Cable lobby and Republicans fight proposed ban on early termination fees / Customers should be allowed to cancel cable TV without penalty, Democrats say::Customers should be allowed to cancel cable TV without penalty, Democrats say.

  • shalafi@lemmy.world
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    7 months ago

    Another example of a thing I figured 10+ years ago.

    Take a headline, strip it of political references. Just the facts in question. Ask yourself, “Will this initiative hurt people?” Doesn’t matter if you feel those people deserve to be hurt. Merely ask, “Will people be hurt?”

    And now you know who’s voting for it! I played this game with myself for years. Never got it wrong.

    • Nollij@sopuli.xyz
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      7 months ago

      The problem with this is that with most initiatives, there are winners and losers. Someone is hurt, but someone else (possibly many people) is helped. Even a Robin Hood-like approach hurts the rich, however small and insignificantly.

      Can you refine that rule?

      • shalafi@lemmy.world
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        7 months ago

        You’re right and I should refine it!

        How about; “Does this initiative hurt more people than it helps?”

        Fair question my friend!

        (And yes, sometimes the needs of the few outweigh the needs of the many in the long term. Rare, but it can happen.)

    • AtariDump@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      Yeah, the problem is they really do believe the next line - even if they don’t know it.

      “Ignorance is strength”

      aka “Do your own research”

  • Scott@sh.itjust.works
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    7 months ago

    Cable providers are among the worst fucking crooks in the entire country.

    Just tried to take as much money from you as possible while providing ass tier service.

  • Furbag@lemmy.world
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    7 months ago

    I find it hard to believe that anybody who hasn’t had a frontal lobotomy or isn’t a corpo ratfucker could ever be in favor of early termination fees as a legitimate and healthy business practice.

    • SCB@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      Strong disagree regarding it as a business measure in whole. Without penalties for breaking contracts, many business relationships will absolutely fall apart.

      Rather, this is an issue of consumer protection, and consumer rights should generally be given preferential treatment over contracts for the same reasons unions exist - it levels the playing field between entities of far differing power and means.

      I absolutely guarantee that lobbyists are pitching that first half at republicans and downplaying the everliving fuck out of the second.

      • Furbag@lemmy.world
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        7 months ago

        We’re obviously talking about consumer contract law here, so the point of business relationships falling apart is moot.

        If cable companies could prove to me that them pressing a button to cancel my service merits the exorbitant cancellation fees that they charge, then maybe I’d change my opinion.

        • SCB@lemmy.world
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          7 months ago

          I mean that’s why I said this

          Rather, this is an issue of consumer protection, and consumer rights should generally be given preferential treatment over contracts for the same reasons unions exist - it levels the playing field between entities of far differing power and means.

          “Early termination fees” do not solely apply to cable companies, and by and large are a good thing - this is how they shoved them past what should be common sense consumer protection legislation, which I also mention.

        • aStonedSanta@lemm.ee
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          7 months ago

          They usually can. Installing the wiring to your home and paying the wages of the installers is not cheap. It takes time for that initial cost to be recouped by a company.

        • SCB@lemmy.world
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          7 months ago

          Are you asking why contracts in general are important?

  • Burn_The_Right@lemmy.world
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    7 months ago

    Quick Trivia Question: When in history have conservatives ever been the good guys?

    Answer: Trick question! The answer is never.

    • lolcatnip@reddthat.com
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      7 months ago

      Ignoring any specific ideas about morality, conservatives (in the sense of people who resist change) and guaranteed to be on the wrong side of history, because their very nature is to cling to ideas that everyone else has decided are obsolete.

  • hydrashok@sh.itjust.works
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    7 months ago

    I wish they’ve finally just nationalize the entire infrastructure and then sell access to the ISPs like they did with British Telecom in the UK. Cable companies are scum and they shouldn’t be getting any further support or federal funding after the shit they’ve pulled.

    I didn’t need a new phone line when I wanted to change long distance plans 40 years ago. Why is Internet service any different? Mandate a line/conduit to each house and be done with it. See how they like it when they actually have to compete.

  • Queen HawlSera@lemm.ee
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    7 months ago

    But tell me how both parties are the same. The Right is literally punishing people for not wanting the product of a private company!

  • aesthelete@lemmy.world
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    7 months ago

    Cable lobby and Republicans …

    Isn’t that a little redundant? Aren’t Republicans and big business lobbies effectively the same thing?

          • aesthelete@lemmy.world
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            7 months ago

            I don’t remember mentioning Democrats. Oh, wait. That’s because I didn’t.

            Keep voting for fascists you dumb pig 🖕

            • intensely_human@lemm.ee
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              7 months ago

              I know. I did. It’s in the title of the post, too.

              You mentioned Republicans. Then I mentioned Democrats. Fascinating.

              Anyway, the Republicans weren’t the only party that used government power to shovel money toward big business.

  • Tosti@feddit.nl
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    7 months ago

    In the Netherlands early termination fees are not allowed, you sign up for a period and stick with that. After that initial period you can then terminate with 30 day notice, no auto renew per year, or you get a prorated refund of what you paid (in annual payment for example). A few exceptions apply but not many.

    This was done to avoid the fuckery of having a very small window on annual contracts where if you missed it, you would be locked in for another year.

    • aesthelete@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      This was done to avoid the fuckery of having a very small window on annual contracts where if you missed it, you would be locked in for another year.

      Here in the good ol US of A that’s how some of my apartment leases worked.

      🎶 God bless America 🎶

  • ohlaph@lemmy.world
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    7 months ago

    Holy fucking shit, what aren’t Republicans againt when it comes to the people. The party of pro life sure are against the people.

  • Reality Suit@lemmy.one
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    7 months ago

    Got rid of cable T.V. a long time ago. I endorse pirating everything until the rich start to feel it.

  • andrewta@lemmy.world
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    7 months ago

    where are people living that they have termination fees on cable tv? I am in Minnesota with Spectrum (previously charter (previously something else)) … I could call in tomorrow and drop the service and there wouldn’t be a termination fee. They would give me an option : use it for the rest of the billing period or just cancel it now and prorate the amount I’ve paid.

    I’m not saying fees don’t exist. I’m just curious what companies are charging them and where these people live.