The "Story"
I tell you, sometimes this page just writes itself. There's just so much to choose from today.

Is it the "news" that George Michael is quitting the record business, deciding instead to release his albums gratis over the Internet? George who? Oh yeah, the guy who hasn't released an album in eight years and whose last two flopped miserably. Yeah, good story there. Thanks to Rolling Stone for that one.

Do we report on the 60-odd Germans who bought parcels of real estate on the moon from an American entrepenuer and are now concerned that a proposed U.S. lunar base could infringe on their property rights? I can't make this stuff up--check out the story from the AFP for yourself.

Or maybe it's the report from Internet "experts" that the newly enacted Can-Spam Act may not put an end to Spam after all. You think? I'm laying odds that a year from now I'll still be sitting at my computer mulling over ways to reduce my mortgage, enlarge my penis and buy cheap Viagra over my morning coffee. Read more at The Washington Post.

No, the top "story" has to be the House bill passed today that would bar individuals from suing fast-food restaurants for contributing to their obesity. The so-called "Cheeseburger Bill" seeks to shift the blame for our sagging society from restaurants and place it squarely where it belongs: on the broad yet flabby shoulders of the American public. Somewhere top executives from Phillip Morris and RJ Reynolds are rubbing their hands in glee.

3N has mixed feelings about this bill. On the one hand we are always in favor of Americans taking responsibility for their own actions, something we are loath to do these days. We wonder why similar legislation was not enacted for the tobacco industry. But on the other hand, 3N is always worried when government steps in to shield corporate America by limiting the kinds of lawsuits and the damages awarded.

Basically this "story" is non-news because it does nothing to address to the real problem this country faces: we are overweight, lazy and out of shape. Read the full story at The New York Times among others.

In a related item, UPI reports the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is embarking on a sweeping campaign to stamp out obesity, citing a new study which suggests poor eating habits and a lack of exercise will soon top smoking as the leading cause of death in the U.S. HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson plans to eradicate obesity by airing a series of public service commercials created by the Ad Council. And if that doesn't work, 3N doesn't know what will.

The News
While the Cheeseburger Bill takes the moral high ground by attempting to place blame where it belongs, it is yet another move in the direction of protecting corporate America by limiting damages and the types of lawsuits we are allowed to bring. President Bush has a history of doing just this sort of thing. He did it as governor in Texas and he's doing it now on a national level. And it should scare the hell out of you.

As president, Bush kicked off his defense of corporations and his assault on the working class by repealing a slew of work-safety measures, specifically ones protecting workers from repetitive-stress injuries.

Next up was the repeal of the bankruptcy bill, making it more difficult for Americans to declare bankruptcy and giving more power to creditors eager to get their money back.

Lately Bush has been trying to once again push through legislation that would severely limit the awards handed out for medical malpractice. Look to this story from London-based newspaper The Guardian for more.

As we said before, none of this is new for Bush. As governor of Texas, Bush introduced a series of measures aimed at tort reform, measures that, "set back hard-fought consumer protection victories by decades," according to Dan Lambe of the consumer group TexasWatch.

Then-Governor Bush enacted laws that capped the amount of damages paid by large corporations in cases of serious injury and/or death, prohibited Texas cities from suing gun retailers and manufactures, and, you guessed it, made it more difficult for individuals to sue doctors and hospitals in cases of malpractice. Look to this excellent article from Tom Paine for more.

Today's lesson? Get your lawsuits while you can America. Because if Bush has his way, soon there will be no one left to sue.