Thursday, January 22, 2009

We Don't Mess Around

Jan 22 - A court in China has handed down the death sentence to two men for their involvement in China's contaminated milk scandal. (Reuters- additional article here.)

And neither does China, at least after the horse has escaped the building. There seems to be a recurring pattern in China: a scandal threatening the lives and health of thousands emerges. The government claims they have everything under control, and it's no big deal. Then people start dying. The government claims they have everything under control, and it's no big deal. Thousands are hospitalized. The government claims they have everything under control, and it's no big deal, and, oh by the way, we're executing those responsible.

Whereas, in this country, we do have restrictive quality laws on the books. And when we don't enforce them, and thousands are harmed as a result of shoddy practices or materials, the responsible company might go bankrupt, wiping out the shareholders. And those in charge of making those decisions get their golden parachutes, and are consigned to a shameful, well-off retirement. Or they may have to work for some other company for millions per year.

So companies in this country are, you know, really careful about making sure that quality and consumer safety are top priorities. Unlike China.

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