The really do care, right?

We must be in an alternative universe because it was reported over the weekend that big business is actively seeking more government regulation. When did big business suddenly get a conscience? Do you think it is possible for corporate interests to give a flip about consumer safety? Well, think again, because they’re recent pleas for more safety regulation is not all that it’s cracked up to be. What is really behind their recent change of heart, is that they suddenly realized that product recalls and potential legal backlashes from unsafe products just may not be good for the bottom line … to hell with the consumer. Now they have jumped on the regulation bandwagon. So, what are they really up to?

In a September 15, ‘07, article from the New York Times, after flourishing under the “hands off” policy of George W. regarding industry regulation, big business has suddenly decided that they want more government regulation after all. Why? Well, they will try to spin it as becoming more proactive about the needs and wants of the consumer. And, at the same time, they will expertly polish their corporate image through cleaver public relations campaigns. But what they are really looking for is to get protection from devastating liability lawsuits, preempt tough state laws that were passed due to the laissez-faiare Bush policies, and secure recourse against growing competition from expensive imports. As is the classic condition of the corporate conglomerates, self-interest rules every single action they take. And, their high-end, sophisticated and loyal lobbyists are standing by to push the agenda forward at all costs.

So what do we have to look forward to with the big interest, corporate influence peddling now? What may be ahead is lobbying that on the surface looks to get the government more involved with federal safety oversight calling for additional federal health, safety and environmental mandates. But when you pull the covers back what we may be seeing is sneaky back-room language that includes provisions that block consumer lawsuits in state and federal courts.

Such pre-emption clauses have been included in the past to protect big business. This was the case in a 2006 FDA ruling that involved drug labeling rules and in a new fire prevention standard for mattresses imposed by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Remember, these are the same governmental agencies that are supposed to look out for our interests but end up only protecting the interests of the very people they are supposed to regulate. So, again what ends up happening is that mandated government standards will fall well short of what consumer advocates want or what tougher state rules require resulting in inadequate safety and the inability to litigate negligent corporate actions. The consumer loses again.

With George W. in power, there seems to be no end in sight for the consumer. The consumer is always out of the loop and unrepresented even when it appears that things may change for the better. Edmund Mierzwinski, the consumer program director at the U.S. Public Interest Research Group in Washington, says of big business…”I don’t thrust them. Their ultimate goal is regulation that protects them, not the public.”