Democrats: The Lawyers' Party

[DrewEckhardt 0]

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The Democratic Party has become the Lawyers' Party.

While interesting to note that the Democrats have more lawyers (123 in the 110th Congress) in Congress than the Republicans (just 81 at that time) comparing the two parties is a divisive distraction from the real issues.

Rank and file Congress Critters get paid just $174,000 a year.

Compare and contrast to equity partners in the top 100 law firms with compensation ranging from $360,000 at the bottom to $4,945,000 at the top in 2007.

Compare with the $1.7M/year it costs to become a senator (with the average successful campaign running $10M for a 6-year term).

The arithmetic only works where Representatives and Senators are getting something more valuable than the salary they forgo (power) and where organizations pick up their election tab because they get something valuable in return (power through puppet).

This holds for both parties.

[Gravitymaster 0]

That's just their salaries. Name a few who have been there for more than 5 years who aren't worth $millions

[lawrocket 3]

There are lawyers on both sides. And when I opened this, I thought that the story would be that the Democrats are the party of Plaintiffs’ lawyers, which I happen to agree with.

Andy may be able to remember the good old days (for he is a learned, sage, experienced and aged counsel as opposed to the youthful, incompetent and inexperienced pettifogger that I am) that the Defense bar held all the power. Slowly during the 1970’s and 80’s, the tide turned dramatically. The advent of massive class actions, etc., led to the balance of power being shifted to the Plaintiffs’ Bar. Google “Milberg Weiss” and “William Lerach.” The GOP (you know, pro business) sought to legislate limits on class action lawsuits, jurisdiction, venue, that kind of thing. Democrats, of course, sought to prevent and/or even expand the availability and damages of these suits. Even while Bill (a really friggin interesting dude in person) Lerach and Milberg Weiss were under indictment, they kept donating to the Democratic Party.

I think that there can be an accurate statement that Democrats are the party of the Plaintiffs’ bar and the GOP is the party of the Defense Bar.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[winsor 236]

ATLA supports the Democrats, and well more than 50% of practicing attorneys vote Democratic.

Physicians, OTOH, tend to vote Republican.

[popsjumper 2]

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To the author of that article, I would repeat what I've said in other threads: any random asshole can lawyer-bait; it takes no brains at all.

You guys make soooooo easy!


"I went to law school."
"No problem. We can work around that."

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[kallend 2,148]

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ATLA supports the Democrats, and well more than 50% of practicing attorneys vote Democratic.

Physicians, OTOH, tend to vote Republican.

And just think how many people DIE when under the care of physicians!

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[winsor 236]

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ATLA supports the Democrats, and well more than 50% of practicing attorneys vote Democratic.

Physicians, OTOH, tend to vote Republican.

And just think how many people DIE when under the care of physicians!

[kallend 2,148]

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ATLA supports the Democrats, and well more than 50% of practicing attorneys vote Democratic.

Physicians, OTOH, tend to vote Republican.

And just think how many people DIE when under the care of physicians!

Nobody lives forever.

[Andy9o8 2]

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ATLA supports the Democrats,

"Trial attorneys" is a euphimism that has come to mean "plainitffs' personal injury attorneys". It is a misnomer, because, for example, insurance defense attorneys and prosecutors are equally "trial attorneys". The various national and state "trial attorneys associations" - ATLA, Michigan Trial Attorneys Association, etc. - are heavily dominated by plaintiffs-side personal injury attorneys. Defense attorneys often are not members of those associations; they are members of defense-oriented groups. So, saying that ATLA usually supports Democrats is not very revealing; it's like saying the ACLU supports Democrats, which is to say: of course.

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well more than 50% of practicing attorneys vote Democratic.

I can't find a quick source re: that stat, so if you could point me to a link, that would be helpful.

Having been in the business as a lawyer or paralegal for over 30 years now, this is my own experiential / anecdotal observations and evidence:

Most personal-injury plaintiff's attorneys in urban cities/counties tend to be Democrats.

However, in Republican-majority counties, more than 50% of the Plaintiff's PI attorneys tend to be Republicans. Partly it's because of politics, i.e., they want to affiliate with the local party in power. But a lot of it is because, having often come from modest backgrounds, they're nouveau riche and want to protect their assets from taxation.

Most "insurance defense" (i.e., defense-side personal injury) lawyers tend to be Republicans, everywhere. Also, most business lawyers tend to be Republican.

Most prosecutors are Republican, and most criminal defense attorneys are Democrats. The exception to each is if one feels the political need to affiliate with whatever the majority party may be in that county.

[winsor 236]

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ATLA supports the Democrats, and well more than 50% of practicing attorneys vote Democratic.

Physicians, OTOH, tend to vote Republican.

And just think how many people DIE when under the care of physicians!

Nobody lives forever.

Well, that's a lame excuse.

[lawrocket 3]

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ATLA supports the Democrats, and well more than 50% of practicing attorneys vote Democratic.

Physicians, OTOH, tend to vote Republican.

And just think how many people DIE when under the care of physicians!

Not as many as are killed by the products of scientists and engineers.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[Andy9o8 2]

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ATLA supports the Democrats, and well more than 50% of practicing attorneys vote Democratic.

Physicians, OTOH, tend to vote Republican.

And just think how many people DIE when under the care of physicians!

Not as many as are killed by the products of scientists and engineers.

Most people who wind up divorced are under the care of lawyers.

[mnealtx 0]

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Most people who wind up divorced are under the care of lawyers.

Well, *someone* has to pay for that $1000 suit, and I'm sure getting the custom tailoring to fit around the fin isn't cheap either...

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[popsjumper 2]

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Most people who wind up divorced are under the care of lawyers.

Ahhhh....now it all becomes clear.

OK, Andy....I'll stop pickin' at you now.


My lawyer had a Testarossa.



OK, Andy....NOW I'll stop pickin' at you.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[shah269 0]

Nah they are just a party of pussies!
A bunch of good for nothing spinless gutless unorganized pussies!

Life through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds is necessary to ensure happiness and to keep chaos at bay.

The only thing that falls from the sky is birdshit and fools!