There never was a reason to tie a giant health care overhaul to tort reform.

George W. Bush had tort reform high on his agenda during the 2000 run.

This is an approximation of GWB's Top Ten list that year, but I can only come up with 9...

       Build military back to pre-Clinton standards

       Tort reform

       Middle Class tax cut (as done by Reagan, Kennedy)

       Save Social Security

       End deficit spending

       More energy independence

       Reduce number of abortions (somehow)

       Finish the fight in Iraq (as Clinton demanded in 1998, but was rebuffed by
                   Congress)

       Raise education standards of poorest schools