THE SHELL GAME IN THE CREDIT CARD BILL PASSED
BY CONGRESS 

May 25, 2009
       Congress, as usual, has made a charade of the credit card problem which has been like a plague by the financial industry for the last 40 years.    Over that time, the American public had become accustomed to use their credit cards as a convenient source of temporary loans, thanks to the attitude of credit card companies.     Suddenly, credit cards have become a lucrative source of income, which is not subject to our usury laws.       
     The history of credit cards started more than fifty years ago, by department stores anxious to give credit to their customers when they may not have the cash for a purchase.   This was a great convenience to the customer.   Usually, each month, when the bill was presented it was expected to be paid in full.      The earliest credit cards were American express, usually reserved for business men, the diner’s club card, designed for use in restaurants, as a convenience which eliminated the need to carry large quantities of money for unexpected purchases.   These were followed by the discovery card, by Sears Roebuck, whose purpose was for use for any purchase anywhere a merchant chose to join the card system.    A small fee was charged the merchant for this convenience to use the card instead of cash which proved to be a bonanza to cash poor customers which aided the merchant to make a sale while the purchase was guaranteed by the credit card company.     The success of these credit cards, gave birth to a wide variety of other cards such a MasterCard and visa companies, which have become huge since they include most merchants anxious to cash in on the use  of credit cards for the small 1- 3% fees charged on each purchase.     
     Whereas, in the past, the customer was required to go to one of several loan companies for personal loans, to obtain money for varied needs, credit card companies soon realized they could obtain an unlimited amount of interest on said purchases, if they allowed the customer to carry over the balance on their card by requiring only a minimum payment, and charging a monthly interest on the balance carried over from month to month.    Soon, the interest rate were increased from the usual 4 0r 5 % to as much as 30 % per annum without controls.    
     It was not long before the consumer habitually found themselves, relying on said card or a multitude of cards to carry credit lines and debt as high as 20-30,000 dollars.    This caused most credit card companies, anxious to get into the high interest rate  game,  to aggressively mail out credit cards to just about everyone in the country regardless of their credit ability or standing.      The net result was that the credit card business took over from the local loan companies, that had served so many communities for so long and who were controlled by local usury laws.      Late charge fees for slow payers were increased to $25-35 dollars, while interest rates were also increased at the same time for the same reason and also for no reason, on past balances as well as future balances.  Other charges were dreamed up at the whim of the greedy credit card companies to increase their mounting profits.  It is estimated that credit card balances have reached an average of $8-10,000 dollars per credit card holder, with the total balance on all loans at 2 trillion dollars!     
     With the advent of the recent recession, and unemployment reaching 10% on the average, and climbing monthly at the rate of about a half million, credit card holders find themselves in a financial bind with payment default causing their interest rate to reach the impossible burden of 30% on most loan balances.     
     Clearly, it was time for congress to step up and to correct those abuses being perpetrated by the ever greedy credit card companies.     Up to the task stepped president Obama, by publicly demanding, “…it is time to stop these credit card abuses and I call upon congress to act quickly for this corrective action…!”     Most of these cards are controlled by the same banks and financial institutions that congress and the president have recently bailed out because, “…they are too big to fail…” as president Obama warned.    These are the same institutions that gave out mortgages to people who failed to qualify knowing that the government or insurance or USA guarantees would protect them from loss.   Of course when the insurer, AIG, teetered on failure, the government stepped up to bail them out also.         
     In response, congress,  held public hearings and debates  over ways and means to stop  these credit card  abuses with much fanfare,  president Obama’s public signing of the credit card reform bill passed by congress recently, he hailed it as a the much needed reform of credit card abuses.   In fact, all that was corrected was a couple of late charges or fees and a 60 day notice before interest rates could be increased by the card companies.     
     In spite of all the fanfare and posturing by congress and the president, the most important problem with the credit cards, the usurious rates of interest up to 30% per annum, charged by them on balances was ignored by congress and the president and left at the same rates.      
     It is obvious that congress, preparing to run for re-election in 2012, felt it needed the usually large political contributions made to them by the credit card industry lobbyists who quietly orchestrated and guided the bill through congress with the help of both democrats and republicans, so as not to be hurt them too much and leave them with the huge profits they have been enjoying for years.         
     So, congress and the president, feel confident that they have hoodwinked the American public by touting it as a “credit card reform bill”. When, in fact it was a shell game to keep those usurious rates as is, for the greedy credit card companies.     This was the cruel result perpetrated on the American people by congress and the president last week.      
     When the year 2012 comes around, you may be assured that those helpless credit card holders will remember their abandonment by congress and rush to the polling booth to vote down every congress person who had the gall to suppose they had once again fooled the American people, while bolstering the advantageous position of each credit card company for years to come.   It was just another shell game sell out of the American people.      

