A few years ago, General Mills tricked its customers into forfeiting their legal rights to go to court if, for example, a child were poisoned by a tainted bowl of cereal. The public outcry was immediate. “How can they do that? “Why would they do that?” “What are they hiding?” Within days, the company made a smart business decision and reversed itself, restoring everyone’s rights again.
Most people will never file a lawsuit in their life. But as the public’s reaction to this incident showed, it is a bad mistake to underestimate just how strongly Americans feel about having that right - should they ever need it. It may not surprise anyone that a big corporation like General Mills would try to pull a fast one like that. But what should shock everyone is that some elected officials - including ones just sent to Washington to “fix things” - are pursuing policies that are far more drastic.
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