Can Federal Legislation Affecting Consumers' Economic Interests Be Enacted?

Authors

Philip A. Hart, United States Senator from MichiganFollow

Abstract

Assume there is a definite need for legislation which centers on the economic-not the health or safety-interests of consumers. Can such a bill be enacted? If history, as Francis Bacon claims, does indeed "make a man wise," then a wise man would not even advocate such a bill, no matter how persuasive the evidence. Although government exists to protect the public interest, a look at history shows that the public--or the consumer-generally has not fared as well as many other special interests.

Recommended Citation

Philip A. Hart, Can Federal Legislation Affecting Consumers' Economic Interests Be Enacted?, 64 Mich. L. Rev. 1255 (1966).
Available at: https://repository.law.umich.edu/mlr/vol64/iss7/5