Consumer Reports: Misguided Misdeeds

In the spring of 2006 Consumer Reports engaged in unbridled braggadocio, and strained every sinew in their activist editorial arms to pat themselves on the back over their efforts to “Win Rights” for consumers. Specifically, they were bristling over their success in securing a free credit report for every man woman and child in America. My letter to the editor at CR appears below. I don’t know if they published it. I cancelled my subscription.

Dear CR,

You Won Rights? Oh really? Sounds like, thanks to you, we "won" higher costs. Nothing is "free". Don't you read your own magazine? When you lobby to "win" "free" reports for us; please stop to think that the vast majority of us do not want or need our "free" reports. Your lobbying has raised the cost of doing business for the health and credit reporting companies...which in turn is passed on to ALL consumers -- not just those who actually want or need the information that they work hard to collect. Thanks a heap!

The same applies to the electronics recycling service that you are trying to force upon electronics manufacturers. Not only are you raising costs for the manufactures of such items, you are raising the costs of purchasing those same items. Each individual is responsible for the correct and legal disposal of his or her unwanted items, no matter what toxic or non-toxic elements they may contain. By trying to divert that responsibility, you are effectively undermining any REAL economic incentive that any entrepreneur might have in reclaiming those resources. Thus, in the long run, you are actually working to prevent responsible disposal and recycling of electronics. My home town provides for environmentally safe disposal of toxic materials. Even if they didn't, it would only cost me $100 to safely and legally, dispose of as many paint cans, unused chemicals, and burnt-out electronics as I can haul to the appropriate disposal area. You are lobbying for government programs and bureaucracies that we don't need. Please stop.

The government need not be involved in either of these issues. You do a fine job of telling us which items are a better value for the dollar than others. Please stick to your core competency. The rest will take care of itself, but only if the free market is allowed to do so. I wonder if CR would approve if I got the government to force them to release to me, whatever consumer product information they collect that I deem necessary. Or if I got the government to micro-manage the disposal of their magazine when I'm done with it. I wonder who would be able to afford the $50 per issue cover price. Back off CR!

Mike (a subscriber)
Bedford, TX