Comment by Eddy_Viscosity2
11 hours ago
> government body with power to adjudicate consumer complaints about businesses and the legal teeth to enforce its judgements
These would in fact be great thing. The problem being that if this existed and did what it was supposed to do, it would only be a matter of time before Trump appointed someone to either destroy it or weaponize it against perceived enemies.
The bigger question is how can we have a body that can both protect consumers from bad businesses AND can also be itself protected from the purchased political influence of those bad businesses.
> The bigger question is how can we have a body that can both protect consumers from bad businesses AND can also be itself protected from the purchased political influence of those bad businesses
I don't have an answer, but one could be found by looking at places that have just that. In the UK we have the Citizens Advice bureau and the Trading Standards organisation which are safely independent.
Though I have a feeling the answer may be; "Don't live in the USA".
Like the consumer financial protection bureau. Twas great while itlasted but it got doge'ed early on.