Editor’s Note: GOP gap

Thoughts while dog walking…

Congress finally appears to be moving on terrorism insurance. After the year is up, whether or not the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act is extended, there ought to be an independent high-level inquiry into why it took so long for an army of well-paid insurance, banking, real estate and other business lobbyists to convince a Republican-controlled White House and Congress that TRIA was necessary.

Slick talk

Oil company executives were called before a Congressional committee amid allegations they have reaped billions in excess profits. Bet there are some property casualty executives who would gladly face the political music of having to explain profits like those, if ever they came to be. Come to think of it, the oil companies could probably fund TRIA.

Painful reality

Merck & Company’s recent victory in its second Vioxx trial was a big one for the maker of the painkiller. But it does not mean the firm’s legal pains are behind it. The win in the New Jersey trial may discourage some plaintiffs from pursing claims but with about 7,000 suits having been filed, plenty are still likely to go forward. The company has vowed that it will fight every one but legal observers point out that circumstances of the New Jersey case that worked in Merck’s favor may not be present in the remaining cases. The patient had a history of health troubles and had been using Vioxx for only two months, considered a brief period compared to other users. Also, the patient did not die. Most lawyers agree that jurors respond more emotionally to death cases.

Car 54 Where Are You?

In this issue is a story on how lost and stolen vehicles are being recovered in record time thanks to high tech gadgets. But, sometimes, recovery just requires patience. The Ohio State Patrol recently recovered a 1980 F379 welding truck. An 85-year-old farmer, who is not a suspect, had the truck, which had a falsified vehicle identification number that had passed an Ohio VIN inspection 10 years ago. However, troopers found the real VIN on the truck’s frame, ran it through a stolen vehicle database and discovered that it was reported stolen in Gillette, Wyoming more than two decades ago. Deputies had to search ancient microfiche reports to learn more about the stolen truck. Insurance paid off the vehicle in 1984, and the only suspect in the case has since died. Deputies have notified the insurance company and told them to contact the Ohio troopers.

Now, back on with the leash.