Like
Duane, I too am puzzled by some of Paul Double's recent statements re: the tire
burning plant and regulations. If I read between his lines, he seems to be
saying that we have all the regulations we need now, so don't worry your pretty
little heads, or pretend to be smarter than the legislature, courts and
regulators, just get out of the way and let this business do what it needs to
do. Couldn't the same have been said before DDT was banned, or before
thalidomide was withdrawn, or before seatbelts were required, or before any
number of careful studies were done and regulations written, revised, revised
again, and revised yet again as new information came to light? We are
constant evolving to try and create the kind of environment we
want.
I am
particularly mystified by Paul's point #2 - don't try to tell businesspeople
about their markets or customers. I'm not sure that is the point of many
of the comments on the tire burning plant. The point is we will indeed
regulate businesses (into the ground if need be) if their product or
practice is proven to be toxic, noxious, careless, dangerous or otherwise
injurious. There was a great market for DDT, but we decided it wasn't
worth the risk. All we have to do is turn the clock back 100 years and see
where American industry was and what its health and safety record was.
Surely Paul is not advocating that we return to that
environment.
Phil
Carlson, Mpls
| 