Comcast Forced To Refund $700,000 To Customers Over Misleading Fees (vice.com)

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Motherboard: Comcast has been forced to shell out $700,000 in refunds and cancel the debt of more than 20,000 Massachusetts customers after a state attorney general investigation found the company routinely jacks up consumer bills via a bevy of misleading fees. An investigation by Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healy found that Comcast routinely advertises one rate, then charges customers up to 40 percent more when the bill for service actually arrives. When shocked customers then tried to cancel or downgrade to cheaper broadband and TV plans, Healy's office found they were socked with a $240 fee for violating long-term contracts. Many users were promised a locked-in rate of $99, but hidden fees and surcharges quickly left many with service plans they couldn't afford, the AG said. Under the new settlement with Massachusetts, Comcast must forgive all outstanding debts for unpaid early termination fees and related late fees, clearly disclose all fees in future advertisements, and train the company's service reps to more clearly outline billing caveats. "Comcast stuck too many Massachusetts customers with lengthy, expensive contracts that left many in debt and others with damaged credit," Healy said in a statement. "Customers have a right to clear information about the products and services they buy. This settlement should encourage the entire cable and telecommunications industry to take a close look at their advertisements and make sure customers are getting a fair offer."

Comments

That will show the bastards!

[Anonymous Coward]

1 minute of profit, poof.

Re:That will show the bastards!

[Anonymous Coward]

Laughable, Comcast probably has $700,000 worth of lost USB drives stored in workers deskst

It is outright fraud.

[Fly Swatter]

The reason they can get away with it is because the 'taxes' part of the additional fees varies by region and government. Since it varies it can't be a flat advertised price. The 'and fees' part though, should be outright illegal if you advertise a 'price for a service'. This is supposed to be what regulated monopolies and utilities is supposed to not allow happen...

Re:It is outright fraud.

[fahrbot-bot]

The reason they can get away with it is because ...

Did you miss the part where they didn't get away with it and had to refund $700k?

Re:It is outright fraud.

[Anonymous Coward]

And the "punishment" here is to pay back to clients what was taken, and nothing more.

No punitive damages? No compensatory payments to those whose lives where harmed by this debt? No jail time for the assholes responsible?

Not even a few hours of community service?

I'd say the bastards got away with it.

Re:It is outright fraud.

[Anonymous Coward]

"The lawsuit stated that Comcast nets roughly $1 billion in additional revenue from such fees annually."

So they were required to refund $700,000 for hidden fees not disclosed when customers signed contracts and these hidden fees have made Comcast around $1 billion.

For the judgment to actually have teeth, they would have had to refund the whole $1 billion, plus a fine of at least another $1 billion. This judgment was just a slap on the wrist that is typical of current government enforcement on large companies.

Re:It is outright fraud.

[Anonymous Coward]

The reason they can get away with it is because the 'taxes' part of the additional fees varies by region and government. Since it varies it can't be a flat advertised price.

Uh, no. They could very well advertise "with taxes and fees included", give disclaimers about region, and eat any difference of any variance in fees/taxes per region. They choose not to because then they'd advertise a higher price that'd look less competitive. Of course, mandating that everyone in a region do it would undercut that argument.

Re:It is outright fraud.

[Anonymous Coward]

For your point to make any sense, you have to ask how much Comcast earned in fees specifically from the jurisdiction to which this ruling applies, since this jurisdiction does not apply to the whole country.

Re:It is outright fraud.

[NicknameUnavailable]

Did you miss the part where they didn't get away with it and had to refund $700k?

You mean $35 per defrauded customer, or 0.07% of what they stole? Yeah, that'll show em, I'm sure they'll update their next act of mass fraud to ensure they make up that 0.07% such that they can pocket a cool billion.

Re:It is outright fraud.

[Anonymous Coward]

Numbers comparison from the article, stacked up for easy comparison:

1000000000 - how much comcast makes per year from additional fees
700000 - how much comcast had to pay, just this one time.

Comcast was not punished. A few people were let out of their contract cancellation debt, and that's it. Comcast still came out ahead for this year, and is is still raking it in going forward. People's lives were harmed by the costs already incurred, and no reparations for any of that are being made.

Re:It is outright fraud.

[Anonymous Coward]

Did you miss the comment that stated ::

1 minute of profit, poof.

A friend asked me to mention that to you...

CAP === 'legume'

Re:It is outright fraud.

[Anonymous Coward]

Since it varies it can't be a flat advertised price.

