Good comeback. People in general understanding that and fighting it would be really helpful. Instead, they too often fall for the published excuse for laws or regs that only existed for money or votes in key districts.

Or, heck, they don't think about the published excuse at all. That's the real knotty problem - most people don't really have the time or information or inclination to care, so regulatory capture just keeps ratcheting up because each new step "seems reasonable".

That's a good point. I definitely overstated. Thanks for the correction.

Well, I was kind of joking. People who call it "regulatory capture" of course understand the concept. To most people it's counterintuitive and barely grasped.