Readers Talk Back

Regards,

David P.M. Scollnik, Ph.D. , A.S.A., Calgary, Alberta (Canada) (Received Feb. 25, 2003)

A State of Deregulation

Re: Verizon Hints at Further Spending Cuts

Editors:

" Speaking to investors at the Merrill Lynch Global Communications Conference, Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg said he was both "confused and angry" about the Federal Communications Commission's decision Thursday to hand wholesale pricing jurisdiction to the states."

If they are ordered to continue subsidizing local competition, the regional Bells will continue to reduce costs by further cutting capital expenditures. The FCC has now lobbed the deregulation ball to the states. So, for starters, Mr. Seidenberg and Verizon can go to New Jersey and ask for deregulation relief in the home state of Lucent.

Why not?

Sincerely,

Jerome Capp, Cortlandt Manor, N.Y. (Received Feb. 25, 2003)

A Plea for Legal Reforms

Re: Legal Reform Tempts Wall Street

Editors:

I read with great interest the story about tort reform. The part that struck me hardest was the statement made by Michael Saks, professor of law at Arizona State University, about the awards acting as deterrents of improper behavior. As a professor, I wonder if Mr. Saks has real-life experience.

My own experiences, and those that I have witnessed, have helped me to formulate a low opinion of lawyers. I've seen time and time again, where lawyers effectively "extort" money from defendants, using the threat of "keeping them in court for years" unless they pay up.

Some would say "that is what the disciplinary review board is for." I doubt these people have ever dealt with the disciplinary review board. By their definition, "improper behavior" is physically accosting someone or receiving a settlement check and not forwarding it to the recipient party. This board believes anything an attorney does is "proper" because, well, they are attorneys.

I have heard that there are more students in law school at this time than there are practicing attorneys. God help us all if this is the case! With the ability to legally extort money from people and the huge settlements being awarded, it's no wonder so many people want to be attorneys.