Date:         Sun, 17 Mar 1996 22:20:07 -0500
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         VW85Westy@aol.com
Subject:      

ng)

Sorry if this is flogging a dead horse, but I just had to get this off my
chest.

>I  should decide if I want a "Mexibus" whether you or the men in white 
>coats like it or not.

>The fight to take  control of the gov from the "guys in white coats" and 
>give it back to the people needs to get back on track. 

Unfortunately, the fight "to give control back to the people" looks a lot
like the fight to give control to large corporations, those very same
corporations that care so much about their customers (anyone taked to VW
about the design defect in the Wasserboxer head?  If you got a response *at
all*, you can be sure it's beacuse of their fear of FTC recall, not market
pressure).  Remember, the auto industry did not even  *offer* airbags or
seatbelts on most models until required by the government.   The magic hand
of the market might be there in a free market, but we don't have a free
market, nor are any of the Republican reforms likely to encourage one.  Look
at what Adam Smith said about all the rules of capitalism breaking down once
corporations got larger than 75 employees (I think that was the number).  Too
much power in the hands of too few.   Regulation is the response to
unresponsive corporate entities.  

For all you libertarians out there, I have some respect.  You ask for an end
to regulation, and for the assumption of responsibility for one's own
actions.  Great.  Just complete the circle.  End the the sheltering of
liability behind  articles of incorporation.  The corporation exists for one
reason alone: so that people may not be held financially responsibe for
actions from which they profit.  (Privatized profit, socialized risk) If
every stockholder were responsible for the actions done in his name, to the
full extent of his net worth, corporations would be * much * more
responsible.  (Of course they would have to spend all their time assuring
inverstors that they weren't doing any Dalkon Shield/Ford Pinto/Superfund
site malfeasance.)

(In addition, there are problems that don't lend themselves to market
remedies.  Public health issues particularly.  What *should* we do when we
find that lead paint is a significant source of brain damage, that asbestos
causes cancer, or that every gas station over 20 years old has leaking tanks?
 Make it the responsibility of each renter to test the composition of all the
paint in each apartement he considers?  Test the groundwater before deciding
what station to buy gas from?)

Personally, I think there is a use for the limitation of liability provided
by incorporation.  It enables development.  But it also shields the profits
of deliberate wrongdoers.   Hence the need for *reasonable * regulation (and
in my opinion, reform of the laws governing incorporation).  Particularly in
the current era that seems to respect only the acqumulation of wealth,
without regard to its source.

I have personally been screwed by corporations that did not, in retrospect,
and in my own humble opinion, deal in good faith.  My wife just had to go
back to work so we could financially recover from a publisher's corporate
shell game (Transfer all assets out of one corporation, fold it, and do
business as a new one.  Voila, no debt. )

A libertarian streak is strong among VW bus owners (I consider myself to be a
social libertarian, and this is one of my primary beefs with the
republicans), and this was particularly well articulated by Bob a couple
weeks ago.  I like this about the list.  But in this modern world, I think we
are under a greater threat from corporate power than governmental power.
 It's a lot easier to root out the government scoundrels. (BTW, I don't trust
them either.)

Okay, so that's what I think.  Flame if you must this old(ish) greying head,
but spare my 85 Westy!

Peter & Zippy

-Friends don't let friends drive V6anagons-
(I'm smiling Steve)