That's not actually true. They know the price well enough when they bill you. There was a period when long distance was a separate purchse that AT&T would tell you exactly what the real bill would be. They explained that they didn't want people cancelling because they were surprised by the cost.

Re:It is outright fraud.

[Anonymous Coward]

Yep. The punishment is that Comcast got an interest free loan for about a year.

Re:It is outright fraud.

[Calydor]

For a European it truly boggles the mind that you can have laws that are NOT the law in the entire country.

Re: It is outright fraud.

[Anonymous Coward]

State laws and rights. It's why the US is a better place than the EU.

Re: It is outright fraud.

[Anonymous Coward]

Consider that many US states have populations larger than some European countries. California is the 8th largest economy in the world. You could then consider the federal government as more like the EU.

Re:It is outright fraud.

[JaredOfEuropa]

We (in Europe) have laws that apply to individual countries (somewhat comparable to states in the USA in this context), as well as laws that apply to all of Europe.

Re:It is outright fraud.

[JaredOfEuropa]

So how much did the lawyers get?

Re:It is outright fraud.

[NicknameUnavailable]

Generally: everything left over due to people who thought it was a scam when they were notified or otherwise didn't want to go through the hassle of filling out a form and waiting a month for a check to be snail mailed for $35 - so probably about 90% of it.

Re:It is outright fraud.

[Uberbah]

So how much did the lawyers get?

So why do people always ask this asinine question? Lawyers in a class action pay all of the costs and take all of the risks. Don't like it - hire you own damn lawyer. Secondly, if the choice is between letting the money that was ripped off from you stay in the hands of the thieves that stole it, or giving it to some party that didn't harm you - or hell burn it in a pile in the street - what are you going to chose?

Re:It is outright fraud.

[Spamalope]

We ask this question because lawyers write the laws that govern the outcome, sit on the bench to adjudicate and are required to seek effective redress. If lawyers created a system where they profit, but the injured party is never made whole that matters. i.e. if lawyers make sure they get theirs when the victim doesn't that matters; when the injustice would make a nice sound-bite for a news story lawyers make the rule looser pays legal fees of winner so they don't come out of the award that should be making the injured party whole. (i.e. Lemon law car refunds - you don't get a $30k lemon car, sue, win - and then have $20k of the lawyer's fees taken out and you now have a $20k auto loan to pay and no car)

Re: It is outright fraud.

[WDubois]

Found the Republican!!!

Re:It is outright fraud.

[Anonymous Coward]

As a member of the EU do you have laws that are not the law in the entire EU?

Re:It is outright fraud.

[Local ID10T]

For a European it truly boggles the mind that you can have laws that are NOT the law in the entire country.

Seriously?

There are no laws in France that are not laws in Italy?

Re:It is outright fraud.

[Calydor]

France is a country and has one set of laws.

Italy is a country and has one set of laws.

America is a country and has ... fifty sets of laws?

Re:It is outright fraud.

[Local ID10T]

France is a country and has one set of laws.

Italy is a country and has one set of laws.

America is a country and has ... fifty sets of laws?

The United States of America is a union of states, each with their own laws, although they have agreed to be bound by the laws of the Union. This is similar to the countries of Europe, each with their own laws, who have agreed to implement as laws the rules of the European Union.

Willful misunderstanding does not demonstrate intelligence, only obstinance.

Re:It is outright fraud.

[nukenerd]

Yes.

Re:It is outright fraud.

[nukenerd]

The UK is one nation but Scotland (and AFAIAA Northern Ireland) have some different laws from England

The twist

[Anonymous Coward]

They are refunding them in bitcoin.

Competition

[DaMattster]

It's news like this that proves competition is good. In areas where there are only one or two options for internet and TV, shit like this can happen almost unchecked. Unregulated monopolies are only good for one party, the corporation. Without competition, you get slow and shitty service.

Re:Competition

[rojash]

Thats one area where this nation befuddles me. Competition everywhere else except in the stupid utilities. SO what if they built the infra ?? Just have us pay extra to the others who come in. Ridiculous ancients still run this darn economy like the Monopoly guy and no one seems to mind. But anything about the fucking Kardashians or football or voyeuristic TV and they are all over it.

Re:Competition

[Anonymous Coward]

Not always true. You can have shitty situations even where there is "competition". I don't know how bad it is today but I know a while back Satellite TV had two equally shitty options, Dish Network and DirectTV. Both hit customers with a myriad of fees and locked customers into long-term contracts.

