QOD

Filed in National by on June 11, 2008

What should the government regulate and monitor? What shouldn’t it?

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  1. Dominique says:
    June 11, 2008 at 11:18 am

    Should (because they’re in the national interest):
    Oil industry
    Airline industry
    Wall Street

    Should Not (tons of stuff, but especially):
    Individual medical decisions

  2. Dorian Gray says:
    June 11, 2008 at 11:42 am

    This is a premise for a dissertation or book. It’s a bit tough as a QOD.

  3. Al Mascitti says:
    June 11, 2008 at 12:12 pm

    You could write a whole book on the need for — and industry’s successful battle against — meat inspection alone.

  4. Brian says:
    June 11, 2008 at 1:12 pm

    You could write another whole set of the CFR on this issues. Not a dissertation, I couldn’t fit everything into a dissertation if I tried. But one thing is clear we are focusing on the wrong things at the expense of the people…..Dominique’s suggestions would be a good start. And food inspection really needs some serious work, how about the VA, they need some serious work…..

  5. Disbelief says:
    June 11, 2008 at 1:17 pm

    Why don’t we do it the way China handled the toy lead paint incident? If you want to be an appointed agency head, fine, but you screw up, you get executed. Or, make the punishment fit the incompetence; let the DPC guards have ‘their way’ with Merconi. And if an agency head does something like sell lead paint to children, we could in turn lower his/her intelligence by making them Republican and post on DP.

  6. Nancy Willing says:
    June 11, 2008 at 2:41 pm

    Agreed, Dorian. What was DV expecting? DV?

  7. Delaware's Hottest Blogger says:
    June 11, 2008 at 2:49 pm

    an answer dipshit that’s what I was expecting a fucking answer

  8. Delaware's Hottest Blogger says:
    June 11, 2008 at 2:52 pm

    we should regulate:

    energy
    Banking (anything financial)
    healthcare
    auto industry
    education

    we shouldn’t regulate….

    marriage
    churches
    etc etc

    christ! how hard is that…

    you of all people brian, the king of longwinded answers, should have no problem writing something.

    beat it bitches sorry if my question was too tough for your brains to condense down to a high level

  9. Dana Garrett says:
    June 11, 2008 at 3:17 pm

    The government should not regulate what happens in bedrooms between or among consenting adults.

  10. jason330 says:
    June 11, 2008 at 3:25 pm

    I agree with Al.

    Meat inspection.

  11. jason330 says:
    June 11, 2008 at 3:26 pm

    That and polar bears.

  12. jason330 says:
    June 11, 2008 at 3:27 pm

    Polar bear meat would be inspected in the meat office. Naturally.

  13. pandora says:
    June 11, 2008 at 3:31 pm

    Also, air and water.
    bridges, dams, roads…

    Gov. can get out of our bedrooms and Dr.’s offices and science research labs.

  14. pandora says:
    June 11, 2008 at 3:33 pm

    more specifically… inhibiting scientific research based on “morality”.

  15. Disbelief says:
    June 11, 2008 at 3:46 pm

    Ministry of Funny Walks

  16. Von Cracker says:
    June 11, 2008 at 4:03 pm

    I’m with da ‘Nique.

    Also: Communications.

    Not as in censorship, but to stop consolidation and constriction of access.

  17. TRUTH TELLER says:
    June 11, 2008 at 4:25 pm

    We have all these agency’s now the problem is all appointees are following Bush’s orders NO ENFORCEMENT

  18. Brian says:
    June 11, 2008 at 4:26 pm

    Mental masturbation should not be regulated. sic.

    Ok here is a quick response

    Regulated:
    Post Offices
    Contracts
    Money
    Agricultural Products for Quality Control
    Imports
    The Military and Military Affairs
    Public/Private Partnerships
    Roads and Highway Planning
    Controlled Substances- repeal prohibition on Marijuana, etc. and regulate the market.
    Cases of Fraud, Waste, Coercion in business markets and in the government
    Ensure Bill of Rights is upheld in all public relations and news casts as per Von Cracker
    Felons

    Not Regulated:
    Anything related to Morality
    Anything related to Marriage
    Anything related to Religion
    Anything else in the Bill of Rights

  19. Brian says:
    June 11, 2008 at 4:27 pm

    That and polar bears

  20. Dominique says:
    June 11, 2008 at 4:44 pm

    heh heh. When I first glanced at Brian’s list I thought he wanted Von Cracker to be regulated. Just before felons. 🙂

  21. Steve Newton says:
    June 11, 2008 at 4:48 pm

    Brian
    Why post offices? At this point the USPO is, in relation to its private competition in Fedex etc and email almost the poster child for things the government should not do. I realize it’s in the constitution, but would argue that’s because in 1788 the government was the only organization large enough in terms of resources to do the job.

