zlacker

>>cwwc+(OP)
When did we move to a "do whatever you think you can get away with" model of society?

Maybe I'm naive but I think there used to be at least a modicum of self-restraint on this kind of thing. Sure, people always tried to make as much money as possible, but there used to be some limit somewhere - not because you'll get caught but because c'mon, we just don't do that! That seems to have now been totally lost.

>>llimos+Q7
It was always like that. At all points throughout history. So law makers put in laws and regulations that had punitive fines on the conduct for businesses. 49 U.S.C § 32703, the law that makes federal odometer fraud a crime, was passed in October 1972 and had a $10,000 fine for screwing with an odometer. If inflation kept up with the punishment it'd be $71,897.64 today. But time passes, fine amounts don't get touched, and eventually it's profitable on the whole to do it. $10,000 if you get caught? That's less than the profit of the deal, so who cares? The conduct resumes.