05 Jan 10
I've noticed over the past several months an increasing number of ads featuring headlines such as 'Obama backs insurance regulation, you may qualify for insurance discounts'. Some ads even run under the guise of government programs.
While I find these ads disturbing, I'm a staunch supporter of free speech and I guess I'll just have to let it go as another case of 'Buyer Beware'.
05 Jan 10
Originally posted by monster truckOkay. How would banning false advertising impinge on free speech?
I've noticed over the past several months an increasing number of ads featuring headlines such as 'Obama backs insurance regulation, you may qualify for insurance discounts'. Some ads even run under the guise of government programs.
While I find these ads disturbing, I'm a staunch supporter of free speech and I guess I'll just have to let it go as another case of 'Buyer Beware'.
05 Jan 10
Originally posted by monster truckAnyone who falls for crap like that deserves what they get.
I've noticed over the past several months an increasing number of ads featuring headlines such as 'Obama backs insurance regulation, you may qualify for insurance discounts'. Some ads even run under the guise of government programs.
While I find these ads disturbing, I'm a staunch supporter of free speech and I guess I'll just have to let it go as another case of 'Buyer Beware'.
If you can't educate yourself to some minimum extent before venturing into the marketplace, then ask a friend to direct your consumption.
I agree that outright lies should be punished as false advertising, but a reasonable person should be able to see through mindless innuendo like that (and I see all sorts of banner ads with that kind of nonsense, especially with regard to mortgage refinances and "credit help" every day) that ought to annoy a half educated 12 year old.
05 Jan 10
In general I believe advertisers are given far too much opportunity to deceive and misinform the populace. I think it would be better if for every factual claim an advertiser is obliged to provide scientific evidence, or it should conform with the terms of their product exactly, without conditions (whichever of the cases applies). Are you offering 4,5% interest? Fine, then actually offer 4,5%. Offering homeopathic medicine? Then prove they work, or tell the people you're selling them bogus pills.
05 Jan 10
Originally posted by sh76A quick glance at the mortgage crisis would indicate that many americans fall below that threshold.
Anyone who falls for crap like that deserves what they get.
If you can't educate yourself to some minimum extent before venturing into the marketplace, then ask a friend to direct your consumption.
I agree that outright lies should be punished as false advertising, but a reasonable person should be able to see through mindless innuendo like that (and I se ...[text shortened]... gage refinances and "credit help" every day) that ought to annoy a half educated 12 year old.
05 Jan 10
Originally posted by monster truckI don't think that people defaulted because they were hoodwinked. They were offered an enormous amount of cheap money to buy housing they couldn't afford; so they took it. I don't blame them. The banks were stupid and now they took a bath. The people didn't really get hurt too badly. They just lost the homes they really couldn't afford in the first place; likely as not after many months of living for free before they were foreclosed on.
A quick glance at the mortgage crisis would indicate that many americans fall below that threshold.
05 Jan 10
1 edit
Originally posted by sh76I think both parties got stung pretty badly.
I don't think that people defaulted because they were hoodwinked. They were offered an enormous amount of cheap money to buy housing they couldn't afford; so they took it. I don't blame them. The banks were stupid and now they took a bath. The people didn't really get hurt too badly. They just lost the homes they really couldn't afford in the first place; likely as not after many months of living for free before they were foreclosed on.
The good news is, the bailout has saved our economy.
Just one or two more and everything should be fine.
07 Jan 10
Originally posted by monster truckI was wondering myself. today i saw a supposed plan that would help you get your credit card payments reduced by 40 % if you owed more than 10K.
I've noticed over the past several months an increasing number of ads featuring headlines such as 'Obama backs insurance regulation, you may qualify for insurance discounts'. Some ads even run under the guise of government programs.
While I find these ads disturbing, I'm a staunch supporter of free speech and I guess I'll just have to let it go as another case of 'Buyer Beware'.
Please tell me that is not so??
07 Jan 10
Originally posted by sh76Yes, I'm sure most of these people were expecting to default on their mortgages...
I don't think that people defaulted because they were hoodwinked. They were offered an enormous amount of cheap money to buy housing they couldn't afford; so they took it. I don't blame them. The banks were stupid and now they took a bath. The people didn't really get hurt too badly. They just lost the homes they really couldn't afford in the first place; likely as not after many months of living for free before they were foreclosed on.
07 Jan 10
Originally posted by monster truckI suspect that this is a common ploy when liberals get into power. All kinds of people think there will be lots of money coming from the government and they want as much as they can get.
I've noticed over the past several months an increasing number of ads featuring headlines such as 'Obama backs insurance regulation, you may qualify for insurance discounts'. Some ads even run under the guise of government programs.
While I find these ads disturbing, I'm a staunch supporter of free speech and I guess I'll just have to let it go as another case of 'Buyer Beware'.
07 Jan 10
Originally posted by AThousandYoungand I suspect that a lot of these people think themselves to be conservatives
I suspect that this is a common ploy when liberals get into power. All kinds of people think there will be lots of money coming from the government and they want as much as they can get.
07 Jan 10
Originally posted by sh76if the tactics that most advertisements use are any indication, the percentage of people who are "reasonable" is appallingly low.
Anyone who falls for crap like that deserves what they get.
If you can't educate yourself to some minimum extent before venturing into the marketplace, then ask a friend to direct your consumption.
I agree that outright lies should be punished as false advertising, but a reasonable person should be able to see through mindless innuendo like that (and I se ...[text shortened]... gage refinances and "credit help" every day) that ought to annoy a half educated 12 year old.
07 Jan 10
Originally posted by KazetNagorraThey were either:
Yes, I'm sure most of these people were expecting to default on their mortgages...
a) expecting to default on their mortgages (as you imply, unlikely)
b) didn't do enough analysis to determine whether they could afford what they bought; or
c) (most likely) figure that their newly purchased houses would appreciate rapidly (after all, that's what houses did) and, when their ARM kicked in and they couldn't afford their payments, they'd either re-finance or sell, make a big profit, and move on
Can anyone seriously argue that this is NOT what happened? Come on, folks, people with $50k incomes were buying $500,000 homes on teaser rates of 1.25% interest only loans that would "re-set" 12 or 24 months later at a level they could never afford. This was COMMON, folks, not the exception.