The Collapse of the Common Good: How America's Lawsuit Culture Undermines Our Freedom

Our Freedom Under Attack

Author Philip K. Howard returns with an extended lesson he started teaching us back in 1994. Sad to say, this book's content reveals that his best selling The Death of Common Sense: How Law is Suffocating Americadid little to dint the damage of predatory litigation. Hopefully, this book's teachings will take hold. At least the author is trying.

As a corporate director of Human Resources, I see the damage on a weekly and often daily basis. As I am still employed - and would like to remain as such - I cannot give specific examples (some of which are worse than anything you will find in the book). Suffice it to say, that the national culture of wanting something for nothing is in a horrible condition. Besides the inordinate cost in time and money, there is the hidden cost associated with loss of morale. This is often not considered when discussing frivolous litigation. The `good' people of the world see what is going on. They are not operating with blinders.

I enjoyed the author's use of real-life anecdotes to highlight and explain his reasoning. Due to my afore-mentioned position, I may not be as shocked as others when I hear these stories but they are an excellent reminder of our current course. That is, we are heading for the reef. To read more on this you may want to check out Glenn Beck's Common Sense: The Case Against an Out-of-Control Government, Inspired by Thomas Paine and Liberty and Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto

I did read several of the reviews and noted that one reviewer stated that libertaria.ns are part of the status quo and do not want the system to change. As a libertarian, nothing could be further from the truth.

I hope you find this review helpful.

Michael L. Gooch, SPHR

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