On Thu, 19 Aug 2010, Harry Penner wrote: > I'm making sweeping generalizations because although it may seem like a > small technical issue it's subject to the same basic laws of > governmental intervention as anything else. What are the "basic laws of governmental intervention?" You don't seem like much of an expert to me, but maybe you can refer me to a text book on this subject. Is this something that all experts in econ/poli-sci agree on or is this just an idea that you are trying to promote in opposition to the views of many experts? > Of course regulation is a double-edged sword. Some helps keep us safe, > and some helps make us miserable. But all of it restricts our choices, > because that's what regulations are designed to DO. If a government regulation prevents a corporation from poisoning your drinking water and crippling you or killing your children, you actually end up with more choices than you would have had if there had been no regulation. A regulation restricts some entity from doing something, but it might restrict someone from limiting your choices (e.g., by killing you or poisoning your land). Mike