Nader promised to vigorously promote consumer rights in his third-party campaign, including a patient's right to sue an HMO.
In a position paper to be issued this morning, Nader faulted nearly
every elected official and legislature in the United States for limiting
the liability of negligent corporations, and he faulted several major
industries for taking advantage of such protections.
Green Party presidential candidate Ralph Nader talks to reporters Thursday Aug. 10, 2000 outside a Verizon facility in Falls Church, Va. Nader had just visited striking Verizon workers who were picketing the office. (AP Photos/Steve Boitano)
Nader dismissed the tort reform efforts that Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush has promoted as Texas' governor, calling it tort "deform."
"Bush is the worst of the worst on this," Nader said. "You couldn't have anybody worse. He brags about it, he boasts about it, it's one of his top 10 issues."
Bush spokesman Ray Sullivan defended Bush's record, which has included legislation to cap punitive damages awarded in lawsuits. Bush has said that lawyers, not victims, profit unduly from such suits.
"The governor realizes that ultimately consumers are the ones that pay for frivolous and junk lawsuits in the form of higher prices for goods and services and higher insurance premiums," Sullivan said. "His view is that the system must have more balance and fairness built into it, and that balance and fairness is for plaintiffs, for consumers and for employers alike."
According to Nader, who dismissed the costs to consumers of liability suits as minimal, the Democrats have been no more supportive of consumers. He singled out President Clinton for signing legislation limiting lawsuits and Vice President Al Gore's running mate, Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut, for his "passion to limit the liability of predatory corporations toward their injured or defrauded victims."
"He's got an obsession to immunize corporations," Nader said.
Lieberman spokesman Dan Gerstein countered that the senator has "a consumer protection and environmental protection record that is second to none." He credited Lieberman for a range of accomplishments, from controlling cable television rates to holding oil firms liable for spills.
"Ralph Nader's picking on one of his friends rather than doing what he does so well: challenging the polluters and corporations who take advantage of consumers," Gerstein said.
Nader, who for four decades has led public campaigns against corporate abuse, has also taken up rising California utility rates as an issue, citing the deregulation of utilities as the cause. He accused California's Legislature of bowing to utility and power companies by easing regulations on them in exchange for political donations.
Nader released a letter Thursday calling on Gore and Bush to support mandates for energy efficiency and renewable energy. He said he will focus on California's utility rates when he campaigns in the state Aug. 20-27.
Copyright 2000 Los Angeles Times
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