A really, really tough question for Scottie Witlessmongrel

[George M. Middius]

Should government police the marketplace to ensure minimum standards of
safety of consumer goods, or should the government stand back, keep its hands
off, and let the marketplace deal with poor performers?

Certain politicians have been beating the laissez-faire drum for more than a
century. They point to Europe with disdain and bleat about the supposed evils
of "socialism". Funny thing is that in Europe, the standard of living enjoyed
by the least privileged members of society is distinctly better than what
they get in America. These same "conservatives" are fond of claiming, ever so
fatuously, that the "American dream" is the key to prosperity: Hard work,
initiative, and self-reliance will allow everybody to triumph over adversity.
Except when it doesn't, of course, but we all know that's because most people
are just lazy.

Anyway, the latest battlefront in this contentious struggle is the city of
Los Angeles, and more specifically, a neighborhood known as Boyle Heights.
According to Wiki, Boyle Heights has long been a magnet for newly arrived
immigrants.

For much of the twentieth century, Boyle Heights was a gateway
for new immigrants. This resulted in diverse demographics,
including Jewish American, Japanese American & Mexican
American populations, as well as Russian American and
Yugoslav populations. Now the neighborhood is over 95%
Mexican American according to the 2000 US Census.

As you might expect in such a neighborhood, street vendors have set up shop
to peddle home cooking. The government doesn't like that, but not because
shopkeepers are complaining. It's because the street cooks don't have permits
and aren't being inspected for safe food-handling practices.

A diehard laissez-faire advocate ("conservative") should praise the efforts
of immigrants who have nothing to work hard and try to achieve the American
dream. Food service is nothing if not hard work. On the other hand, a
worrywart activist ("liberal") should demand that street vendors adhere to
the same standards of safety and cleanliness as any bricks-and-mortar
restaurant must obey. Unregulated food vendors pose an insupportable risk to
the social order because the devastation of a food-borne illness would lay a
great burden on the public health sector.

The L.A. Times has a cover story about this issue. Guess which sides the
"liberals" and "conservatives" are supporting?