Indiana has made it to the nation spotlight again with the state’s trailer manufacturers knowingly selling the government trailers with high levels of formaldehyde. Rep. Dan Burton’s defense? It’s FEMA’s fault for not having rules and standards defined as to what is acceptable levels of the chemical in new trailers.
Mr. Burton, you need to understand that we know this is the brave new world you and your constituents have steered us towards. Choose your cliche to describe the situation. This is the bed you made for us, now we have to sleep in it. We are reaping what we are sowing. etc. It has been the Republican controlled Congress and White House that has gutted “big” government, like FEMA, in favor of a self-policing private sector. Two of the three manufacturers found high levels of the chemical in their own tests but did nothing. Would we not be in this problem had FEMA been well staffed and funded to test the trailers themselves? Speculation can be dangerous, but I have to say yes, they would. An impartial FEMA inspection and audit wouldn’t have a vested interest in selling trailers, the would be serving us. Pilgrim, Forrest River, and Keystone trailer manufacturers all exist to sell trailers first, then act socially responsible second. That is the style of capitalism we live in.
This is the effect of deregulation, Dan. You don’t get to stand up and look like taking the fair and righteous attitude and say it doesn’t appear that these manufacturers broke any law or regulation. It is your party’s broken model that creates a government favoring the bottom line of trailer manufacturers and not the people.
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