[net.politics] assurance of product quality

tdh@frog.UUCP (T. Dave Hudson) (06/10/85)

Frankly, the followup on this should long ago have moved to
net.politics.theory .  Please post any further followup
exclusively there.

> From: mangoe@umcp-cs.UUCP (Charley Wingate)
> A company which (for instance) is
> testing the purity of drugs will not be paid for by the manufacturers,
> because it represents a cut in profits.  It will not be paid for by the
> ultimate consumers, because they cannot afford it individually;

(-:

I am glad we know a priori that organizations like
Underwriters Laboratories and Consumers Union (for example)
[spelling OK?] can not exist.  Let's see.  The UL seal of
approval represents a cut in profits, right, because it
makes no difference to consumers.  And Consumers Union has
no members because they cannot individually afford it
(probably because of taxes).  I'd better go make sure there
aren't any seals on my toothpaste, before the tube leaks.

Insurance companies surely won't pay for such testing
because only the government has a so-called "enlightening
interest" in reducing the damages suffered by the insured.

Scientists won't do the testing on their own or
academically because they don't want to know.

Perhaps *The National Enquirer* will join up with Dan Rather
to save theory from such responsible, realistic, historical,
untheoretical considerations.  "60 Minutes finds pregnant
monster egg in untested placebo."  No, we know the placebo
was rehearsed.  Darn.

:-)

> moreover,
> they are not in a position to check that (for instance) the testing company
> is not being brided [bribed? -- tdh] by the manufacturer.

Governmental regulation has been manipulated before by
private interests.  That is one of badly designed
government's facilitative functions.

				David Hudson