What “bring[s] America into total and utter contempt around the world”? What American practice “is regarded almost universally outside the U.S. with a high degree of disfavor”? According to this New York Times article, the answer is … large jury awards of punitive damages.

For the many Americans, especially on the Left, for whom pleasing supposed world sensibilities is a high priority, it’s clearly time to press for serious reform, or abolition, of punitive damages.