Day: February 24, 2010

Breaking: US House of Representatives passes partial repeal of the McCarran-Ferguson Anti Trust Exemption

(H/T Mr CLS:) Our readers may recall that fractious House Democratic caucus we covered around one month ago. There were 4 points made by the Congressman to the slabbed, and it appears Madam Speaker is listening to the good advice she was given. Those 4 points:

  • repeal the insurance antitrust exemption
  • repeal the “Tauzin deal” that prohibits Medicare from negotiating prices with drug companies
  • require generic drugs in Medicare unless the doctor certifies that a brand name drug is medically necessary
  • require insurance plans to offer parents the option to cover their children up to age 27

None of these items will cost taxpayers a dime and in fact would save money. Nowdy and I founded Slabbed 2 years and 2 months ago based upon a few simple principles which is well illustrated by the following Margaret Mead quote:

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. Continue reading “Breaking: US House of Representatives passes partial repeal of the McCarran-Ferguson Anti Trust Exemption”

Wednesday Music Twofer: Nowdy and I are honored.

We’ve had some big days here on Slabbed over the last couple of years but we’re on our way to a new daily visit record. Thank you for stopping in and being in that number. Also you Kingsway folks should be calling over to Liberty Mutual thanking them for what they’ve done. Rest assured we have more coming.

One thing I can tell you is you got to be free.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcQGtigeadM]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sastKEBZhXY]

“the situation” of the “ethically blind” in Jefferson Parish

Unlike Sop and those of you “in the know” commenting, I know little about any of the individuals who are among “the cast of characters” in the Jefferson Parish story.  Behavioral science, on the other hand, is a subject I know something about – more than enough to tell me that among “the cast of characters” are some who were “caught up” in “the situation”.

I began writing this commentary as a comment in response to one Whitmergate posted that began: “Well Sop, I would like to believe that a person who has a grasp of reality would do exactly what one’s gut feels is right…”  Unfortunately, for some in Jefferson Parish, “what one’s gut feels is right” was shaped by “the situation”

In my off-blog life, I’ve been researching and writing about behavior – most recently about the reasons for “misbehavior” and how it develops.  In order to reach the point I needed to make, I’ve had to go all the way back to the period immediately following birth and work my way forward.

Along the way, I passed the period when children begin functioning as a member of some group – meaning preschool or school.  In their first group experience, many children will exhibit what is deemed “inappropriate behavior” by the  standards of the group.  Often, however, these children are simply behaving in a way they’ve learned and believe appropriate because it is “acceptable behavior” in their home, community, or culture.  Nonetheless, in order to be a successful member of the group, these children must change their behavior to that deemed appropriate for the group.

Hold those thoughts and  I’ll spare you a discussion of the in-between years and fast forward to adulthood: “Why Good Intentions are Often Not Enough: The Potential for Ethical Blindness in Legal Decision-Making” – a challenge to “the pervasiveness of assumptions about the power of conscious processes in ethical decision making… Continue reading ““the situation” of the “ethically blind” in Jefferson Parish”

If not for a conflict of interest, some would have no interest at all. Slabbed updates River Birch, Jefferson Parish curatorships and welcomes state Representative Rick Gallot.

A reader sent this AP story to us regarding state Representative Rick Gallot that fits with Nowdy’s comment yesterday. He evidently skates on a technicality:

The Louisiana Board of Ethics won’t further pursue a conflict-of-interest case involving state Rep. Rick Gallot.

The board has decided it won’t appeal to the Louisiana Supreme Court an ethics adjudicatory panel decision that the board took too long to prosecute charges against Gallot, a Democrat from Ruston. Continue reading “If not for a conflict of interest, some would have no interest at all. Slabbed updates River Birch, Jefferson Parish curatorships and welcomes state Representative Rick Gallot.”

Evidence of bad faith is not a trade secret or highly confidential as Slabbed welcomes back the insurance bastards from Liberty Mutual.

Courtesy of Mr Liberty Mutual: http://mrlibertymutual.com/

Folks we have proof positive that alittle Slabbin’ coupled with sunshine makes a difference as yesterday, Liberty Mutual filed a motion to seal the evidence that we presented Monday regarding a policyholder in New Orleans that Liberty Mutual had arrested simply because the policyholder dared to filed a claim for the wind damage that Liberty Mutual promised to cover in their homeowners policy but never did.   

Isn’t this so typical of a socially deviant corporate predator insurance company to behave badly and then try to shield their behavior from the public trying to designate their bullshit a trade secret or otherwise confidential. Unfortunately these criminals (and folks lets call this what it is) have enablers in the federal court system, usually in the form of former insurance defense lawyers that bought their way onto the court with the fortunes they made defending insurance companies while in private practice.

US Magistrate Robert Walker is such an example here in Mississippi and there is no shortage of such types in the Louisiana Eastern District such as Judge Kurt Engelhardt. These people provide insurers with the magic jurisdiction needed to hush up the bad behavior. Unfortunately Judge Vance’s Magistrate in Ex Rel Branch, Sally Sushan has proven herself  one such enabler. Is it any wonder that out here on Main Street the public’s confidence in getting a  fair shake out of our court system is at an all time low.

It is not lost on us that rather than protecting the cause of justice the federal court system instead protects the perpetrators with the use of seals and protective orders. Simply put our courts have sold out to the highest bidder and transparency has been sacrificed at the altar of money and greed.  Continue reading “Evidence of bad faith is not a trade secret or highly confidential as Slabbed welcomes back the insurance bastards from Liberty Mutual.”