The headline about predatory brands and the power that contractors and employees have begs the question. Have there been whistleblowers in the manufactured housing industry? The short answer is yes – there have been several. And to support that notion the following Q&A with Bing’s AI powered Copilot provided the following insights.
> “Have there been whistleblowers in the manufactured housing industry?”
Yes, there have been whistleblowers in the manufactured housing industry. One such example is a former Clayton Homes team member who denounced the company’s practices on TV 1. Another example is the Dodd-Frank CFTC Whistleblower Program which provides substantial monetary rewards to whistleblowers who voluntarily provide original information to the Commodities and Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) where such information results in a successful enforcement action with monetary sanctions exceeding $1 million 2.
Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of whistleblowers in the manufactured housing industry.
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The odds are excellent that dozens, perhaps hundreds or more professionals involved in manufactured housing are aware of details that they could use to blow the whistle on so-called predatory manufactured housing brands.
Given the fact that Clayton’s ex-employee Chase McGee – their former “Chief People Officer” did a quick in and out with that firm speaks volumes.
But look carefully at the various cases, allegations, and exposes among the headlines for the week in review that follow further below. If you need ideas on what may be worthy of tips, evidence, or more, those reports could yield some ideas.
Don’t Buy Into Agenda Driven Lies
Regrettably, we live in what has been described as an era of slippery lies. That doesn’t mean that everyone is lying all the time. What it means is that some people are being deceptive about specific issues at certain times. If someone lies all the time, it would be akin to the proverbial boy who cried wolf. The nonstop liar becomes known for their lies and then people begin to tune that person or organization out. So, clever deceivers learn certain techniques to make it appear that they are telling the truth even when they are using facts selectively or in an exaggerated manner to push an agenda that they obviously believe is going to benefit themselves and their allies.
These methods are hardly new.
That pattern of paltering and other forms of deception exists in and beyond our profession.
This pattern of deception by a few pushed onto the many has been utilized by individuals across the political, spiritual, social, historic and other spectrums. A 21st century example of a big, agenda driven lie that is largely accepted now for the deception that it was is the Bush 43 Administration’s push to get America into a Middle Eastern war(s). As Shadows of Liberty documented, left-center- and right-leaning mainstream media largely locked hands and helped push the Bush agenda toward invading Iraq. The pretexts for invasion were debunked, but initially accepted. That is an important point to keep in mind. Mass media and big tech can be used to push de facto propaganda. Anything that has happened before can happen again.The good news is that in several high-profile 21st instances, big bold liars have been exposed, charged, prosecuted and sent to prison.
Whistleblowers are often critical in this process of exposing corruption. At times, as the links above reflect, there are times that whistleblowers get rewarded. But it should be stressed that at times whistleblowers suffer as a result of their efforts.
For those who want to share tips, MHProNews has an outstanding record of protecting sources. We have broken stories with evidence supplied by tipsters.
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As was mentioned above, for a time, the propaganda coming from the Bush 43 administration into American households apparently carried the day. But over time, it was exposed for the propaganda and manipulation that it was. Initially, following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy the population bought into the lone gunman theory pushed by the Johnson Administration. But further revelations kept coming out which made it clear that at least two gunmen were involved, as Congress determined some years later. Two gunmen by definition means a conspiracy. Today, 60 years after the plot to kill President Kennedy was carried out, the majority of the population no longer believes the key lone gunman claim put forward by the Warren Commission report.
There are several takeaways from these historic examples that could be applied to our profession (and beyond). But one of the key things that employees and independent owners should bear in mind is this. Oligopoly style monopolization of an industry hurts employees. It limits and therefor hurts smaller businesses.
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Apparent predatory behavior and corruption is not universal in manufactured housing. But it is arguably common enough where it ought to be addressed and rooted out.
On a routine basis, MHProNews benefits the industry’s readers by turning tips provided to us that are shared in turn with the industry. That doesn’t always mean that a tip will result in instant change. But we have had tips that resulted in quick changes at specific companies, as longtime readers with a keen memory may recall.
A tip can be as simple as forwarding an association or corporate email. MHProNews urges tipsters who want to be anonymous not to use a corporate or nonprofit email address in sharing a news tip.
Don’t miss today’s postscript.
With no further adieu, what follows are the headlines for the week in review, from 1.21 to 1.28.2024.
What’s New on MHLivingNews
What’s New from Washington, D.C. from MHARR
What’s New on the Masthead
Note – the article below uses an MHI arguably ugly ‘holiday’ card in the featured image, but it is about MHI’s new meeting policy. Don’t miss it.
What’s New on the Daily Business News on MHProNews
Saturday 1.27.2024
Friday 1.26.2024
Thursday 1.25.2024
Wednesday 1.25.2024
Tuesday 1.23.2024
Monday 1.22.2024
Sunday 1.21.2024
Postscript
In the natural order, it is too soon to say if springtime is coming to MHVille and America. But there are hopeful signs that justice may be on the way. In the meantime, expect more ugliness.
Every topic we post or publish is shared with specific information-education-what to know so you can grow ideas in mind. The DOE manufactured housing energy issue is still widely misunderstood. See the MHARR article and the Masthead to learn more.
People of good will can disagree on this or that but can often come together on issues that matter. Manufactured housing is a potentially terrific industry that has numbers of good companies in it. But there are also several problematic – so called “predatory” brands – that need to be dealt with in an appropriate manner. If you are interested in being part of the solution reach out with what you’ve got.
Programming notes. We plan a report in the near term about Oxfam, which will seem to some to have little to do with manufactured housing. But it does in fact impact our industry and all others too. Watch for it.
MHProNews is mulling doing a report on Indivisible and its connections to giants involved in MHVille. We did a report approaching 3 years ago on Indivisible, see that linked here. Remember, we follow the money trail so you don’t have to hunt as long or hard for the truth. Stay tuned to your #1 source for Manufactured Housing “Industry News, Tips, and Views Pros Can Use” © where “We Provide, You Decide.” © Here you will find Intelligence for your MHLife.” © Tipsters? Forward or Submit items at this link here. #
Again, our thanks to free email subscribers and all readers like you, as well as our tipsters/sources, sponsors and God for making and keeping us the runaway number one source for authentic “News through the lens of manufactured homes and factory-built housing” © where “We Provide, You Decide.” © ## (Affordable housing, manufactured homes, reports, fact-checks, analysis, and commentary. Third-party images or content are provided under fair use guidelines for media.) See Related Reports, further below. Text/image boxes often are hot-linked to other reports that can be access by clicking on them.)
By L.A. “Tony” Kovach – for MHProNews.com.
Tony earned a journalism scholarship and earned numerous awards in history and in manufactured housing.
For example, he earned the prestigious Lottinville Award in history from the University of Oklahoma, where he studied history and business management. He’s a managing member and co-founder of LifeStyle Factory Homes, LLC, the parent company to MHProNews, and MHLivingNews.com.
This article reflects the LLC’s and/or the writer’s position and may or may not reflect the views of sponsors or supporters.
Connect on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/latonykovach
Related References:
The text/image boxes below are linked to other reports, which can be accessed by clicking on them.’