To recover from the cost of errors the FDA then would charge the firms of the many industries responsible as natural citizens. Taxing companies this way would help defray costs of errors presently born by private individuals. These costs are what lead to an unfair distribution of incomes and to poverty. In short, a fair system would cover the costs of externalities of errors made by industries and firms that lead to costs born by you and me.
Who has paid for the efforts to protect the community from the swine flu virus. While I am sure the industrial farmers would say that they are guilt free, I am not sure that I would accept that. There is a lot of circumstantial evidence to suggest that scaling up in food processing is going to cost us consumers dearly while the industrialists escape to Hawaii or Switzerland! Just a daily perusal of the papers shows us what the problem is:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/27/us/27eggs.html?_r=1&th&emc=th
In short, all industry wants to become like a publishing company earning surplus value from economies of scale. While this sounds a bit basic eighteenth century economics, it is none the less very evident.
No substantial profit can be made without achieving economies of scale. Publishing is the way to make profit. It is why the business of farming has become almost indistinguishable from Microsoft Corp.
Everyone wants to run their business as a publishing company in order to get those economies of scale.
Why do you think so many businesses are migrating to China?
Unfortunately, the economies of scale invariably lead to gross inequities in the distribution of incomes and to concentrations of power in the hands of publishers.
We should also take time to think how those creatures on the production lines feel. An example would be university students in America. Curricula are so badly designed these days that students come off the production line without the ability to think.
And, what about food, such as wheat products which are making people ill. Stores that want to be publishing houses for the popular products that poison children. Don't get me started on that one. We are missing the element of responsibility and accountability, here folks! Shoving it all onto the consumer is not fair. It is in fact sickening, and someone should be liable.
Will ye no think kindly on those who would be your friends! May the sun shine with your thoughts, today, and happiness grow in your heart! May you allow yourself some peace of mind.