Vote

[rsilvergun]

And vote in your mid terms and even your primaries. This is why it's so important to vote. People don't realize how much power elected government officials wield. But I guarantee you Corporations do

Re:Vote

[Anonymous Coward]

Right like the person you voted for is going to reduce their own power. You have been duped.

More laws, more crimes, more jails, more taxes, more and more money spent by government. Voting solves nothing.

So no punishment then

[ranton]

I missed the part of the story where Comcast was punished at all. Lengthy costly lawsuits and in the end they only have to give the money back with no punitive penalties? That's a real sweet deal there.

Re:So no punishment then

[alvinrod]

Normally I’d say something about damage to their brand but this is Comcast we’re talking about here.

Re:So no punishment then

[AmiMoJo]

What happens if your credit rating was damaged? You might be paying more for a mortgage, or not have got one at all.

In the UK you could get restitution, i.e. they would pay off part of your mortgage or whatever other losses you suffered, as well as the amount they over-charged. Does it not work that way in the US?

Re:So no punishment then

[Anonymous Coward]

Comcast would have lost in court due to the unclear contract and then get punished, which probably lead to the settlement in the first place. Maybe it is customary in Massachusetts to offer settlements to company first timers in the process.

Re:So no punishment then

[youngone]

In the UK corporations do not control the government like they do in the US.
I am not claiming there is no corruption, but it is not part of the system.

Don't try that in Europe

[Anonymous Coward]

If you try that in Europe there's a very good chance you will end up in a criminal court and you are probably then going to jail.

I've never understood why you Americans take so much abuse just because it's dished out by a private company.

Re:Don't try that in Europe

[BringsApples]

We Americans have no choice. None of us know where the private company stops, and government begins. ...or if there's a difference at all.

Re:Don't try that in Europe

[silverkniveshotmail.]

I've never understood why you Americans take so much abuse just because it's dished out by a private company.

My favorite thing we like to do is blame the consumer for everything.

Did Comcast screw you over for years? you're stupid!

Did Apple lie to you about your warranty rights? Moron!

Re:Don't try that in Europe

[Anonymous Coward]

That's because it is the consumer's fault.

Consumers are also voters, you see. Further, consumers are capable of forming and funding lobbies.

So, wherever consumers don't have realistic choices to pick (hence, can't vote with their wallets), they can vote with their votes, and their lobby money. They can also publicly protest and so forth.

These abuses happen because the people put up with them. A few angry rants in online forums does not count as taking action, obviously.

So, it is the consumer's fault that this category of thing happens, even if any specific incident was not directly caused by consumers.

Re:Don't try that in Europe

[Locke2005]

We have the best politicians that money can buy, and corporations have a lot of money... er, I mean speech!

Re:Don't try that in Europe

[DNS-and-BIND]

Europe also will never spawn tech companies like Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and so on. The regulatory environment strangles them in their crib before they ever get started. Europeans' favorite pastime: bitching and complaining about American technology that is given to them for free. What's the European equivalent of Amazon? Of Google? Of Microsoft? I don't know and neither do you.

Re:Don't try that in Europe

[Anonymous Coward]

Europe also will never spawn tech companies like Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and so on. The regulatory environment strangles them in their crib before they ever get started.

Is that supposed to be a bad thing?

Re:Don't try that in Europe

[Anonymous Coward]

There is no such "given for free" technology. At least not in the case of the companies you mentioned. And Europe did spawn the likes of Tim Berners-Lee, Linus Torvalds, Alan Turing, Edsger Dijkstra, Bjarne Stroustrup, Lenn... Oh wait, forget this one.

Re:Don't try that in Europe

[nukenerd]

That's because it is the consumer's fault. ... Consumers are also voters, you see.

Yes, I'm sure there is a tick box on USA voting forms that says "Kick Comcast up the arse". I guess you guys failed to spot it.

It's too bad I'm in a Republican state.

[Anonymous Coward]

This would never happen here.

Re: It's too bad I'm in a Republican state.

[Anonymous Coward]

But but corporations are people too!!!

Now this is a evil company

[Anonymous Coward]

Comcast by far is a ruthless evil company. But, if customers were not so stupid and ask questions and read their contracts they would know that they are riddled with tacked on fee's. I have to use Comcast for broadband because its the only option for decent speed unless you can deal with DSL speed. But beyond that service, I would never give Comcast a Dime for anything else. I buy my own modem and router to say the ridiculous rental fee's.

