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Monday, January 04, 2010

All That They Do Not Grant Us Is Their Property?

This is just astounding:

Washington, D.C. is suing AT&T because some customers who buy its prepaid calling cards don't always use up all the minutes. The city isn't suing on behalf of the customers, of course (though even that would be sort of silly). It's suing on the notion that when a customer doesn't use up all of a product or service they purchase, the remainder belongs to the government.

What's next? Confiscating books or CDs (or actual albums!) I haven't listened to in ages sitting on shelves in my home in order to stock up libraries? Is money sitting in my bank to be confiscated for the good of the people since it is sitting around unused?

If I want to buy prepaid phone cards and chop them up--unused--in my blender on full frappe setting, it's none of the government's damn business.