Fran's Friday Forum...Are We Capable Of Considering Consumers Capable...!!!

Oohh first comment... Lawsuits are down too... attorneys have to keep busy somehow. But then again, I'm just a stupid consumer. I don't think you are rebelling, I think the inmates are running the asylum now is all. All the problems we currently have now are created by our legislature and judicial system and then they pass bills to try to fix the problem that they created... it's just too complicated for us laymen to figure out. Blessings, Bob

There seems to be a great desire to protect people from themselves...and maybe a real need as well.

When we rely on . . . let's say the automotive industry . . . to make our cars, 'cause we can't do that ourselves . . . and they (the auto industry) WAY back when didn't manufacture them with seat belts, and (like him or not) Ralph Nader had to go to bat for that . . . YES, some government mandates weren't a bad thing.  When they take over the entire freaking auto industy . . . hmmmm . . . not such a good thing.  (They should put seat belts in school buses -- and that's SO way off Topic, sorry!)  Now the "Unsafe at Any Speed" can be applied to the fast-track method of congress.  (there I worked that in nicely) ;-)  Your blog is well-written, and well-taken!  Thanks!

There is no question that when it comes to the real estate industry, the politicians are proposing legislation so it looks like they are doing something to divert attention from there own failures.  They do it under the guise of consumer protection when it turns out the laws they propose actually hurt the consumer.  Your post is but one example.  HVCC is another example.

You cannot possibly think that the new HUD rules are anything but great for consumers. I agree that consumers are smarter than we give them credit for, but they also have proven that they can't handle the closing process very well at times. This keeps consumers from getting squeezed by lenders, title companies-closers, etc. It's great, and a bit too late.

Hi Fran~ What if people would just do their jobs, wouldn't we all be so much better off? 

I've been saying this for a while so I'm glad this got featured.  It's so frustrating to see that the typical average american person isn't forced to learn anything.  Perhaps ignorance is bliss.

Everything the government puts their hands on turns to crap....and the American people keep letting them do it.

We apparently need to presume that none of us are capable of thinking our way out of a paper bag. It's the nanny state at its best.  Spill coffee; discover it's hot; make a few million.  Have problems?  No need to worry, the government will fix it. 

Alfred E. Neuman's, "What me worry?" comes to mind.

Fran: I'd like to think I always do. I have some pretty smart customers. Shame on the professionals who think they're a little bit smarter. This leads to arrogance and poor customer service in my opinion. Thanks for the post!

Fran - It seems to me that every time Congress tries to simplify things for us, it just adds another 1/8 inch to the pile of papers that nobody reads.  Perhaps if they sought to eliminate the redundency in the disclosures, it might not look like such a herculian task to read the stuff.  The way I see it, we're not stupid.  We're just lazy.

While I agree with most of the thoughts you express in your post, I have to take exception to your line about acknowledging we are all consumers.  It is true, to be sure, but 'consumer' is about the last thing I want to be remembered for.  We are many other things.  We are citizens, voters, Americans, workers, tax payers.  Why focus on one thing we do?  The word 'consumer' makes me think of us all in one big game of Packman.

Sorry for the rant.  That word has been bugging me.

Fran, truly MOST people are not dummies. They may need education and clarification but as good communicators to them we help them a lot. Now the government treatment of the masses you are right. They just seem to want to be the parent to the child. What do they call that? A Nanny state?

You deserved the star for this one my friend! This is one of the best posts I've seen from you in awhile and I agree that almost everything the government is doing is to make people dumber and dependent on the government. The government doesn't think we are smart enough to think on our own, so they try to do it for us.

 

Hi Fran, A friend and I were talking about people being rude and came to the simple conclusion that it is because no one thinks anymore and therefore don't care about what they say or do.