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Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?


To: Patricia Trinchero who wrote (125525)2/7/2001 8:06:40 PM
From: Dan B.  Respond to of 769670
 
Patricia, when it comes to the Deli or the Ravioli factory, I can scarcely see how we can afford full time comprehensive oversight- which seems to me to be the only way to attempt to stop such little quirks as you've related. Even if we could afford it, the bribery I mentioned could mitigate the effectiveness of such oversight. At the Deli, we have to hope we don't get served old meat...and I for one, have been served bad meat, even in places like McDonalds and Wendy's, based on my own taste buds. By the by, I know a guy who sliced off a good 1/8 inch of flesh from the end of a finger while slicing oranges for breakfast plate garnishes. The lost bit couldn't be distinguished among the oranges, and the oranges were served. Apparently, the customer who got it either didn't discover it or didn't complain.

There are a zillion such things which can and do happen, and sadly, no reasonable amount of regulation will prevent them. Still, a "zillion" such errors are a drop in the bucket overall, usually harmless in effect, and seldom resulting from bad intentions. Bad intentions in the right person's heart may be unstoppable indeed, and regulations and oversight will not solve the problem..

Scary, I know, but that's life. Just understand that if I believe the natural incentive to offer safe products and continue making money, is better in the long run for us all than government oversight, I am scarcely heartless when I hope regulations are repealed or never enacted- quite the opposite. Regulation is a poor substitute for natural incentives, IMO.

Underwriters Laboratories is a classic example of what can be done without interference from government. Industries self-regulate if left alone, and do so in a far more efficient and long term safe manner than will regulated industries, IMO.

Dan B