April 23, 2004

By Staff
A world class air show
Wings Over Meridian at Naval Air Station Meridian was one of the finest family events that I have participated in as an air show performer. To the merchants and corporate sponsors who helped bring the civilian acts to the show, we gratefully acknowledge you and thank you in bringing this world class air show to Meridian.
Capt. Jeff Dickman, commanding officer of NAS Meridian, also needs to be acknowledged for the men and women who serve our country at his base. They truly gave us the professional support and hospitality known in Meridian and the surrounding area. Capt. Bert Zellers, air show chairman, did a wonderful job in putting together an air show representative of our aviation heritage and current aircraft in service to our country.
An air show is one of the few family events that children have positive role models to associate with and challenge them to do better in life. Fly Navy.
Capt. Joe Fagundes
LaGrange, Ga.
Sharing the blame
Gov. Barbour has missed a critical need in this State: insurance reform. Much debate and rhetoric has stalemated the governor's office and Legislature over the increasing costs of insurance for certain groups, particularly doctors and small businesses, versus the rights of us all.
Much of the blame has been cast toward juries made up of everyday people, who have listened to the witnesses actually testifying in court, and not the frenetic wrangling of politicians and lobbyists. The members of these "runaway juries" are our neighbors, church members, friends and friends of friends (i.e., Mississippians).
Other blame is cast toward "trial lawyers," who are labeled as greedy, simply for representing their client to the best of their ability, just as insurance defense lawyers do for their clients.
No, the true blame must be cast toward the insurance companies that squeeze millions from our citizens each year, at the expense of meaningful coverage and reasonable premiums.
I am sure the governor knows or should know that Business Insurance, an industry publication, just revealed on April 14 that, compared to 2003, profits for property and casualty insurers surged by nearly $30 billion, that their surpluses rose by 22 percent, and that their underwriting losses dropped by 85 percent.
The governor's role, and that of the Legislature too, should be to protect the people of this state. An everyday person cannot even obtain enforcement of Mississippi's deceptive trade practices laws against an insurance company. Thousands of people in this state have been hurt by corporate schemes and scandals; yet, insurance companies are not even subject to antitrust and price-fixing laws, whether federal or state.
Good doctors have their livelihoods risked by insurance companies, claiming to have suffered enormous losses, due to "lawsuit abuse" (whatever that is) and demanding "tort reform" (whatever that is); yet, when changes are made in the laws, there is no reciprocating lessening of premiums or increasing of risk coverage.
Small business owners face the same problems, if not for liability coverage, then for health insurance coverage for their employees.
The governor and Legislature should look to implementing insurance reform laws to protect Mississippians, including doctors, small businesses and my neighbors, fellow church members, family and friends. Therefore, I urge the governor to call a special session to implement effective and pervasive insurance reform.
In other words, let's end insurance abuse once and for all.
Paul A. Koerber
Madison