By: Andy Looney

MEMORIAL DAY IS PERSONAL TO EACH OF US

 

      EACH MEMORIAL DAY, WE REMEMBER AND HONOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE PREDECEASED US IN LIFE.    USUALLY WE PAY OUR RESPECTS AT THE CEMETARY OF OUR LOVED ONES LIKE GRANDMA OR GRANDPA WHO WERE SO NICE AND LOVING TO US WHILE WE MAY HAVE BEEN TOO YOUNG TO REALIZE HOW MUCH THEY REALLY HAD CONTRIBUTED TO OUR FOLKS AND FAMILY.     OUR FOLKS MAY BE BURIED THERE, ALSO,  A FINAL RESTING PLACE FOR THOSE TIRED, LOVING PEOPLE WHO FRETTED AND DID SO MUCH FOR US AND WHOM WE NEVER REALLY REALIZED HOW MUCH  THEY SACRIFICED AND DID WITHOUT FOR US, THEIR CHILDREN,  FAMILY AND COUNTRY.

    ALL WE CAN DO NOW IS TO BRING FLOWERS, SIGNIFYING LIFE, TO THE GRAVE ON THIS DAY, SET ASIDE FOR REMEMBRANCE OF THEM.    AS WE PAUSE FOR A MOMENT AT THE GRAVE SITE, IN SILENT PRAYER, WE THINK OF HOW MUCH MORE WE COULD HAVE DONE FOR THEM BUT DIDN’T AND HOW MUCH WE MISS THESE LOVING PEOPLE, THEIR WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT, EVEN, THAT TWENTY DOLLAR BILL STUFFED IN OUR HAND SO MANY TIMES JUST TO MAKE US AND THEM FEEL GOOD AND CARING, AS WE LEFT AFTER A BRIEF VISIT TO “GRANDMA’S HOME.”

OH!  IF ONLY THEY WERE STILL ALIVE SO WE CAN REALLY EXPRESS OUR GRADITUDE AND TRUE LOVE FOR THEM JUST ONE MORE TIME.    BUT, IT IS TOO LATE, AND WE REALIZE THOSE ARE THE WORDS AND DEEDS THAT MUST BE EXPRESSED DURING THEIR LIVES.   

      MAYBE, IF THEY PASSED ON WHILE YOU WERE ESTRANGED, OR NOT ON THE BEST OF TERMS WITH THEM, FOR SOMETHING YOU NOW REALIZE WAS YOUR FAULT, YOU WISH YOU COULD TELL THEM HOW SORRY YOU ARE AND, MAYBE, THAT YOU WERE NOT THERE FOR THEM, AND HOW FRUSTRATED AND ANGRY YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT ERROR YOU MADE.     THEN YOU REALIZE, ALL YOU CAN DO NOW,  IS SAY YOU ARE SORRY IN PRIVATE AND PROMISE TO BE A BETTER PERSON TO THOSE STILL LIVING  UNTIL YOU MEET THEM AGAIN IN HEAVEN.

      AS YOU WALK OR RIDE AROUND THE CEMETARY IN NOSTALGIC MEMORY, YOU SEE THE FLUTTERING AMERICAN FLAGS AND WHITE MARKERS IN THE LARGE VETERANS SECTION, OF THAT RESTING PLACE AND THINK OF THOSE MEN AND WOMEN, SOME OF WHOM YOU SERVED WITH, WHO DIED THEN OR SINCE AND YOU PAUSE AND BOW YOUR HEAD IN RESPECT OF THEM WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES, AS THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE, SO WE MAY LIVE IN PEACE AND SAFETY TODAY.    AT THE SAME TIME YOU THINK HOW FORTUNATE YOU WERE TO HAVE SURVIVED TO RETURN HOME TO YOUR LOVED ONES.   YOU THINK SYPATHETICALLY OF THE MANY WOUNDED SERVICEMEN RETURNING FROM THE WAR WOUNDED BOTH PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY AND SCARRED FOR LIFE, BUT NOT BROKEN IN SPIRIT.   BECAUSE THEY ARE THE LIVING AMERICAN HEROS OUR HEART CRIES OUT FOR THEM AND THEIR QUICK RECOVERY.     YOU THINK ALSO OF THE OBVIOUS VALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS AND SACRIFICES OF THEIR FAMILIES WHO HAVE SERVED THEIR COUNTRY IN THEIR OWN PRIVATE WAY.     

