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Originally Posted by P_Funk
I The problem with that assesement is that laissez-faire free market capitalism is not always the better choice in any situation. The overreliance on "market forces" to do the right thing without setting up a regulatory safety net to prevent those same forces from exploiting a favourable situation is exactly the kind of thing that will kill the beautiful internet and make us react after the damage has been done. But I don't want to lose the internet just to make sure we don't rub wrong with the competitive market. Its a misnomer to say that deregulation always creates more competition. When we talk of competition in a positive sense we mean basically better choices and products for the consumer, the ultimate supposed beneficiary in the market process. But while the assertion that regulation can have unknown consequences so too can lack of regulation. Its not an either or, but a balance, and history of economics proves that.
Here I think we need to be wary of losing the internet before we worry about prophesied competition.
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I have to agree with part of this for sure - deregulation not only made my power bill go up, but it also created ENRON, who's main hobby was pulling the plug on California for fun! There was never any power shortage! It was simply ENRON playing like a baby with the light switch! Then claiming that they needed to raise prices over it! Nice.
-S