Why Conflicts Of Interest Aren't Powerful Enough

Sherman Dorn has this interesting and instructive point to make about those who would try and tear down efforts that they oppose by pointing out conflicts of interest (as I often try to do):

"I don't think anyone outside a small circle will contest the problems with conflicts of interest in education programs," he writes (The problem with the McGraw-Hill conflict-of-interest argument). "But I also don't think that basing criticism of accountability on conflicts of interest will work. Conflict of interest stories are a recurring theme in the politics of liberal democracies, and there is a standard solution: require arm's-length decision-making."