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Does America have a lawyer problem, or a law problem?
The Washington Examiner ^ | 02-04-2011 | Glenn Harlan Reynolds

Posted on 02/07/2011 6:00:33 AM PST by A Strict Constructionist

As someone who teaches at a law school, and sees his students go out into the world, I am predisposed to like law. When I practiced law at a big firm here in Washington, D.C., I enjoyed it and I felt like we helped our clients with their problems, more often than not.

But a lot of people out there don't like lawyers, and think that the legal profession is harming the country. And I'm beginning to think that they might have a point.

The New York Times recently reported on the problems of an American entrepreneur in Greece. Though Greek political leaders desperately want new businesses to start up there - to help Greece's imploding economy and dreadful balance of trade - the barriers in terms of regulation and legal confusion are very high. The Times reports:

Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/columnists/2011/02/sunday-reflection-does-america-have-lawyer-problem-or-law-problem#ixzz1DHUjnBl2

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonexaminer.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Government
KEYWORDS: business; law; layers
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He see's the problem but...
1 posted on 02/07/2011 6:00:48 AM PST by A Strict Constructionist
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To: A Strict Constructionist

“Does America have a lawyer problem, or a law problem?”

Both. Our laws were written by lawyers for lawyers.


2 posted on 02/07/2011 6:01:45 AM PST by SeeSac
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To: A Strict Constructionist

justice is no longer blind


3 posted on 02/07/2011 6:03:36 AM PST by Doogle ((USAF.68-73..8th TFW Ubon Thailand..never store a threat you should have eliminated))
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To: A Strict Constructionist

It has a liberal judge problem that fuels the lawyer problem.

That’s why tort reform won’t help.

We have to find a way of getting rid of bad judges.


4 posted on 02/07/2011 6:03:50 AM PST by Safrguns
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To: A Strict Constructionist
There are at least two issues here.

On terrorists, Justice recused"
AG Eric Holder's clients (the REAL reason for the transfer - to free them):
o Saad Al Qahtani
o Mohammed Zahrani
o Achraf Salim ("Sultan") Abdessalam
o Abdul Rahman Abdul Abu Ghityh Sulayman
o Musaab Omar Al Madhwani
o Jawad Jabbar Sadkhan (Al Sahlani)
o Majid Khan


"Attorney General Holder's Advisers Have Conflicts on Detainee Cases"


"Eric Holder's Law Firm Has a history of representing Terrorists"


"Corruptocrat AG Eric Holder's conflicted DOJ"


The Al-Qaeda Bar (Big Law Firms Line Up to Represent Terrorists)
"Some of the nation's wealthiest and most powerful law firms have donated hundreds of
millions of dollars in free legal services to terror suspects at the Guantanamo Bay prison.
Their work, bolstered by left-wing activists groups, has helped to free, or force the
transfer, of hundreds of al Qaeda suspects to third countries. Some have gone back to
terrorism and the job of trying to kill Americans.

The work of big American law firms on behalf of al Qaeda is drawing new attention since
Attorney General Eric Holder decided this month that Khalid Sheik Mohammed, who
orchestrated the murder of over 3,000 9-11, is coming to New York City for trial. Holder
was a partner at Covington & Burling, which in 2005 gave one its attorneys an award for
aiding 17 Yemeni suspects at Guantanamo."

A list of 10 of the largest American legal firms representing Guantanamo terror detainees:
Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw
Blank Rome
Manatt, Phelps & Phillips
Shearman & Sterling
Allen & Overy
Convington & Burling
Dorsey & Whitney
Holland & Hart
Hunton & Williams
Paul, Weiss"


"Army Major (Hasan) Played Role in Presidential (Obama) Transition"

5 posted on 02/07/2011 6:06:38 AM PST by Diogenesis (Si vis pacem, para bellum)
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To: A Strict Constructionist

The Law is a political invention. Our society has too much politics. Too much government. Too much legislation. A truly limited government, overseeing only those areas mandated by the Constitution, would be much less capable of making life difficult through the legal profession.


6 posted on 02/07/2011 6:07:01 AM PST by ClearCase_guy (BO + MB = BOMB -- The One will make sure they get one.)
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To: Safrguns

The laws are written by lawyers to line their pockets. The main problem with health care is the lawyer jackpot laws.


7 posted on 02/07/2011 6:07:24 AM PST by mountainlion (The government is not my god no matter how much they preach.)
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To: SeeSac

Our main problem is we have LAWYERS creating laws.

Lawyers as officers of the court are a part of the judiciary and should be barred from holding legislative office. It creates a conflict of interest and weakens the separation of powers concept.

