Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Business Owner Asks Doyle to Remove Liability Change from Budget

It’s good to see business leaders stepping out on this issue.

For that reason, Tyrol Basin is among the business groups, including tourism destinations and American Family Insurance Group of Madison, who are pushing back against a proposal in Gov. Jim Doyle’s budget to increase the number of victims who could receive full damages in injury lawsuits.

If the measure is passed, Barry worries he might not be able to afford the cost of insurance for his business or might not be able to get it at any price.

“It’s an absolute total job killer,” said Barry, a former Dane County executive and state lawmaker who’s enraged by the proposal.

And I just love the response from Doyle.

“It’s something that’s in the governor’s budget and we’re just going to leave it at that,” Lee Sensenbrenner said.

In other words, “shut up… have you seen how much money the trial lawyers have given Doyle?”

(7) Comments
Posted by Owen at 2224 hrs
Law + Politics + Politics - Wisconsin

  1. This was a nice attempt by Doyle to throw a bone to the trial lawyers, but I have a suspicion that this provision’s never going to make it back to his desk.  It’s taking on water like TABOR/Healthy Wisconsin.  If Doyle would’ve done it quick and dirty, it would’ve blown through without anyone noticing how many problems there were with it.  But with each day it hangs out there, a couple more people find a reason to dislike it.  It doesn’t help that the only people who will actively defend this are the trial lawyers, since nearly everyone hates them.

    Sensenbrenner’s response is a pretty clear sign that Doyle’s not going to waste political capital trying to defend the provision.

    Posted by Recess Supervisor on May 21, 2009 at 0208 hrs


  2. That’s one take. But I think they know it’s not popular, but they aren’t going to remove it. Doyle’s numbers aren’t stellar right now - and he could certainly use the lift by removing this. But - he’s not going to cut off one of his major funding sources.

    Not exactly something you want to talk about. Which explains Lee’s response.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on May 21, 2009 at 0703 hrs


  3. I don’t think it would come to Doyle.  If the Dems don’t take it out in Finance, this thing could easily hit the skids in one of the chambers.  Presuming the AssGOP can hang together on this one, they need four votes between Jeff Wood and the Dems.  I can see a lot of first and second-term Dems being very squeamish about voting to table an amendment that would delete this language.  Your average rural Democrat doesn’t exactly have a huge trial lawyer constituency.

    Posted by Recess Supervisor on May 21, 2009 at 0905 hrs


  4. Just another reason for the people of Wisconsin to “FLUSH THE DOYLET” on this guy.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on May 21, 2009 at 0918 hrs


  5. I don’t think Doyle is going to let this die. He will definitely be picking up the phone and making some deals for the votes he needs.

    How many people in the rural areas even give two hoots about this? Or frankly even know about it. Out side of Milwaukee, Madison and Appleton/Green Bay area - my bet would be no one knows about it. The rural dems don’t have anything to worry about. And Doyle will pressure people like Carpenter and Plale (who have caved before) into voting for this.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on May 21, 2009 at 1044 hrs


  6. RS, money is going to talk here.  While the rural Dems may not have a natural trial lawyer constituency, a little money (either to them or a primary challenger) will go a long way to ensure compliance.

    Even if the Assembly Pubbies manage to get it deleted from the budget (an unlikely proposition because it’s a short week next week, and the Dems want to be done before June), it will be restored in conference.

    Posted by steveegg on May 21, 2009 at 1316 hrs


  7. Well, I appear to win so far.  And the Assembly Republicans weren’t even needed - the Democrats took care of it all by themselves.

    The policy that’s getting yanked is not likely to come back.  They’re pulling this stuff to buy votes.  Pulled policy is the new pork.

    Posted by Recess Supervisor on June 10, 2009 at 1535 hrs


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