[RubberMallet]

if this was to actually happen, i see either smaller meat portions in the food or a rise in prices.

[From the class of 09]

In the 1920's you had numerous monopolies. So thus, huge corporations would do things to make an extra buck, such as not processing meat correctly, letting mice jump around in the kitchen, these were the things that brought on the creation of the FDA. Today, there is much more of a competitive market. If let's say, a company who is found to not take care of food properly (by an employee or some consumer watchdog group), and the accusation is true, the free market responds by people not buying that specific product, thus, the company would have to correct the problem or close its doors.

Today monopolies rule the meat packing world more so then they did during the 20's. Cost of entry has increased (unless your talking about a boutique butcher shop but given this thread is about Taco Bell it's probably safe to assume that's not the case). So how would you argue that these fewer large corporations wouldn't do anything to make an extra buck just like they did before the creation of the FDA? I understand you're from LU and all for limited government but we do need some oversight in some areas and food preperation is one of those areas. Again not saying we can't improve the current system but to say we should get ride of it and let the free market take care of itself is dumb. Especially when we can look at the past and see that the corporations failed miserably at this before.

[jbock13]

In the 1920's you had numerous monopolies. So thus, huge corporations would do things to make an extra buck, such as not processing meat correctly, letting mice jump around in the kitchen, these were the things that brought on the creation of the FDA. Today, there is much more of a competitive market. If let's say, a company who is found to not take care of food properly (by an employee or some consumer watchdog group), and the accusation is true, the free market responds by people not buying that specific product, thus, the company would have to correct the problem or close its doors.

Today monopolies rule the meat packing world more so then they did during the 20's. Cost of entry has increased (unless your talking about a boutique butcher shop but given this thread is about Taco Bell it's probably safe to assume that's not the case). So how would you argue that these fewer large corporations wouldn't do anything to make an extra buck just like they did before the creation of the FDA? I understand you're from LU and all for limited government but we do need some oversight in some areas and food preperation is one of those areas. Again not saying we can't improve the current system but to say we should get ride of it and let the free market take care of itself is dumb. Especially when we can look at the past and see that the corporations failed miserably at this before.

The fact that I go to LU has nothing do with it. Heck I don't even agree with half of what LU does politically. I must say it doesn't matter because obviously we both reject each others primise so beating a dead horse would be the only thing that can happen. I'm a free market libertarian and I believe that people ultimately decide with their dollars what they want. I could go on rebuting what you've wrote but it probably would be of no use. Agree to disagree my friend.

[Hold My Own]

I'm from LU and all for Gov't oversight....well, kinda...I just want to see it done with the Wimax/LTE/UHF/VHF battles....if they focus on that they have their hands full and can stay out of everything else!