Why Big Business Loves the Regulator

Continuing with my goal of dispelling some common misconceptions or myths about Republicans, I attack a couple of myths today.

I'm constantly bombarded with the notion that wishing to eliminate regulations is akin to desiring a world without laws.  To that, I say absolutely not.  I'd say let's go back to the original ten that Moses brought down and go from there.  All kidding aside, there is much that needs to be understood about laws and regulations.

Myth #2 - Regulations Protect Consumers From Big Business

This myth is a bit like saying that laws protect people from criminals.  Well, duh....but think about it.  Without the law, most people are still fairly safe from criminals.  Our primary protection comes from our own actions.  The law mainly stands as a means for punishing those who choose to commit a crime.  The manner in which we punish the criminal often has more to do with prevention than the statute itself.

Our statutory laws largely developed from long held beliefs - killing is wrong, stealing is wrong, etc. - whereas our regulatory system development has been largely reactionary.  Imagine a legal system that developed in such a way. 

Someone is stabbed to death.  In response to this wrong, a law is made to outlaw stabbing people.  Next someone has their neck slit, so now all knives are banned.  Then someone is strangled and a law is made outlawing any intervention into a persons respiratory system.

Suddenly, a patchwork of laws now exists that limit normal behaviors such as cutting a steak and lifesaving measures, such as the Heimlich maneuver for a choking victim or even surgery.  Yet this system of laws still fails to accomplish what society desires - keeping people from being killed.  Rather than reacting to a particular event and setting up laws to stop that event from happening, a better solution is to stand back from the event and make a law that will meet societies desire and that can accomplish its goal.