Wow

[Anonymous Coward]

Comcast is really a garbage company eh

Eliminate bogus surcharges, too

[Anonymous Coward]

I have Charter in Lincoln, NE, which is a former Time Warner Cable area. Charter is raising the broadcast TV surcharge yet again, claiming it represents the cost of providing broadcast TV channels. While there are carriage fees for local channels, the fees are standardized across the country and almost certainly don't represent the cost of broadcast TV channels in this market. Both Omaha and Lincoln channels used to be available on cable systems in Lincoln, but those have been dropped over time. Charter has dropped both WOWT and KETV, the NBC and ABC affiliates in Omaha, the latter of which occurred just a few months ago. It's hard to believe that this surcharge represents the actual carriage fees, especially as Charter has been dropping broadcast TV channels. While Charter doesn't have contracts, these extra fees and surcharges should be illegal.

Buying your way out of your contract...

[Hadlock]

Nobody ever regretted buying their way out of their contract. $240 is a lot, but it's not a lot-lot, and it's better than being stuck upside down in a contract you can't afford.

Other ISPs: GWI

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm in Manchester, NH and found internet service from GWI. They're mostly a Maine ISP, but they have a few outreaches to neighboring states. I was told by the installation tech that I'm the furthest west he's gone. I haven't had any service issues for the 1.5 years I've been with them. ~$20 promo rates then ~$40 monthly with no contract. I use my own modem. All the websites I access work fine, and I'm a heavy media consumer.

Consider switching if Comcast is still using you.

The part I like:

[Anonymous Coward]

Where it said "Comcast stuck too many Massachusetts customers." So if they had only screwed fewer customers they would have been happy to overlook that little problem with billing.

Re: The part I like:

[Anonymous Coward]

Yeah it's only when it becomes a political liability that "something must be done". And the outcome can barely be called justice. Are the credit reports of the victims going to be corrected? Hmm.

Better idea

[Anonymous Coward]

Disincorporate Comcast in the entirety and execute the stockholders.

Their behavior is cruel and exploitative, though not unusual at all. So we need to stop it.

Once and for all.

Re:Better idea

[Applehu Akbar]

Disincorporate Comcast in the entirety and execute the stockholders.

For that you'll have to wait until January, when the new Congress gets seated. But for now it's amazing that a state government actually sided with consumers against a such a House Major of Harkonnen nobility as Comcast. Can the rabble already dream of generic epinephrine injectors now?

Re:Better idea

[Obfuscant]

Disincorporate Comcast in the entirety and execute the stockholders.

For that you'll have to wait until January, when the new Congress gets seated.

It's refreshing to see someone admit that the Democrats are willing to kill people just because they're retirement plan includes tech stocks.

Re: Better idea

[Anonymous Coward]

Fucking idiot.

Typical rightard taking everything seriously.

I heard Mary Sue is having an abortion, why don't you try to go talk her out of it. LULz

Fucking rightards.

Re: Better idea

[Anonymous Coward]

It's refreshing to see someone admit that the Democrats are willing to kill people just because they're retirement plan includes tech stocks.

Nope, that they are complicit, even participatory in the whole process of harm that has been inflicted upon America is the reason.

Really, that's the way Republicans are, they don't care who dies as a result of their actions, so you have ro put their own lives and comfort on the line.

Just like Jesus. Remember, he commanded you to go forth and sin no more.

Re: Better idea

[Obfuscant]

Nope, that they are complicit, even participatory in the whole process of harm that has been inflicted upon America is the reason.

You do realize, I hope, that every penny you have deposited in a bank is not just sitting in the bank twiddling its thumbs waiting for you to come take it back out. It is being loaned to other people -- house loans, car loans, building loans, etc. That makes you complicit, even participatory in every "process of harm" that someone who borrowed that money does. Well, I suppose you can try rationalizing your involvement by claiming that your money is entirely in the reserve that is in the local branch to deal with daily transactions. But then, you'd be liable for the murder and mayhem if someone goes to the bank, cashes a check to get cash to buy a gun, and then shoots someone with it. Your money was involved. Oh, the humanity!

Or maybe you might think for a second and realize that people who have retirement accounts don't usually specify which specific stocks they want to buy. There's a manager that does that for them. That means they are not complicit, not participatory, in the "process of harm". They're just trying to save money so they can live after they retire.

