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"Consumer protection" and other insults

Posted by Trent England - March 10, 2010

Yesterday, I posted about the state "desperately seeking snitches" via a new website, suspectfraud.com. The launch was coordinated with National Consumer Protection Week, so proclaimed by President Obama.
 
When making a purchase, consumers should know their rights and should learn about goods and services before they buy. This knowledge allows consumers to make sound decisions and protects families and individuals from fraud and abuse. Consumer vigilance also prevents problems before they arise.
 
Bold, transformational words of obvious common sense.
 
Unfortunately, "consumer protection" reaches far beyond consumers making good choices. "Protection" requires a protector, a role government agencies (and quasi-government agencies) are eager to fill. Sponsors of Consumer Protection Week include the FTC, FCC, FDIC, FCIC, Postal Service, Comptroller of the Currency, and the Federal Reserve.
 
"Consumer protection" is a way for government agencies to act as "protector" of everyday Americans engaging in everyday transactions. This has at least three collateral effects.
  1. It creates an incentive for government to play up the amount of fraud and abuse in the marketplace and to treat all businesses and entrepreneurs as suspect.
  2. It encourages consumers to rely on government programs and certifications (doing business without a license becomes "fraud").
  3. It is a never-ending reason for government to grow, grow, grow.
"Consumer protection" casts citizens as infants, businesses as dangerous, and government agencies as patriarchs.

Thoughts?   Add Comment -

Tim B. said on Mar 10 2010 at 12:17am
I love that campaign poster!

Tristan Benz said on Mar 10 2010 at 12:29am
I think it lays a foundation of MISTRUST which is the basis for "guilty until proven innocent" - not exactly the American way, now, is it? Imagine the paranoia and fear we could wrap our culture in...! I swear, this is why there are black markets in other countries - why people live in fear of their governments. Road to tyranny...road to tyranny!

Trent said on Mar 10 2010 at 9:32am
Wikimedia Commons has great collections of campaign and propaganda posters from around the world.

When I was at Heritage, I worked on their Overcriminalization project. One of the really nefarious effects of over-broad rules and unnecessary laws is that they become massive grants of authority to government officials and nasty neighbors. Enforcement officials use their discretion, either wisely to ignore many applications of the law or in corrupt or malicious ways to select out targets they don't like. And if your neighbor doesn't like you, there's sure to be some regulation that you'll violate and they can report you.

Barb said on Mar 10 2010 at 10:18am
Oh great...my neighbor already hates me....my dog barks and i have two young boys who like to play catch in the street....Egads!!! I hope she doesnt find out about that web site, there probably is something in there that she could turn me in for!!!

Trent said on Mar 10 2010 at 3:18pm
Just corrected "four" to "three collateral effects." I'd originally included a fourth effect....