A Round of Vioxx for Everybody!

Bush Signs "Class Action Fairness Act." Check out this article in The Nation about how this "tort reform" bill--I mean, law--"will make class actions--most of which involve discrimination, consumer fraud and wage-and-hour violations--all but impossible."

In a related story, Merck May Resume Sales of Painkiller, Official Says. During recent congressional hearings over the health risks of the painkiller Vioxx, Dr. David Graham, a Food and Drug Administration researcher, said estimated that somewhere between 88,000 to 139,000 Americans had suffered either a heart attack or stroke as a result of using Vioxx.

"...Of these, 30 to 40 percent probably died. Now, imagine that we were talking about jetliners. If there were an average of 150 to 200 people on an aircraft, this range of 88,000 to 139,000 would be the rough equivalent of 500 to 900 aircraft dropping from the sky. This translates to two to four aircraft every week-- week in, week out-- for the past five years."

Lawsuits? We don't fear no stinking lawsuits!

The President shares a laugh with his cabinet about how much money he's going to make on his Merck and Halliburton stock.