    What do you mean by regulating money? The money supply? Interest rates? Unclear.

    Again with imports, for what reason?

    “Ensure Bill of Rights is upheld in all public relations and news casts as per Von Cracker”

    vC says, “Also: Communications.

    Not as in censorship, but to stop consolidation and constriction of access.”

    The big problem here is who decides how much ownership is too much, and which media will be involved. Originally, the news media of choice and record was big city newspapers and the wire services. Now, who cares that one company owns both the Phila Daily News and the Inquirer? Nobody depends on either, except sports junkies and advertisers.

    Should government institute the “fairness doctrine”?

    Things government should never be allowed to regulate:

    Marriage
    Victimless crimes like seatbelts and helmet use (think of it as evolution in action)
    What substances I choose as an adult to ingest (although I’m fine with having to pay for the consequences of my actions)

    I’d point out that government does regulate banking, credits cards, the stock market, and mortgages already–boy, I’m glad. If it didn’t, we might have rapacious bankruptcy laws, 29% interest on credit cards, have to pay to bail out savings and loans, be faced with record home mortgage defaults, and a stock market that can crash because of relatively unrestricted computer trading. Geez. What would we do without govt regs in the financial industry?

    (And please, don’t do the Bushco answer. Government regulation means you get government regulation under good administrations and bad. It was the Clinton admin that allowed credit card interest rates to spiral upward towards usury, just like it was the Nixon admin that instituted wage and price controls.)

    Govt regulation of scientific research? Forget Bush and stem cells. The big story there over the last 50 years is that because nuclear physicists gave us the bombs for the Cold War, Federal govt funding for Physics has been 3-1 higher than the combined Fed funding for environmental research, biological research, and medical research for five freaking decades, under Dems and GOPers alike.

    If this is govt regulation, who watches the watchers?

    Sorry, ranting. Not much sleep last night (left on the Charlotte and Philly tarmacks for a grand total of 2 1/2 hours on one flight).

  22. Disbelief says:
    June 11, 2008 at 4:54 pm

    There have been countries in the past that tried total ‘redo’s’ on their legal systems and government power. It’s like huge software programs: it takes centuries of add-ons and tweaking to make it work. Doing it from scratch is impossible.

  23. Brian says:
    June 11, 2008 at 5:27 pm

    I think following the constitution would be a good start becuase it would limit what the federal government does and empower the states and local governments a little more.

    By regulating money, I mean they should be the sole issuer of money with congressional oversight. Not an unaccountable central bank.

    By regulating the post office, I mean exactly what it says in the constitution.

    By regulating imports I mean ensure that those who want to manufacture overseas do not encourage or allow led to be put in kids toys to “keep prices down” or that my beef from Argentina is not the left overs that the EU did not want and that my mexican Tilapia are not disease ridden or given anti-biotics that are carcenogenic.

    By regulating what happens in the information market I mean ensure that information is free and open as per the first amendment, and the we do get some objectivity in our newscasts unlike Faux News the RNC organ.

    Sorry for being unclear I am tired today too.

  24. Brian says:
    June 11, 2008 at 5:30 pm

    Almost forgot….Von Cracker’s alcohol consumption needs to be regulated…but I am sure someone does that already….maybe. I guess.

  25. Nancy Willing says:
    June 11, 2008 at 8:14 pm

    an answer dipshit that’s what I was expecting a fucking answer

    *
    Hey there piss and vinegar, bite me. I can’t pull of that much organized thinking before 10 AM.

  26. Duffy says:
    June 11, 2008 at 9:04 pm

    Dana said: “The government should not regulate what happens in bedrooms between or among consenting adults.”

    Does that include commerce between consenting adults or is everything except sex fair game for regulation?

  27. Call It says:
    June 13, 2008 at 12:44 pm

    Should:
    Number of seat belts in clown cars.

    Shouldn’t
    Number of clowns in said clown car.

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