Quote Originally Posted by overgrowthegovt
JaggedEdge, I think virtually everything you've said was nullified by your assertion that the environment is fine. Letting the free market decide how much, if any, concern we should have for the earth, is just ridiculous. And believe me, I hate government intervention the vast majority of the time, but I think governments have a responsibility to keep the industries in line (including paying a decent wage no matter where the widgets are made. Products would cost more if this whole sweat-shop system was discarded, but so what? Do we really need so much shit?)
By saying the free market can't decide how much concern we should have for the environment, you are saying that people can't decided how much concern we should have for the environment.

Quote Originally Posted by overgrowthegovt
You really believe an instutiton that cares about nothing but money should be allowed to do as it pleases without having to answer to the interests of the population in general? Damn you, Adam Smith. It seems a lot of people tend to support the totally-free market without considering the tremendous cons it offers along with the pros (which I admit exist). Companies can do business as they like, as far as I'm concerned, except that they must be held to ethical and environmental standards.
With profit from consumers being the main objective of a company, a company must answer to the interests of the population. As for environmental regulations, I have no problem with those. If a company is polluting the air or water, they are infringing on the rights of others to breathe clean air and drink clean water.
[/QUOTE]