On 8/9/2011 11:50 AM, Rich Cooper wrote:
> Just how much does each of us value safety, honest advertising,
> cleanliness, and other honest and fair practices? (01)
I would rate those things extremely high. Most people are willing
to pay extra for safe, sound, and effective food, drugs, restaurants,
hotels, homes, cars, and appliances. But there is no way to ensure
safety without standards and inspections. And there is no way to
ensure that the information people get is reliable without laws that
prosecute false claims and counterfeit labels. (02)
If you want to see what happens without effective gov't regulation,
just look at what happened with the food and water system in China.
People there are terrified that they can't trust their food and
water supply. Look at the disastrous levels of casualties caused
by earthquakes and mine disasters in areas with no building codes. (03)
The Chinese gov't has imposed some drastic capital executions
for managers responsible for food that killed people. But I'd
much rather have standards and inspections in advance than harsh
penalties for the people who killed me. (04)
You can call that the "nanny state", but I call it common sense. (05)
> I disagree with one-size-fits-all regulation. (06)
The European Union has prohibited BPA as a plastic softener for
food containers and children's toys, and California is trying
to do the same. But the US still allows BPA. The Chinese produce
plastic with and without BPA. The cost difference is minimal, but
many manufacturers will shave pennies. So they produce both kinds,
and they ship the BPA versions to the US. (07)
I am all in favor of freedom, especially for myself. But if
there is no regulation, the contaminated stuff dominates the market.
Worst of all, the people who produce the contaminated stuff don't
want any regulations that would force them to disclose what's
in their product. (08)
That is not freedom for me. That's freedom for the people who
produce the contaminated goods. I have no choice. (09)
John (010)
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