Regulation and the betweeners

Silly as that is, it’s no more so than the “Do you want a bureaucrat to get between you and yada yada yada … ?” It was a killer argument against truly effective healthcare reform and now it’s being trotted out by those opposed to meaningful protections against the anything-goes financial industry.

The latest version from the banking and Wall Street bloats along with their Republican blusters always goes something like this: “Regulation will add a layer of rules that will stifle business.” Obviously, it’s just a variation of the “Do you want a bureaucrat …” mantra.

There is another way to pose the question. Actually there are several:

“Do you want Massey Coal to get between miners and their survival?”

“Do you want Toyota to get between you and your driving safety?”

Here’s one we should have asked:

“Do you want insurance companies to get between you and your doctor?”

And the ones we need to ask now:

“Do you want the same people whose gross incompetence and astounding greed stand between you and your money able to take it away from you in the same deceitful ways?”

“Do we consumers want to go on being defrauded by so many companies that abuse the free market system?”

“In commerce, is it every man and woman for him- or herself, or should we be a nation of laws?”

Those who advocate the “Whatever sells” approach are really selling our country short. They obviously don’t believe we can be innovative and prosperous if we are required to be honest. It’s their way, or the low way of getting away with whatever they can. Do not believe them. Here in the U-S-of-A we have always shown we can rise to the occasion and thrive even under the pressures of honesty and accountability.

Without a doubt, bureaucracies are inherently inefficient, which is why they are so susceptible to scorn. Unfortunately, the high-powered scam artists out there are brutally efficient when it comes to their lying, cheating and stealing. They can’t be allowed to do whatever they want. Because what they always want to do is make money, more than they usually deserve.

So in answer to that question about “bureaucrats getting between you and … etc. … ,” the answer, unfortunately, is “YES!” Because someone needs to get between us and the shameless — the ones who have left so many of us deeply in the red.

Visit Mr. Franken’s website at www.bobfranken.tv.