You might want to read a longer version of ideas similar to Reich's found
in 25 Seton Hall Law Review 230 (1994) entitled, "The Ethical Consumer:
Rejecter of Positive Law Arbitrage," whose thesis is that ETHICAL consumers
should pattern their purchases after their positive law demands.  Thus
environmentalists should purchase goods only from nations providing (and
enforcing) strong environmental laws, women (who believe in Title VII,
affirmative action) should purchase goods only from nations providing and
enforcing laws protective of women, minorities (who believe in Title VII,
affirmative action) should purchase only from nations providing laws
protective of minorities' interests, etc.  The article points out that
given product labeling requirements, the demands imposed on consumers to
"check the label" to be ethical isn't that burdensome.
          Hope this helps.
                                   BDF
At 08:56 AM 3/1/2005 -0600, you wrote:
>         ALSBers  I am no economist, but why stop there? Shouldn’
>Shouldn’  Shouldn’  Couldn’   Increased demand (for
>“affordable health insurance”  In the end, the only
>“affordable”   They disappear.      It seems to me that if you
>don’t like the way Wal-Mart treats its employees, don’  Period.
>    TZ     -----Original Message-----
> From: Academy of Legal Studies in Business (ALSB) Talk
>[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Dan Levin
> Sent: Monday, February 28, 2005 10:00 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Robert Reich article in NY Times       ALSBers,             ""
>          He argues that legal regulation can help mediate the conflict
>between two sides of ourselves -- the consumer's desire for low prices and
>the worker's/citizen's desire for good wages, fair treatment of workers in
>third world countries, etc.             Here's part of his argument:
>     "The only way for the workers or citizens in us to trump the consumers
>in us is through laws and regulations that make our purchases a social
>choice as well as a personal one. A requirement that companies with more
>than 50 employees offer their workers affordable health insurance, for
>example, might increase slightly the price of their goods and services. My
>inner consumer won't like that very much, but the worker in me thinks it a
>fair price to pay. Same with an increase in the minimum wage or a change in
>labor laws making it easier for employees to organize and negotiate better
>terms."             Dan Levin    --    Daniel A. Levin, JD, MBA
> Associate Professor of Business Law
> Minnesota State University, Mankato
> Dept. of Accounting and Business Law
> Morris Hall 150
> Mankato, MN 56001
> 507.389.1827
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