REMEMBER THE VALDEZ?

While a good case can be made to keep every "Tom, Dick and Harry” from getting a million dollars for a fly found in a hamburger, no reasonable person could deny about 33,000 commercial fishermen, cannery workers, landowners, Native Alaskans, local governments and businesses from getting punitive damages from Exxon Mobil Corp. Remember the Exxon Valdez oil spill that fouled more than 1,200 miles of Alaskan coastline in 1989?

The amount that they are seeking represents “barely more than three weeks of Exxon's net profits,” say lawyers for that group.

Yet this case is now before the Roberts Supreme Court. The last time that court was presented with a similar case on punitive damages they set aside a judgment against Altria Group Inc.'s Philip Morris USA. The money was awarded to the widow of a smoker in Oregon.

Let’s not forget that Justice Samuel Alito, who owns between $100,000 and $250,000 in Exxon stock. I don’t know. What is going on in this country of ours anyway?