation.
Economic policy that would help all citizens of this state are routinely denounced by the Chamber as “socialist”, while state government pours subsidy money (? Welfare) into the special interests pockets business who cheat this states citizens out of economic prosperity. A healthy citizen dividend will provide economic stimulus unlike corporate welfare. Too bad the chamber of horrors is not interested in the people, just the business of business, bankrupting the state and her people.