        YOU THINK OF EVERY ONE BURIED AT THIS PLACE AND EVERY OTHER CEMETARY, FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND COUNTRY AND REALIZE HOW IMPORTANT WE ALL ARE TO EACH OTHER.   WHETHER THEY WERE RELATIVES,  FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS OR COUNTRYMEN, THEY EACH MADE THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS AS BEST THEY COULD THE WEAK AND THE STRONG, WHETHER RICH OR POOR, IT DID NOT MATTER, AS LONG AS THEY CARED FOR SOMEONE DURING THEIR LIVES, THEY MADE THAT CONTRIBUTION TO MAKE US AND THIS COUNTRY STRONGER.

      EACH TOWN, CITY, STATE AND OUR NATION, CELEBRATE THIS MEMORIAL DAY WITH PARADES, FANFARE AND SPEECHES OF APPRECIATION.    IT IS OUR OPEN TRIBUTE AND DEDICATION, IN MINDFULNESS RESPECT TO THOSE THAT HAVE PREDECEASED US AND OUR THANKFULNESS FOR THEIR VALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO US AND THIS GREAT COUNTRY AND ITS PEOPLE.

      IF WE COULD ONLY KEEP THEIR UNSELFISH CONTRIBUTIONS AND SACRIFICES IN OUR MINDS YEAR ROUND, WE WOULD NEVER BE TEMPTED AWAY OR FORGET OUR LOYALTY AND LOVE FOR OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN OUR FAMILY AND COUNTRY, THIS WONDERFUL HOME OF FREEDOM, WE ARE PRIVILEGED TO LIVE IN CITIZENSHIP WITH EACH OTHER.

     “GOD BLESS AMERICA AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.” 

 

MAY 25, 2009                                         ANDY LO0ONEY                               

THE PELTING OF SPEAKER PELOSI

 

MAY 19, 2009

       As much as I personally dislike Nancy Pelosi as the speaker of the house of representative, she exemplifies the caliber of our present representatives in congress. They just can’t be any worse than they act and are.   
     The quality of our representatives has sunk to the lowest popular rating in history but yet they get elected on the whole.  The two party systems is the cause of this problem because the choice between the two party candidates is nothing but a choice of the lesser of two evils.  
     Maybe someday, when the recession turns into a depression and the public is really suffering, the people will wake up and start a new party of independent voters who choose their own candidates to fill the positions of congressman and women who vow to represent all the people in their district or state and not just their political party and members.   In spite of this I must rise in defense of speaker Pelosi in her controversy with the CIA over water-boarding and other forms of torture.         
     It seems that the speaker first stated that the CIA, at a briefing in 2002, was told of the legality of the techniques, which could be used on prisoners, but as yet they had not employed them.  Later, in September she was told torture was being used, but did nothing to expose it as she should have done since illegality trumps secrecy.       
     This caused a storm of protest by republicans anxious to criticize and find fault with any democrat and with the popular Obama administration.    This is a common occurrence in Washington, a lot of arguing and bickering between the two political parties every day, instead of attempting to work together, especially in these days of a serious economic downturn, with rising unemployment and mortgage foreclosures flooding the falling real estate market.     The fact is that these briefings with the CIA were secret and no official record of what transpired was recorded, either by tape or video.   Therefore, whatever was said or shown between the members of congress and the CIA is left to the memory of the participating parties.   By its definition the CIA is a cloak and dagger, secretive agency designed to clandestdly gather information about other countries and enemies, real or imaginary.  These secretive operatives are taught to master the art of deception and lie and employ this art in their quest for the needed information, for their government.   Therefore, it is fair to assume, that lying is a normal trait and part of their job as secret agents.   Some agents are so good at it that it becomes part of their persona of falsehoods and paranoia.   It is for that reason, that anything a CIA agent may say at any time is subject to doubt and disbelief, based on their proneness to use whatever means is necessary to successfully perform their mission.   It is also obvious, if such methods of obtaining intelligence are used, they would be reluctant to admit them publicly, or to another person, knowing such methods are illegal and against the rules of the Geneva Convention, banning torture.   
     Therefore, it should be obvious to most Americans that when former president Bush and former vice president Cheney have steadfastly denied the use of torture by their administration, such as water-boarding, the CIA one of their agencies would be duty bound to support that statement of their leaders by lying in cadence with them.    
     For Leon Panetta, the new chief of the CIA to state words to the effect that, “the CIA would never lie to a member of congress, “sounds more like an ideology than a fact.   Of course, he was not there at the time, so how would he know the truth of the matter.   As a former congressman himself and chief of staff for former president Clinton, he would not know the truth if he fell over it.   Of course with those qualifications, he will probably make a great head of the CIA.    
     Then, there are the statements of former speaker, republican Gingrich accusing speaker Pelosi of lying, when Gingrich himself was thrown out of the job and office for lying about his liaison with a woman while married and while at the same time, condemning then president Clinton for doing the same thing.   That reminds me of the statement of the kettle calling the fry pan black.   How can anyone believe anyone in Washington when they act like they are in lyington.     
     If anyone was really interested in finding the truth in this matter, then they should be calling for the participants to take polygraphs or lie detector tests.   No one is suggesting that, because they fear the truth and would rather make hay of the controversy while they take their place and position in the limelight.  Of course such a test would not be admissible in a court of law, but most law enforcement members swear by the results, unless the taker is on drugs or paranoid.   That may cause a problem with most members of congress, I suspect.      
     I personally believe speaker Pelosi and her colleagues representative Rockefeller and senator Graham of Florida, since they were there at the briefing and certainly have no axe to grind.   However, whereas the veracity of republicans and the Bush administration has repeatedly proven to be, at best, unreliable and suspect, steadily for the last eight years. For republicans to call for the resignation of speaker Pelosi, under these circumstances, sounds more like a diversion from the real culprits in this controversy, all the members of the Bush administration.    
     Even though the country is smarting under the worst recession since the great depression of the 1930’s, and although our full attention should be directed toward solving this economic mess, born of the Bush administration, I believe the  American people are entitled to know who has broken the law of decency and the Geneva Convention in this instance, who encouraged or ordered its use and who has attempted to cover it up because they should be held responsible for their actions as were those poor underling service members at the Abu Dabie prison in Bagdad.     Any serviceman who has served his country at time of war and is captured by the enemy should not expect to be tortured as prisoners of war.   Conversely, they would never condone torture being used by the USA under any circumstances.  Such acts of torture must always be condemned lest we are put to the same ordeal.       
     I believe the president and congress should immediately appoint a special counsel to investigate this alleged debacle so that the truth is known and the offenders punished.  I believe the Obama administration may be reluctant to review these probable past indiscretions, but he is duty bound to do so in this instance, since they have now come into the light.  
Andy Looney

