What do people mean when they say "tort reform," and why do they think it is a good thing?

I often think that the call for tort reform has become a message without substance. Granted, there are many, many flaws with civil liability – but some of them are necessary evils. Too often, whenever there is a case brought that appears frivolous, or an award that appears undeserved, the answer appears to be tort reform.

What do people who use it really mean? For those of you that want it…what is wrong with the current system, that isn’t just a function of an imperfect system run by imperfect people? And are there any other mechanisms less sweeping that you think would be better to deal with the problems you find as a result of the current tort law system?