Political Quotes

“One second--I just suggest to the Senator from Massachusetts, to impugn me personally and suggest I am disingenuous by proposing that we provide some money in punitive damages, not damages to compensate for injury but damages to punish someone who did a wrong--why should that go to an individual as opposed to society, which was wronged by that activity, as all criminal activity is. It is a crime against society. We do not compensate, as you know, when we prosecute someone criminally. The individual does not get benefit from that punishment. So punitive damages are there to punish, not to compensate. I know the Senator from North Carolina knows that. That is why they are called punitive--punish; compensatory--compensate. There is a difference. That language is not there for window dressing; it is there for substantive difference. What I am suggesting is that these punitive--punishment--damages should not further punish people who have insurance because they are the ones ultimately to be punished. Several States have recognized this and have plowed that money back into the system to help those who would otherwise be punished by this money coming out of the system of health insurance. So I just suggest that my commitment here is sincere and my object here I think is worthy of support.”