Bankrupt bill

Not only will the new bankruptcy bill make it harder for people to overcome medical bills of the loss of the job, but it will also make it more expensive to hire a lawyer to help you file:

Under the new law, bankruptcy attorneys would be liable for any misleading statements or inaccuracies in a client's case. As a result, attorneys say, they'll have to invest far more time and effort – in some cases hiring accountants and other experts – to verify all the information clients give them, down to examining receipts.

In a cost-estimate report, the Congressional Budget Office said that complying with the provisions of the bill is likely to increase attorney costs by $150 to $500. "Some of those additional costs," the report noted, "would most likely be passed onto their clients."

That may be a modest assessment.

"The price of bankruptcy will go through the roof," said Brian Kimber, a West Palm Beach bankruptcy attorney. "The average consumer won't be able to do it."

Republican compassion comes through once again.

*UPDATE* Some guy named John Edwards has his take here.