Gentlemen
You all need to get out more. Your comments display a parochial viewpoint with regards to dispatch.
It has been clearly spelled out to you by my first post and the post from Opssys that there is as much of a difference between ramp dispatch and flight dispatch as there is between flying and cabin crew.
You are all hung up on the ramp dispatch business and one person. no names, (CM) cannot see beyond the defoliated trees of the ramp dispatch wood.
Look this is not about what goes on on the ramp.
As for shared responsibility - this is FAA law - no debate here it's the bloody law and it works fine and has been working fine since Douglas invented the DC2.
Now would you advocate such a system here in JAR land (CM please do a bit of research before you pitch in). Remember that Holland Germany and Portugal already administer such systems and practices and Dispatchers (flight not ground; CM) are state qualified and audited. Why don't we?
Rgds EM