In a speech on
This is the issue: Whether we believe in our capacity for self government or do we abandon the American Revolution and confess that a little intellectual elite group in a far distant place can plan our lives for us better than we can plan them ourselves.
At
a tea party convention earlier this year, Sarah Palin said something to the
effect that “Ronald Reagan knew the best of our country is not gathered in
The
above words by former President Reagan and former Governor Palin about the
benefits of limited government could easily be used to argue why a trial by a jury
of peers, selected from local communities is the best way to resolve civil
disputes among individuals and corporations.
Yet, proponents of small government are generally very eager to enact
governmental laws and regulations to bar or greatly diminish an injured
individual’s access to the Court to address wrongs committed against them. It should come as no surprise that tort
reform proposals generally favor big business over injured individuals. The absolute inconsistency between wanting
governmental involvement to reduce the rights of injured individuals, and at
the same time wanting smaller government intrusion into our lives could not be
more evident. In truth, the tort
reform/small government proponents are in favor of increased governmental regulations
if it shields them from being held responsible to those they injure from the
failure to exercise ordinary care. Hopefully, true small government advocates
will one day realize that tort reform is nothing more than big government protecting
big business interests like insurance companies and Wall Street companies
against the little guy. Those who cause harm should have to stand before our local community juries as opposed to standing
behind the big government politicians and regulators in Washington , D.C. Atlanta.
Comments