Phhht. It's hyperbole like "execute the stockholders" that makes discussions so much fun, isn't it?

Outlawed

[Anonymous Coward]

Nobody ever regretted buying their way out of their contract. $240 is a lot, but it's not a lot-lot, and it's better than being stuck upside down in a contract you can't afford.

When you get the cards in the mail that say something like, "Get Comcast for just $X a month!!" and there's an asterisk at the bottom that says something vague about "terms and conditions may apply" and other bullshit.
When you ask the rep that answers the toll free number about it, they demand ALL of your information first and then do NOT give you the details.

Total assholes.
Comcast is unethical, liars, and if they can't be honest - especially with the outrageous fees they charge - they shouldn't' be in business.

Re:Outlawed

[Anonymous Coward]

Comcast is unethical, liars, and if they can't be honest

But you see, that is exactly why they are in business. No business can become a mega-corporation without such behavior.

I hate /. bullies like ZIP & c6gunner... apk

[Anonymous Coward]

See subject: I'm so sick & tired of /. BULLIES. You shitweasels have nothing better to do than HARASS, STALK & IMPERSONATE little ol' me. I've done absolutely NOTHING wrong & just try to make everyone's lives better w/ my work that stops ads & malware.

* As soon as I post, I'm CENSORED to -1 w/ ABUSED downmodpoints by bullies like ZIP, who even admit to this. I caught c6gunner mocking then IMPERSONATING me when he forgot to log out. Zontar mailed me a postcard w/ THREATS on it, then LIES & STALKS me. All because you JEALOUS JOWIE "ne'er-do-wells" KNOW I'm World-Class & you're shit. It's why you hide behind FAKE names & UNIDENTIFIABLE ANONYMOUS.

I'm even improving my already GREAT PHYSIQUE by getting calf implants while you weezils sit around all day on /. STALKING & HARASSING your BETTERS. I repeatedly dust the no-mind bullshit blatherings you BULLIES post to attack me. Like always I WIN & YOU LOSE.

APK

P.S.=> This BULLYING of me is SO UNFAIR & is probably a HATE CRIME because I'm gay. GROW UP... apk

Oh Wow, $35 Per Defrauded Customer

[NicknameUnavailable]

That'll show them. Any company that is caught scamming that many people deserves to be shut down, no if's and's or but's.

So no change then

[Anonymous Coward]

I missed the part of the story where Comcast was punished at all. Lengthy costly lawsuits and in the end they only have to give the money back with no punitive penalties? That's a real sweet deal there.

You're in the wrong profession then. You should be the CEO of a monopoly.

http://fortune.com/2017/06/27/executives-prison-financial-crisis-criminal-justice/

Fuck Comcast

[Anonymous Coward]

Fuck Comcast! Thank is all.

Re: Fuck Comcast

[Anonymous Coward]

Two words. Anti trust. Also Head of the FCC is a evil person and probably needs to be thrown into a cage where those immigrant children were held.

Don't try that with social media.

[Anonymous Coward]

Did you use Facebook? Buffoon.

Zach Patterson / ZIP "Greatest Hits" (lol, not)

[Anonymous Coward]

See how STUPID "ZIP" (Zach Patterson) the CHIMP is (tried to take credit for what I solved before him) https://tech.slashdot.org/comm... (he needs to LEARN TO READ)!

I even SHOW ways to do it YOURSELF https://tech.slashdot.org/comm... (he couldn't).

Delphi/FreePascal/ObjectPascal HAS no issue w/ null-term'd string bufferoverflows - C does, C++ can UNLESS you do what I said 1st loser.

Tell us about CODE SIGNING (which has been STOLEN & ABUSED) https://www.helpnetsecurity.co... MY METHOD CAN'T BE (upmodded +2 INTERESTING in CODING FOR DEFCON no less) https://it.slashdot.org/commen...

"I'm a much better programmer than APK" - by Anonymous Coward ZIP on Monday October 08, 2018 @11:27PM (#57449082) FROM https://yro.slashdot.org/comme...

BIG TALK - Yet ZIP has nothing to show in programs. I can https://news.slashdot.org/comm... from registered /.ers liking/using/praising my work (& 100k users worldwide too). He can't.

LIAR ZIP says he has no account "I don't have an account, so I don't have mod points" https://news.slashdot.org/comm...

