Small but impactful
Our government is often obsessed with "macro" problems, yet it consistently ignores the "micro" frictions that degrade our quality of life every single day. We are plagued by physical clutter in our mailboxes, deceptive digital intrusions on our phones, and manipulative product claims everywhere we shop. I am proposing a trio of "Small but Meaningful" reforms designed to restore privacy, honesty, and common sense to the American marketplace.
1. The Physical Unsubscribe: Ending Junk Mail Clutter. Every year, tons of unwanted paper end up in our recycling bins. My legislation provides a simple "Physical Unsubscribe" for every household. The Pre-Paid Opt-Out: Every unsolicited marketing mailer must include a pre-paid return envelope or card with a clear "Opt-Out" checkbox. If you don't want their solicitations, you check the box and drop it in the mail at the company's expense. Once checked, that company is legally barred from mailing marketing materials to that address again.
2. The Local Connection: Ending Area Code Manipulation We’ve all been tricked into answering a "neighbor spoofed" call from a 617, 781, or 978 area code, only to find an international scammer on the other end. This continues because telecom corporations profit from leasing huge batches of our local numbers to the highest bidder. Physical Presence Requirement: We will ban the sale or leasing of local area codes to any entity that does not maintain a verified physical business address or legal residence within that specific area code. Carrier Accountability: Companies that profit from leasing these numbers will be held legally and financially liable if those numbers are used to scam residents. If you don't live here, you don't get to use our identity to lie to us.
3. Plain Truth Labeling: Ending Deceptive Qualifiers Corporations currently use something called deceptive qualifiers to hide the truth about their products. Whether it’s "Sugar-Free" snacks that have artificial sweeteners or "Up to" performance claims, like "up to 99% flake" free or "up to 50 miles per gallon", the goal is to trick the consumer. Sweetened vs. Unsweetened: The term "Sugar-Free" is often a lie. My plan replaces it with a mandatory "Sweetened" or "Unsweetened" label on the front of all packaging. If a sweetener is added—natural or artificial, the consumer deserves to know at a glance. The Average Performance Standard: We are ending the "Up to" loophole. If an Internet provider promises "Up to 1,000 Mbps" or a battery claims "Up to 20 hours," that number must represent the statistically verified average for a typical user, not a one-in-a-million best-case scenario in a super controlled environment.
These reforms don't cost the taxpayer a dime, but they return hours of time and peace of mind to every family, promote transparency, protect our consumers amd help keep our recycling bins from overflowing with junk ma. It is time for Congress to stop protecting the lobbyists who profit from these deceptions and start protecting the people who actually pay the bills. This is just common sense.