Tort Reform Distortions

The poorly reasoned editorial of the day is unquestionably "Some things I wonder about" by Walter E. Williams. First he expresses that it only makes sense to buy at the lowest price, and thus that it is perfectly reasonable for CEO's to seek lower cost workers overseas.

How many times have we heard the accusation that a corporation moved overseas to take advantage of lower-priced labor or hired cheaper-priced Indians with HB-1 visas to replace higher-priced American high-tech workers? You'd think that a desire for lower prices is somehow immoral. Why should a preference for low prices be OK for you and me, and not so for CEOs?

Needless to say, the debate is not over the merits of bargain-hunting, and Mr. Williams presents a classic example of failing to see the forest for the trees. Not so poorly reasoned yet? Don't worry - it gets better. Williams next complains that homosexuals die at much younger ages than heterosexuals, yet insurance companies don't hike up premiums for homosexuals:

After all, life insurance companies do ask applicants about other forms of behavior that have an impact on life expectancy, such as: Are you a pilot? Do you abuse alcohol and drugs? And do you have DUI arrests? Why not also: Are you a homosexual? I think I know the answer. Life insurance companies would be charged with lifestyle discrimination.

Um... perhaps it is because the "death" statistic he cites - to the extent that it is valid - is not the result of homosexuality, but is in fact the result of a certain medical condition known as AIDS, and life insurance companies most certainly do inquire about that condition before issuing policies? You would think he would know that, as he cites a source, "'The Longevity of Homosexuals,' in the Omega Journal of Death and Dying in 1994" - but somehow forgets to mention that the full name of the article is "The Longevity of Homosexuals: Before and After the AIDS Epidemic". He somehow also forgets to mention that the statistic at issue comes not from a credible source, but from a seriously flawed 'study' of selected obituaries by Paul Cameron. His other source is a reference to a study in "Psychological Reports" - coincidentally, also by Mr. Cameron. I wonder why he didn't direct his readers to even more, um, supporting material from Mr. Cameron's website, where we learn that homosexual desire is often caused by dominant mothers, rejecting fathers, excessive masturbation, and sex with animals. Yep, Cameron wrote that - and more.

And Williams isn't even done. He concludes by arguing,

I also wonder about judges. Merv Grazinski of Oklahoma City purchased a brand new 32-foot Winnebago motor home. On his first trip, he set the cruise control at 70 mph and calmly left the driver's seat to go into the back and make himself a cup of coffee. The R.V. left the freeway, crashed and overturned. Grazinski sued Winnebago for not advising him in the owner's manual that he couldn't actually do this. The jury awarded him $1,750,000 plus a new motor home. Winnebago changed its manuals. I wonder why. Anyone so stupid as to leave the driver's seat is probably also too stupid to read a manual.

Presumably he's never heard of Snopes?

He gets paid for this?

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