Typing "Someone Finally Said It", has compelled me to write the following.

Two months ago the phone company disconnected my toll free number. It took me three days and a total of about 5 hours on the phone to get it working again. When I asked them why they simply said it was a mistake. This is my business line and clients weren't able to contact me for those three days.

I explained this to the person I was talking to and asked them what would happen if I, by mistake, an honest mistake, didn't pay my phone bill. The answer was that they would cut off my phone. The point being that they have recourse, we don't.

I asked to speak to the persons supervisor and explained to them that I have been without my business line for three days and felt that I should be compensated for the inconvenience. I met with opposition so I asked to speak to the head of the department. I explained that since they have recourse against me if I make a mistake I felt that I should be entitled to the same privilege. The person agreed with me and I received three months free.

It isn't about the money, it is about them being as accountable for their honest mistakes as they expect us to be.

About six months ago when I went to the bank to get some papers from my safe-deposit box. The bank said they lost the records and would not allow me have access to the box. I had to wait for three hours until they finally figured out what had happened.

I went to the bank manager and, as with the phone company, asked her what would happen if someone accidently deposited money in their savings account instead of their checking account and wrote a check for more than they had in their account. She said they would charged an overdraft fee of $20.00 even though it was an honest mistake.

I explained that someone at her bank made an honest mistake and lost all the information regarding my safe-deposit box and I had to wait for three hours to gain access. I asked her what recourse I have when the bank makes a mistake. After a very pleasant conversation I got six months rental of the box for free.

Again, isn't about the money. It is about holding them as accountable as they hold us.  It's a small start but I for one am going to give up any more of my rights willingly.

JUST SAY NO. Insist, in a very nice way, that since they hold you accountable for your honest mistakes that they they should also be held accountable for theirs.

ACTING IN CONCERT, WE CAN BEGIN TO INITIATE CHANGE !  Hold everyone accountable. EVERYONE!  Lets begin getting our rights back !!!!!!!!!!!

Am I alone in my thinking or are there others who feel the way I do???

ummm......I think you ment you are NOT going to give them up, right?

BTW, good job. Squeaky wheel gets a greasin

Glad you got a rare restitution for your inconveniences.  Funny that the private sector understands the matter of compliance cost and opportunity cost but the government does not.

I think if someone crashes their car into mine, their insurance co. should not only pay to fix my vehicle, but should also pay for all the time I wasted running around to make it all happen.  

When I fill out my taxes, if it takes me several hours of beating my head against the wall in order to comply with the IRS's pitiful excuse for a tax code, I don't see an extra dime for my trouble.  How do I hold them accountable?

I would also like to try this with the Treasury Dept.  I will say that I have been deprived of machine-gun ownership for years now mostly because their idiotic rules and regulations made the prices prohibitively expensive.  The government can buy an M-16 for $400, I should be able to also.  After all, in America, the people are the government, right?  

If you insist on it the insurance company will pay you for time lost.  That is my point.  We have to begin insisting that we be compensated for others mistakes.

The other persons insurance company will want you to sign a release.  Don't do it until you are totally compensated.  They are counting on you not wanting to go through the hassle of arguing with them.  Most people just want to get it over and they know that.

I am a business man and I, like most of you, work for a living.  The compensation I received for "holding them accountable" didn't come close to paying me for the time I spent.  But, maybe it made it a little easier for the next guy to receive compensation for his time.

As I said, it's a small start.  We won't initiate change overnight.  We have to start somewhere though.  If we don't we might as well just lay down and say, "do with us as you will".

Who knows, maybe even some day we can actually elect those to Congress who will pass and enact laws that are in the best interest of the people without there being hidden agendas behind every piece of legislation they deal with.  

Or, maybe some day they will pass a bill putting a ban on bathtubs because bathtubs are hurting and killing people.

If enough of us just start saying NO we can begin getting the pendulum to start swinging back in the other direction.  Remember when businesses use to value customers and actually provide real customer service?  

Some still do.  Several of them can be found on this web site.  That is the main reason why they are here.  They listen to us and still care.  As an example, you can call Eric at Ammoman and he will actually answer the phone.

Lets begin making all business and even the govt. begin listening to us again.  Hold business accountable and don't forget to vote.