Yet LIAR ZIP says he downmods my posts (IMPOSSIBLE MINUS AN ACCOUNT on /.): "I down-modded a few of your post on other threads" - by Anonymous Coward "ZIP" on Thursday October 11, 2018 @11:31AM (#57461058) FROM https://yro.slashdot.org/comme...

APK

P.S.=> KEEP IMPERSONATING ME CHIMP - this comes out every time, lol!... apk

Re:I hate /. bullies like ZIP & c6gunner... ap

[Anonymous Coward]

This BULLYING of me is SO UNFAIR & is probably a HATE CRIME because I'm gay. GROW UP... apk

1. whining isnt productive
2. your ip addr says youre not who you say you are
3. think it's a crime? press charges.
4. in the overall scheme of things, you should be focused on the surgery, kemo & rad, not this s**t.

Just don't do business with them

[Locke2005]

I had a one-year contract, moved a couple blocks, they insisted on canceling the contract, creating a new account, and jacking my rate up $40/month... after telling me when I got the contract that moving it to another address was no problem.

Re:Just don't do business with them

[Anonymous Coward]

[posting as A/C because I don't want to undo moderation]

Free/fair markets are good things. They promote efficiency. They generate good outcomes for customers and also, perhaps surprisingly, for companies too. (Monopolies tend to atrophy then crash and burn when disruption technology arises).

However, without regulation and oversight, consumers don't get a fair market. The balance of power is hugely tipped towards the companies, absent many competing companies in the market.

The problem is information. A consumer needs information to make a considered choice. Absent regulation, companies will lie. If you have to verify everything they say, it hugely inflates the cost of making an informed decision.

Consider the stock market, The SEC has very strict rules about not misleading the market, in order to keep the market fair. Alongside those strict rules come severe penalties. The sharks are there to eat each other, but they don't lie, because if they do, all the other sharks will turn on them and destroy them. Since it is actually easier to tell the truth than to lie (read, more efficient), the stock market tends towards truth.

Absent true competition and regulation, companies lie.

Compare this to a country like NZ, where the Consumer Guarantees Act requires that all goods and services be:

• Of merchantable quality
• Fit for the purpose provided
• As described

That last one is key. A telco trying this shit in NZ (disclaimer: I work for a NZ telco) would be fined into oblivion by a government agency set up to police the Act. By that, I mean each instance of such wrongdoing would attract a substantial fine.

And I like that. It means we have to be truthful about what we say about our services; it means our services have to perform reasonably well. But, exactly the same goes for our competitors. I assure you, complying with the CGA doesn't cost us any significant amount of money, and I sleep well at night.

How the USA gets there from the current position is not something I have an answer for.

Re:Just don't do business with them

[IsThisNickTaken]

It was "no problem" to "them" as they will get another $40/month.

Costs are not prices

[radarskiy]

"The reason they can get away with it is because the 'taxes' part of the additional fees varies by region and government. Since it varies it can't be a flat advertised price."

There is no obligation to make the customer pay taxes and fees individually on top of the prices as opposed to including them in the price. As an example, my T-Mobile $60 per month wireless plan results in me being billed exactly $60 per month. Any taxes and fees are paid out of that $60 dollars.

Re:Costs are not prices

[Anonymous Coward]

What's interesting about this is that where I live (Colorado), Comcast is the same way. I pay the advertised $30 for internet and they take the taxes out of that. I'm assuming based on all the other comments that Comcast doesn't do that everywhere?

CenturyLink however does add $5 to the advertised price for taxes and fees.

Must be included

[Anonymous Coward]

... hidden fees and surcharges quickly ...

In my country, all mandatory/monthly fees must be included in the quoted price. This is a failure of government to enforce truth in advertising and a failure of voters to hold the government accountable.

Capitalism

[greylion3]

So, how is that capitalism working out for you?

Re:Capitalism

[Anonymous Coward]

So, how is that capitalism working out for you?

That is not capitalism, it is cut-throat opportunistic bribery-driven shameless unfettered corrupt... capitalism. Actually, come to think of it it's pretty ... Thinking is overrated anyway.

Re:Capitalism

[Anonymous Coward]

So, it's not true capitalism?

Even though I'm not a customer of theirs...

[Anonymous Coward]

...at least it's a start. The real question is, why is this only for Massachusetts? This should be nation-wide.

And, being forced to tell the truth in their ads moving forward? Such harsh punishment...

Baby steps. Hopefully their competitors will take note.

Mod Undo

[Immerial]

Went to mark insightful and let go of the mouse button too soon. :P :P :P