Feeling poorly and pissy

I'm a bit under the weather today and haven't had the energy to post.  Now, after learning that our Corporation-in-Chief signed an Executive Order prohibiting contingent fee attorneys from helping the government, I'm feeling pissy.  I'll probably elaborate more tomorrow, but here are some of the reasons this is a bad idea.

1. The top contingent-fee lawyers in the country are the cream of the crop of attorneys.  They're certainly better qualified to take on massive cases than their counterparts in the government. 
2. Now, instead of getting valuable services for free, the taxpayers will be forced to pay for services which used to be free.
3. Because outside counsel are likely to be expensive, they will be used rarely.  The net effect will be less government enforcement.
4. Contingency fees have once again been demonized as if there's something wrong with them.  You know, I wish the top 100 law firms had to switch over to a contingency fee scheme in which they only get their hourly rates when they achieve results.  Maybe then plaintiff's attorneys would get a little more respect.
5. The ILR applauded the executive order.  Anything they approve of is bad for consumers.

(sigh) It's times like this I wish I was still in Texas with my trial lawyer friends.  We'd get drunk, cuss about W and Republicans in general, and generally behave irresponsibly.  Oh well.  Guess I'll watch a zombie movie instead.

Technorati tags: tort reform, W, Republicans, contingency fees, evil, executive order