The Peanut Murders and Capitalism: Ask Wisconsin Institute for Leadership

Tainted salmonella peanuts that kill shoppers pose a dilemma for right wing free market capitalists.

There are a plethora of organizations that decry government regulation and claim that the free market will best serve the American people. In the Badger state, we have the Wisconsin Institute for Leadership. (WIL)

WIL works to educate and mobilize Wisconsin residents on policies that expand individual liberties, encourage free markets, promote high quality education and demand accountability from public officials.

Or just ask Americans for Prosperity.

Removing unnecessary barriers to entrepreneurship and opportunity by sparking citizen involvement in the regulatory process early on in order to reduce red tape.

It would be interesting to see how these organizations respond to the Peanut Murders. The free market obviously cannot regulate itself.

After enough people die from eating tainted peanuts, sales may drop and the offending companies are penalized for selling a less than wholesome product, but eight people are dead.

Of course, the criminal law will allow for the prosecution fo those who willfully put the salmonella laced food on the market.

There are weasel words in the statements from these groups, like unnecessary, after all, none of us want unnecessary regulation.

It would be nice to hear from WIL, or perhaps some candidates for Supreme Court justice as to where they draw the line between necessary and unnecessary government regulation.

From the AP:

Peanut Corp. president urged shipping tainted nuts

• In one e-mail, Lightsey wrote Parnell discussing positive salmonella tests on its products, but Parnell gave instructions to nonetheless “turn them loose” after getting a negative test result from another testing company.
• In another e-mail, Parnell expressed his concerns over the losing “$$$$$$” due to delays in shipment and costs of testing.
• Parnell in another company-wide e-mail told employees there was no salmonella in its plants, instead accusing the news media of “looking for a news story where there currently isn’t one.”

Comments

[Chuck]

I don't think you'll find any groups that claim regulations that ban shipping products you know are tainted are 'unnecessary', and your claim that this is somehow a dilemma for "right wing free market capitalists" is reductive, partisan and unprofessional. Claiming that there is no unnecessary regulation is as deep in bat country as claiming that all regulation is unnecessary. Weasel words be damned, without debate as to the burdensomeness of regulation we wouldn't have things like the Orphan Drugs Act, so please don't try to smear everyone who disagrees with you as sympathizing with murder. Unfortunately, we live in a world where someone can't make a name for themselves in politics by being reasonable and polite to people they disagree with.

[antpoppa]

How could Stewart Parnell's Peanut Corp. of America avoid sanction after so many reports of bacterial contamination?
Perhaps the USDA was intimidated by this Bush appointee. After all, he did occupy a chair on the USDA Peanut Standards Board.
The Board advises the secretary on quality and handling standards for domestic and imported peanuts marketed in the United States.
Perhaps he will claim executive privilege rather than the fifth amendment?