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Post by weebitty on May 19, 2010 18:00:04 GMT -5
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Post by crimsulent on May 24, 2010 14:06:52 GMT -5
that seems to be a bad link, weebitty
it connects to Page Not Found
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Post by weebitty on May 24, 2010 23:19:47 GMT -5
ok I think it is working now. I recopied the link so try it now. If doesn't work let me know
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Post by crimsulent on May 25, 2010 13:17:48 GMT -5
outstanding article, weebitty
i think this highlights the need for making the FDA do its job.
like many federal agencies it is being corrupted by the corporations it is supposed to be policeing.
corporations routinely put profits ahead of public safety. when they get caught doing outrageously evil stuff, the government cuts a deal and lets them off the hook. there is NO accountability
and even though corporations have the system rigged so they can run up insanely huge profits at our expense, they don't stop there.
while they continuously campaign for caps on the amount of money they can be fined by the government when they are caught violating the law or operating unsafely, they also push tort reform to limit the amount individuals can sue for if they suffer injuries.
the emasculation of our regulatory agencies over the last 10 years has left working people vulnerable in many areas. agency staffs have been cut and appointed positions left unfilled. the net result is the agencies can't fulfil their duties.
if we had an effective regulatory system with real power the recent mine disaster might not have happened. the Toyota sticky-accellerator pedal problem might have been caught much sooner. it's even possible the current oil disaster in the Gulf might have been prevented.
it's important to realize effective government regulation comes at a cost. the cost is taxes.
we should demand to get what we are paying for. they're collecting the money, but they aren't doing their regulatory job. that puts us unnecessarily at risk.
big pharma, the oil industry, mining corporations, etc. know how the system works. they maximize profits by neutralizing the regulators. they support politicians who fight for deregulation and wherever possible the corporations use the politicians to cut the budgets and staff of the regulatory agencies.
often the politicians (or their familiy members) get lucrative jobs with the corporations after their term of office.
often industry insiders are picked to run the government regulatory body that oversees the industry they were a part of.
both political parties are guilty of much of the above. both parties have pushed deregulation.
we need effective regulation, and should be willing to pay for it
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