people who are not my valentine include tom delay

On the class action front (see previous post), a little more evidence that the bill is designed to promote business interests. Though class actions in federal courts would still be tried on the merits of applicable state law, Senate Republicans refuse to consider an amendment that would allow federal judges to pick one state law and apply it if multiple state laws conflict. This means far fewer class actions would be dismissed or sent back to state courts – in other words, they’d still actually get heard under the new law. The GOP won’t tolerate this amendment because their real aim isn’t to reform class-action law or reduce the “economic pressure” it allegedly places on consumers – they’re trying to use this legislation to immunize their business allies against class-action suits, and (in broader terms) against public accountability.

It's gonna pass both pretty easily, though.