I had a minor in history, a major in journalism, graduated high in my law school class. But until George Bush won his second term in office, I didn’t know about the 51 means 60 rule in the U.S. Senate. From my perspective as a trial lawyer and consumer advocate, that 60 rule saved us in 2005, when the Republicans ran on a platform of what they called Tort Reform and would have legislated the civil justice system out of existence. For two years, until the Democrats regained control of the Senate, we advocates for consumer rights shuddered every time some Rush Limbaugh clone went on a rampage against basic rights that have been guaranteed going back to the Magna Carta.
Well, now it is the Democrats who have control of both Houses of Congress and the White House. Will they create some push back against the tort reform abuses of the Bush years? Probably not. But it sure is a lot better representing injured people when there are 60 members of the Democratic Party, than the other way around.
Attorney Gordon Johnson