On Fri, 10 Feb 2017 20:48:01 -0500, "J. Clarke"
wrote:

In article 3nas9chblki4a89kreqtr795ls9s480169@
4ax.com, says...

On Fri, 10 Feb 2017 11:38:36 -0600, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet
wrote:

On 2/10/2017 8:44 AM, J. Clarke wrote:
In article P5KdnQygW5wVXwDFnZ2dnUU7-
, lcb11211@swbelldotnet
says...

On 2/10/2017 4:52 AM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On 2/9/2017 10:05 PM, wrote:
On Thursday, February 9, 2017 at 2:50:59 PM UTC-6, Ed Pawlowski
wrote:
On 2/9/2017 2:35 PM, wrote:

The issue is not Gass making money. The issue is Gass'
rent-seeking.

Not sure what "rent-seeking" means.


noun 1. the fact or practice of manipulating public policy or
economic conditions as a strategy for increasing profits. "cronyism
and rent-seeking have become an integral part of the way our
biggest companies do business" adjective


I can understand the manipulating public policy. Public policy
meaning government rules and regulations and laws. Lobbyists do
this. Not sure what economic conditions anyone can manipulate.

Gass wanted Congress to pass a law that every tablesaw should have a
safety device (his). Certainly would have helped his economic condition.


Absolutely and an absolute dream come true for every entrepreneur or
business owner, CEO ect.

What businesses fit this mold? Who has lobbied the government to have
an on going advantage?

Insurance companies.
All Energy providing companies.
TV entertainment providers.
Communication providers.
The automobile industry.
The building industry.
The food industry.
The medical industry...
The entertainment industry
The recycling industry.

So which of these have succesfully lobbied for
"If you purchase something of this kind it
_must_ have this expensive feature"?

Think about it.

Can you own and drive an automobile with out having liability insurance?
That is state law in Texas. The insurance industry was instrumental
in getting that law.

TV entertainment providers. Cable has long had government in their
pockets to protect their interests and prevent competition. In Texas, I
suspect else where, if you subscribe to cable TV you only have one
choice. No other cable providers can compete.


If you want a model, it wouldn't be any of
those, it would be the airbag industry.

The air bag industry as we all commonly know it is the automotive
industry. Now back up cameras have or will shortly become mandatory on
new vehicles.



As well as stability control, lane guideance, TPMS systems, and
(already) ABS.

I don't know about the others, but ABS is an
example of a company that could have profited
instead trying to save lives. Mercedes-Benz
held the critical patents for ABS as we know it,
and chose to license them free of charge to any
other auto maker who wanted to implement the
technology.


Maxeret installed ABS on 1966 JensenFF. In 1958 the Royal Enfield
Super Meteor had alnti-lock brakes,
I believe the early silver Shadow Rolls (and some Bentleys had a type
of antilock brake where brake boost was generated by a pump driven by
the driveshaft. The faster it went, the more braking pressure was
available, and at low speeds the boost was reduced. NOt 100% sure, but
from stories I heard. At any rate, they would out-brake a Ferrari or
Porche and stop dead straight, hands off, without flatspotting tires.
The story I was told was 3 rich white South Africans were sittinf in a
diner along the Garden Route back in the late sixties or early
seventies and they got talking about their cars The one guy was
bragging about his Fararri 365 GT and how fast it was and how it
handled. The other guy was singing the praises of his Porsche 911T
while the third guy just sat their listening and nodding his head.
They asked him "so what do YOU drive - and he said "a Roller" and they
all laughed.. He said it's not as quick as your sports cars, and it's
heavier, but you REALLY need to go for a ride to appreciate it. They
went out, he fired it up and took it down a nice long straight section
of highway up to 115mph, then said :hang on". He took his hands off
the wheel and stood on the brakes. When it came to a stop he started
counting, 1, 2, 3, 4, and at five a cloud of blue tire smoke passed
them. IMPRESSIVE.