America, land of the free . . . or is it free? Does the government REALLY allow us to function as a free society? Or do they allow us to perceive it’s free while they really rule the roost? Does a free country need to have camera’s on intersection lights and take snapshots of every car that rolls through ticketing one’s who may not make it in time? Sure, it’s safety, but is it safety or big brother keeping an eye on everyone?
Then throw in Google. The largest organizer of information in the world. What used to be web information has quickly turned into private and personal information. They slip in “free tools” that are fun to use and realize people rarely read the terms that state they’ll be recording your personal and private information. They get cell numbers, web history, personal information through their services and if you have a website, they dangle a carrot in front of you to abide by their rules or else. Google . . . Government? Could Google be disguised as the government so they can gather as much information about us as possible? I know I’m stretching, but this leads into my point of my rant.
The Star-Telegram released a story about a company whom I’m familiar with. We know people with the company and I’d rather keep that part anonymous, but I have a background in the dietary supplements industry, so I tend to sympathize with Mannatech and others in the industry. This is taken from here:
AG accuses supplement maker of false claims
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF
Related Content* External Link PDF: AG’s lawsuit against Mannatech
* Disputed claims boost popular supplements
* Nobel Prize winners say sites falsely cite research
* Charity’s links to firm raise questions
* Grand Prairie charity was paid to funnel fundsTexas Attorney General Greg Abbott has filed suit against supplement manufacturer Mannatech Inc., charging that the Coppell company is operating an illegal marketing scheme that makes false claims about the medical benefits of its products.
“Texans will not tolerate illegal marketing schemes that prey upon the sick and unsuspecting,” Abbott said. “Aided by an army of multi-level sellers and their fictitious claims about its products, Mannatech has aggressively marketed supplements to countless unwitting purchasers. With today’s enforcement action, the Office of the Attorney General seeks to shut down an elaborate scheme to defraud innocent consumers across the nation.”
Also named in the lawsuit is Mannatech owner Sam Caster and several organizations and individuals.
The suit alleges that the company encourages false statements made by salespeople that claim Mannatech products can cure cancer and other serious illnesses. It claims that the company violates the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act and the Texas Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.
There is a battle that will always be there because dietary supplements are not taxed, which means of the billions of dollars being made these days in that industry, the government officials are not making a dime on them. You compare it to the pharmaceutical market and whoa. . .stand back! The government is rewarded quite handsomely for allowing the pharmaceutical industry to release drugs that might fix one ailment, but it develops 20 others. Why? Because the government stands to make millions upon millions of dollars for each product they allow into the market.
Now you might want to say the government is “protecting the public from deceptive practices”, but lets be honest, if you want to protect the public, why don’t you shut down the tobacco companies that kill millions of people every year. Legalize some drugs that are not much different than alcohol and even have medical benefits in order to remove the crime that happens every day over these drugs. Make them readily available in stores and this diminishes significantly. How about saving all the money you put into paying off people in the middle east for worthless information and putting it into things that help Americans in America. How many times have you seen the government walking around with wads of cash giving it to Americans because they tell them where some king of a neighborhood lives? Help the starving and homeless in our country. Should I go on?
I think I’ve gotten way off track, but I think this stupid Attorney General suit against Mannatech is ridiculous and they should be ashamed. I’m not saying I believe whatever Mannatech is selling because I don’t know enough about it, but don’t try to shut down a large corporation like that and remove all of the jobs just because it’s not paying off the government. Very Sopranos like.
Long live Mannatech and screw the government!