Their only part in the legislative process should be as consultants to DESIGN laws to meet the wishes of legislators.

Think about it. If Automobile Mechanics could design cars, what would they make? Vehicles which are safe, quick to maintain and long lasting without a need for major servicing?

Hardly. They would make cars which generate more business for themselves and that is exactly what legislating attorneys do.

Aside from that there are too damn many of them. I think its probably more profitable for a college to turn out attorneys than to turn out doctors, dentists, engineers and scientists - people who make life BETTER. Laboratories and equipment create a high overhead. All you need to turn out attorneys are law professors and libraries.


8 posted on 02/07/2011 6:10:15 AM PST by ZULU (No nation which ever attempted to tolerate Islam, escaped total Islamization.)
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To: A Strict Constructionist
"The more corrupt the state, the more it legislates."

Tacitus

9 posted on 02/07/2011 6:13:18 AM PST by circlecity
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To: A Strict Constructionist


Lawyers are vultures perched on the rim of the canyon of human misery!


Lamh Foistenach Abu!
10 posted on 02/07/2011 6:14:24 AM PST by ConorMacNessa (HM/2 USN, 3/5 Marines, RVN '69 - St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle!)
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To: A Strict Constructionist

Too many lawyers.

Not enough respect for the rule of law.

Not enough respect for law and order.

Too many plea bargains.

Bring back the death penalty and start executing criminals again.

Reduce the number of appeals.

Too many criminals given slap on the wrist sentences.

Too many criminals handled with kid gloves.

Too many criminals given light sentences.

Too many liberal judges. Too many of them are way too lenient especially on child cases of pedophilia, child kidnapping, rape and murder.


11 posted on 02/07/2011 6:14:57 AM PST by Ev Reeman
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To: Ev Reeman

I’m a lawyer. You’re 10 for 10.

Colonel, USAFR


12 posted on 02/07/2011 6:17:53 AM PST by jagusafr ("We hold these truths to be self-evident...")
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To: A Strict Constructionist

Keeping them OUT of government would be a great first step in correcting the problem. They get into congress and start passing laws that require the use of their services to comply. Never vote for a lawyer!


13 posted on 02/07/2011 6:18:12 AM PST by JimRed (Excising a cancer before it kills us waters the Tree of Liberty! TERM LIMITS, NOW AND FOREVER!)
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To: A Strict Constructionist
And if the end result is less work for lawyers, well, maybe some of those excellent minds can find something entrepreneurial to do instead.

We can always use more burglars and armed robbers.

14 posted on 02/07/2011 6:24:28 AM PST by Mr Ramsbotham (Laws against sodomy are honored in the breech.)
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To: A Strict Constructionist

A picture of ‘Greed’ will have a picture of a banker, a Wall Street speculator, and of course, a lawyer. =.=


15 posted on 02/07/2011 6:27:00 AM PST by cranked
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To: A Strict Constructionist

16 posted on 02/07/2011 6:27:17 AM PST by Yo-Yo (Is the /sarc tag really necessary?)
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To: A Strict Constructionist

Most all of the lawyers I know have one mantra, they don’t care about serving justice they care about gaming law. In fact, they start gettting very self-important indeed when you address the issue of justice with them, immediately treating you as niave for not understanding that we are all slaves to the law and that in being so, justice will be done more often than not on average.

I find their entire premise to be an assault on liberty, as it rejects that notion that the law itself should only exist to serve justice, and that laws that do not do so are an attack on man, not a benefit.

Further, an law that requires that a group of lawyers vote on it to determine its meaning is worthless by definition.


17 posted on 02/07/2011 6:27:50 AM PST by SampleMan (If all of the people currently oppressed shared a common geography, bullets would already be flying.)
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To: JimRed

Reminds me of the Three Stooges law firm of Dewey Cheatum and Howe./sarc


18 posted on 02/07/2011 6:29:53 AM PST by Ev Reeman
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To: ZULU

Weren’t some of the Founders lawyers? John Adams, Jefferson, and others?


19 posted on 02/07/2011 6:30:10 AM PST by rangerwife (Proud wife of a Purple Heart Recipient)
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To: SeeSac

James Madison once said that when any one “same hands” (by which he meant similar interest) group get’s control of ALL the leavers of government that would be the very definition of tyranny! I think he was all to right and when I look around me today I see that it has come to pass in THIS country!


20 posted on 02/07/2011 6:31:27 AM PST by Bigun ("The most fearsome words in the English language are I'm from the government and I'm here to help!")
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