LETTERS
Workers’ Comp
Now that the ink is dry on legislation to overhaul California’s crippled and dysfunctional workers’ compensation system, the real challenges begin.
This isn’t the first time California lawmakers have passed heralded workers’ compensation reforms.
Previous reforms have fallen far short of their intended effect and unleashed a host of unintended consequences that only made the system more expensive and complex.
One of the key things California policymakers must do this time: Stand firm in our commitment to recruit more private insurers back into California to increase competition.
Predictably, some Democrats and the applicant attorneys howled that the final workers’ compensation package did not include a rate regulation scheme for insurance companies.
But workers’ compensation insurers have lost money in California for seven straight years. The marketplace is largely a wasteland of insolvent insurers and insurers who have curtailed their policy-writing activity.
Moreover, two-thirds of employers are covered by State Fund, a nonprofit, quasi-government agency, or are self-insured.
For roughly 20% of employers who use private workers’ compensation insurance, the new reforms should result in lower premiums over time.
But that won’t happen if we impose a regulatory regime on an already anemic marketplace.
Lower rates will come as insurers compete to establish (or re-establish) their presence in the newly reformed, and finally stable and predictable, workers’ compensation market.
It’s not quite d & #233;j & #341; vu all over again.
The reforms signed by Gov. Schwarzenegger attack the root causes of California’s highest-in-the-nation costs in a manner unlike previous attempts to tweak the system.
The new law was crafted with the two most important objectives of reform foremost in mind: Lower the financial burden for employers and ensure that truly injured workers receive prompt and appropriate medical treatment as well as adequate benefits.
A watchful eye and bold action in the months and years ahead will prove just as important as the hard work of negotiation that produced this legislation.
Dave Cox
(Cox is a Republican Assemblyman from Sacramento.)
Reagan, War
While looking at the old newsreels depicting the “greatest generation” making thousands of sacrifices for freedom, in one day, on one beach, it kind of makes today’s cry-baby politicians look like cowards.
In addition, as a result of the death of President Reagan, many Americans are learning how his headstrong conservative policies helped destroy communism.
What we need to do in the world to keep our freedom is whatever it takes. We must make the sacrifices and not wimp out.
Just watch President Bush’s numbers go up in the next week or so.
God bless America, God bless the soul of Ronald Reagan. Even in death, helping his party and his country.
Barry M. Gold
Irvine
Why do Republicans blame Democrats for putting the troops in danger because we want to end the war?
Bush started the war. Bush put the troops in Iraq. Bush insulted our allies and went this alone. Bush policies have caused the problems. Bush policies have cost us close to 1,000 American lives, countless Iraqi lives, additional “coalition” members’ lives and over $200 billion and counting.
Democrats hopefully learned from Vietnam that you only fight needed wars and ones you can win.
Ed St. Amour
Mesa Verde
As a long-time OCBJ subscriber, I noted with keen interest your May 31 editorial on private military contractors, since I’d just finished a very scary book (assigned reading by Tom Nielsen for our monthly men’s book club) titled, “Sleeping with the Devil” by Robert Baer.
Baer speaks five languages including Arabic, served with the CIA in quite a few Muslim-dominated countries, and his book magnifies your thesis exponentially.
Not a pretty picture!
Carl Neisser
Newport Beach
Hyundai Suit
I was surprised to be dragged into court in Orange County over the ownership of a 4-year-old Hyundai.
It turns out that when I bought the car it was advertised at 140 hp.
Now a lawyer claims it only had 136 hp.
So, I will receive some free merchandise and the lawyer will get $10 million cash.
I also found out that it is not easy to measure horsepower accurately; there is a lot of room for error.
The costs of these awards and lawyers’ fees are not small and eventually will make their way into the cost of a new Hyundai to be paid for by new car buyers who had nothing to do with the case.
Gary Thompson
Solana Beach
County Supes
Our esteemed county supervisors are considering putting John Wayne Airport on the auction block to raise some money.
The supes could easily cut costs simply by getting rid of themselves. They serve no real purpose other than to rubber-stamp projects for developers.
Let’s just eliminate this facade of democracy and simply put The Irvine Company Chairman Donald Bren in charge of the county for no salary.
Rex Ricks
Huntington Beach
