To me, the struggle to pass the so-called Cheeseburger Bill has always seemed more symbolic politics than legislative relief for a real threat. It's certainly not a "jobs, jobs, jobs" bill, which is probably why it has the attention of Republican leadership now controlling the Minnesota House.
In short, the sort of imaginary problem to hag-ride the mind of a guy like Glenn Gruenhagen, fearful of sodomy and his own shadow.
Thus I had to snort in laughter at the latest Gruenhagenism, duly reported by Dave Orrick at the Pioneer Press in Minnesota House panel OKs bill barring fast-food lawsuits:
Monday's debate quickly descended into a battle of analogies, as well as a referendum on whether society is too litigious.
"Let's say I choose to eat 100 bananas and my stomach ruptures," said Rep. Glenn Gruenhagen, a Glencoe Republican. "That's not the banana growers' fault."
Draz puts in a cameo appearance as well:
Rep. Steve Drazkowski, a Republican from Mazeppa, said the proposal offers badly needed reform. "I think (the bill is) exactly on track to where we need to go here in society," he said. "Our society has gotten to be a sue-happy society."
There's one problem with the bill:
Joel Carlson, a lobbyist for the Minnesota Association for Justice (formerly known as the Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association), said such a statement was "disingenuous," citing court statistics showing the number of personal-injury claims filed in Minnesota fell 30 percent from 1998 to 2009. Moreover, he said, the proposal isn't needed because Minnesota law already has provisions that presume people are responsible for their own actions. "That's the reason cases haven't been brought in Minnesota," he said.
On Planet Draz, it's only legislation that ensures women get pay equity that's redundant. But protecting slider slingers from lawsuits that are already banned? There you go: more government regulation of government.
Image: Gruenhagen's superego confronts his id, or else a still from the classic cartoon short, Rejected. Decide for yourself.
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