FTC Takes on Piano Teachers

Almost every week we read of yet another case of abuse of American citizens by the government we elected to serve us. We see this abuse on every level. Town Councils, Boards of Supervisors, State officials, Federal employees, elected representatives and even our President.

The sad thing is that every time we encounter yet another abuse the most we do is complain. That is, all we do is complain unless it involves us directly. When we see another American being abused by our Government we don’t attempt to help or to take action. We, as in the Biblical story of the Samaritan, “pass by on the other side of the road.”

I was recently reminded of the Holocaust poem by Pastor Martin Niemoller.

First they Came

First they came for the Communists

And I did not speak out

Because I was not a Communist

Then they came for the Socialists

And I did not speak out

Because I was not a Socialist

Then they came for the trade unionists

And I did not speak out

Because I was not a trade unionist

Then they came for the Jews

And I did not speak out

Because I was not a Jew

Then they came for me

And there was no one left

To speak out for me

The most recent outrage was another abuse by the U. S. Federal Trade Commission. The FTC, in a misguided attempt to control Americans and to justify their jobs, just took on the Music Teacher’s National Association.

MTNA’s offence was in listing a code of ethics for music teachers. Included in that code was “to not actively recruit students from other members.” To the underworked staff at FTC this was an attempt to create a monopoly and to fix prices. It didn’t matter to them that every music teacher was free to set his or her own price or that the average prices for a lesson was between $5 and $30. It didn’t matter to them that MTNA only represents a fraction of the music teachers nationwide. All that mattered was an opportunity to abuse their power and authority.

FTC took the anti-trust laws created to control huge corporations and applied them to 22,000 independent music teachers nationwide. As every abusive Federal Agency knows, small groups and individuals don’t have the resources to fight a Federal Agency backed by OUR tax dollars. They don’t care what it costs, it isn’t their money. They don’t care how much time it takes, they are getting paid and they don’t care if it is right or wrong.

One fact is certain. When a huge Government agency is concerned with the price of piano lessons they have gone too far. Let your Congressman know you object.