# The FDA is Not an Example of Government Success.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fda-is-not-an-example-of-government-success/481776>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [January 17, 2009, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fda-is-not-an-example-of-government-success/481776 "2009-01-17T20:43:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 61

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**Author:** ![haymarketmartyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/35a633/32.png) [@haymarketmartyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/haymarketmartyr)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fda-is-not-an-example-of-government-success/481776/61 "2009-01-18T16:06:39Z")

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from Todderbob

> [@](#):
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> What you’re saying, since all things are not equal, is that you’re for arbitrary laws. By saying A = B, but A = Okay, and B = Banned, you’re saying… “Arbitrary laws are A-Okay in my book.”

Why is it necessary for you, or other libertarians, to have to rephrase my words, reframe my arguement, change it around, before you can reply to it?

I live in the real world. I cannot speak for you but that is where I reside. Nothing in it is perfect because of the human condition and human nature. Nothing having to do with the behavior of people is perfect.

The idea that a certain law or program is wrong because there exists a different law of program which is less than perfect is the worst sort of strawman. It is meaningless in the real world.

Of course, these type of debates do not take place in the real world - at least the one I live in. They take place in the same rarified atmosphere of the college sophmore all night bull session where a bunch of intellectually curious 19 year olds hopped up on too much coffee and Red Bull debating all the burning issues of ethics, morality and philosophy.

Its intellectual masturbation and is meaningless to anyone beyond the intellectually overconfident participants. The vast majority of people move on to bigger and better things. Unless you are libertarian.

> [@](#):
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> I would be willing to wager that the same subset of people who drink and drive are the same subset who would pop pills and drive (Reckless, careless people). The issue is, they’re already doing the former. By adding the latter to the equation you’re not increasing the risks to society in general.

You are free to wager anything you want on anything you want. Thats fine with me. But if that is some sort of evidence you are offering, please provide some statistics or research to support that point. Otherwise, its just your opinion founded on nothing more than you wanting to further your previous opinion with made up stuff without foundation.

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