Elizabeth Dole, Federal Trade Commissioner,
Addresses The National Association of Home Builders January 21, 1979 ââ¦.for too many Americans, the dream home has turned into a nightmare. You know as well as I do that as families move into their own little Garden of Eden, more and more are finding the apple full of worms. As a result, some homebuyers believe they are being bilked for thousands of dollars, and they are expressing not only anguish but outrage. Shoddy building practices can be concealed from many purchasers who cannot be expected to have the technical expertise to evaluate the structural soundness of a home or the quality of electrical, plumbing, or air conditioning systemsâ¦The patience of the American consumer is rapidly running out. â¦Consumers are demanding more protection from the government, not LESS. The consumer movement is no longer made up of small bands of activists with no troops standing behind them; the consumer movement is now part of our culture â it embraces every one of us. And it will not be denied over an issue so fundamental as decent housing⦠|