@MrAl
Regulating monopolies is not a new problem. Your utilities are effectively regulated monopolies. There does not seem to be a perfect solution.
There are at least 3 options:
1) Institute consumer protection laws, establish standards for self-regulation, and allow affected consumers easy access to our court system;
2) Implement regulatory agencies/commissions/authorities/etc.; and
3) Nationalize the industry effectively making it a government service.
Examples:
#1: Automobile and consumer product safety. You can sue directly and do not have to go through mediation or a commission. Medical and legal practices are also included. Both professions self regulate. For medicine, there are government standards that such self-regulation must meet. Don't know whether similar standards for self-regulation of the legal profession exist.
#2:Utility commissions, FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) are examples. The problem is that impartiality of of the commission/agency/authority/etc. (NGO) is virtually impossible to maintain. Take FINRA, the arbitrators are paid by those they regulate (financial institutions). Utility commissions are subject to the same influences by the big companies v. consumers. How many consumers can afford to sponsor a golf outing? The saving grace is when after pleading with the commission or arbitrators, one still retains the right to sue for damages if not satisfied. That is not always the case.
#3: Examples are most government services, including the VAMC (Veterans Administration), Medicare, Medicaid, highways, and the ATC (Air Traffic Control). The ATC seems to work reasonably well, but even it is subject to bias -- landing priorities can be/are juggled to favor certain classes of aircraft or carriers. It is difficult or impossible to redress inadequacies by suing. Has anyone here sued the government for a defective highway? Abuse is far too easy and virtually impossible to remedy (VAMC is one example).
As for cell phones and internet, I think #1 would work, but there would need to be controls to make it financially practical to sue, other than as a class action. No one has the financial wherewithal to sue Google presently. That could be fixed by law. The second alternative (#2) would also seem to be workable, but there needs to be a better way to select arbitrators than, say, the way FINRA does it.
Regulating monopolies is not a new problem. Your utilities are effectively regulated monopolies. There does not seem to be a perfect solution.
There are at least 3 options:
1) Institute consumer protection laws, establish standards for self-regulation, and allow affected consumers easy access to our court system;
2) Implement regulatory agencies/commissions/authorities/etc.; and
3) Nationalize the industry effectively making it a government service.
Examples:
#1: Automobile and consumer product safety. You can sue directly and do not have to go through mediation or a commission. Medical and legal practices are also included. Both professions self regulate. For medicine, there are government standards that such self-regulation must meet. Don't know whether similar standards for self-regulation of the legal profession exist.
#2:Utility commissions, FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) are examples. The problem is that impartiality of of the commission/agency/authority/etc. (NGO) is virtually impossible to maintain. Take FINRA, the arbitrators are paid by those they regulate (financial institutions). Utility commissions are subject to the same influences by the big companies v. consumers. How many consumers can afford to sponsor a golf outing? The saving grace is when after pleading with the commission or arbitrators, one still retains the right to sue for damages if not satisfied. That is not always the case.
#3: Examples are most government services, including the VAMC (Veterans Administration), Medicare, Medicaid, highways, and the ATC (Air Traffic Control). The ATC seems to work reasonably well, but even it is subject to bias -- landing priorities can be/are juggled to favor certain classes of aircraft or carriers. It is difficult or impossible to redress inadequacies by suing. Has anyone here sued the government for a defective highway? Abuse is far too easy and virtually impossible to remedy (VAMC is one example).
As for cell phones and internet, I think #1 would work, but there would need to be controls to make it financially practical to sue, other than as a class action. No one has the financial wherewithal to sue Google presently. That could be fixed by law. The second alternative (#2) would also seem to be workable, but there needs to be a better way to select arbitrators than, say, the way FINRA does it.
