# Sen. Rubio introduces Freedom to Compete Act

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-rubio-introduces-freedom-to-compete-act/829732>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [February 17, 2019, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-rubio-introduces-freedom-to-compete-act/829732 "2019-02-17T19:08:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2019, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-rubio-introduces-freedom-to-compete-act/829732/21 "2019-02-20T03:44:54Z")

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> [@Ruken](#):
>
> The above sounds nice but I’ve negotiated the terms of every job I’ve held since college and have had clauses I don’t like removed from other contracts. E.g. a lease. Never a mortgage, having never used one, but the banks know they’re competing for my business. So come back when you have some data.

I’m not sure what data you’re looking for - I mean it’s great that you’ve been able to negotiate the terms of every job you’ve had since college. I’ve been able to negotiate at none. A couple were union jobs where the terms and conditions were initially negotiated before I got there , and I as an individual had no real influence when the contract expired and a new one was negotiated. But the rest- everything from part-time jobs in high school and college to my current position as a manager at state agency , the terms and conditions were imposed by fiat and my only choice was whether to take the job or not. Lots of jobs are like that- do you imagine that Walmart negotiates with every cashier regarding their pay and vacation time and benefits ? Or that your doctor’s office negotiates those items with every receptionist, biller and medical assistant? For an awful lot of jobs it’s a matter of “These are the terms. Take it or leave it”

The same thing goes for almost any contract I can think of that I was involved in - I didn’t get to negotiate the terms of my cell phone contract, or my internet provider contract ,or my credit card contracts or my mortgage. In some cases, I could choose from different plans with different prices , but I couldn’t “mix and match” - I couldn’t negotiate the price on a one year commitment down to the price on a two year commitment. Sure, I could go to another provider, but that’s not negotiating.

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