| Comment Number: | 522418-10763 |
| Received: | 7/16/2006 10:15:37 PM |
| Organization: | dba LTN & ASSOCIATES |
| Commenter: | Louis Novak |
| State: | OH |
| Subject: | Business Opportunity Rule |
| Title: | Notice of Proposed Rulemaking |
| CFR Citation: | 16 CFR Part 437 |
| No Attachments |
Comments:
As a small business owner working from my home, I feel it is important to end the operations of scam companies who prey on unsuspecting people. In my business, which has earned the Better Business Bureau seal, and many other credentials as a legitimate business operation of over 46 years, I hear stories from people about how they 'invested' thousands of dollars hoping to get rich quick and ended up significantly worse off than when they started. A number of them are now successful business owners within our organization. I am very much in favor of the government clamping down on these disreputrable outfits than flood the airwaves, TV infomercials and internet spams, but not at the expense of legitimate businesses like mine. I give full disclosure and complete information to prospective clients, with a money back guarantee. To make prospective clients wait 7 days to enroll, puts them and me at a distinct disadvantage for other potential opportunities to expand our businesses. It is not as if we are selling guns. There, a 7 day wait is reasonable and necessary for background checks, etc. Other businesses, such as car dealerships, do not have a "waiting period". A large part of their sales strategy focuses on the emotions of the moment while the customer is on the lot. The customer is investing a great deal more money in an auto purchase than becomng part of our organization, often based solely on the emotions of the moment. The dealerships would be up in arms and filing lawsuits if their trade were being targeted in this manner. We as consumers all need to take responsibility for our decisions, and having waiting periods and other restraints on businesses who conduct legitimate and completely legal commerce is unconstitutional and impinges on all of our rights as Americans. There are other ways to shut down the illegal and scam companies out there without attacking legitimate businesses. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Concentrate on shutting the scammers down instead. Besides, a waiting period doesn't impact or shut down the scammers.... it only gives them more time to "work on" getting more money out of their victims using more nefarious methods, and making it more difficult for legitimate businesses to expand and be profitable. This in turn limits the tax revenues generated to help fund the government. We all know that small businesses account for the majority of the economy's driving force. Don't tie the hands of legitimate small business men and women with this piece of legislation. It needs to be overhauled and rewritten. As it stands now, it is detrimental to too many good hard working honest men and women who follow the American dream of a better way of life for their families. Thank you for you attention and consideration of this very important matter. We elect our government representatives to be just that.... representatives of the will of the People. As our elected officials, you all have a responsibility to us, the citizens of the Greatest Nation the world has ever known, to bring forth legislation that protects the well being and common good of the people without impeding the free flow of commerce and the entrepreneurial spirit that has helped forge this country as the only legitimate economic superpower in the world. Without our economy and free enterprise system, all other economies would crumble and the world would be thrust into economic chaos. You, and we, as voters, have a sacred obligation to see to it that the Liberties, Rights and Freedoms of our citizens are appropriately and justly protected, while preserving the freedom to conduct business legally and legitimately within the context of our role in the world economy and marketplace. I put the challenge to all of you to make the necessary and appropriate changes to this legislation and protect us your constituents and neighbors. We are all working toward a common goal, the continued strength and health of the U.S.A.