Is it wrong to take money under false pretenses?

[kentuck]

And what should be the penalty?

If someone agrees to paint my house and says that it will last for 15 years and the paint comes off in one year, should they be held accountable to their word?

If someone sells you a piece of property and tells you there is oil under the ground but it comes up empty, is there nothing you can do. Caveat emptor. Let the buyer beware?

If someone says if you give them huge taxcuts, they will create jobs and balance the budget, but 10 years later, no jobs have been created and you are in a huge hole of debt, should those folks be held responsible? Should they have to pay back the money given them thru taxbreaks, that was borrowed and added to the debt? Because they did not keep their word? They did not create jobs. They did not balance the budget. What should be their penalty?

[Vincardog]

1. What should be their penalty? They should be run out of office and laughed off any future ticket

[Jackpine Radical]

2. Public shortening.

[Angry Dragon]

3. The French Solution............

[Angry Dragon]

4. Yes they should have to repay the money

and the dark lord and his little weasel puppet should be tried for crimes against humanity

[guardian]

5. Statute of Frauds

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statute_of_Frauds

Varies state by state