THE NOTRE DAME DEBACLE: A few months ago, the Chancellor of the Jesuit run Notre Dame University invited the President of the United States, Barack Obama, to give its annual commencement speech to its graduating class of 2009.            Suddenly, a furor arose from some of the University’s students who are opposed to the President’s stand on pro abortion.  Everyone is aware of the Catholic Church’s traditional stand against abortion and pro-life stance, so it would be natural and expected for those students, who are Catholic or pro-life to be against abortion on either religious or moral grounds.  However, for anyone to object to the President’s invitation to speak at a Commencement on the grounds of his abortion stance or feelings is disrespectful and wrong for many reasons.            First of all, everyone is entitled to have an opinion as to abortion and each person’s stance or belief should be respected as such and not be condemned.  Under our Constitution we have the right to free speech.  Therefore, just as the President has his opinion regarding abortion, his private opinion must be accepted and respected as his private view, just as the President respects others personal views on this same subject.            In addition, since the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that abortions are legal in the U.S. under our Constitution.  The President has a duty, under his oath of office, to uphold and defend our Constitution.            Consequently, for those reasons it is very disrespectful for anyone to object and openly insult the Office of the President of the U.S. by demonstrating against any person opposed to the views of another, especially, the President of the United States.            In addition, if such anti-abortionists feel so strongly in this regard, they should have addressed their anger or dismay at their Chancellor of the University, for giving the invitation.            These people who claim a Constitutional right to protest against a Constitutional right should do so in a way respectfully of the Constitutional rights of others.            Anti-abortionists are free to practice their belief on any grounds including their religious or moral grounds and therefore, should allow their fellow citizens and neighbors to practice their beliefs about abortions in their own private way.            I also believe that when the Catholic Church openly uses their position as a tax exempt religious group to propose in effect a change in the U.S. Constitution, it should lose its tax exempt status.

ANNUAL 

MOTHER’S DAY AND THE MIRACLE OF BIRTH

  

     It is both fitting and proper for each of us to commemorate a particular day every year to pay tribute to our mothers.     That is not to say, we should not recognize our mothers’ value every day, because we should.    To set aside one particular day each year, by national decree, only gives said recognition the national attention befitting of all mothers.Everyone has only one mother, whose identity is a matter of certainty, while many children spend a lifetime seeking out the identity of their fathers, a matter of speculation, at times.
     Except for the recent innovation of artificial insemination, traditionally fathers were required to be present and put to the laborious, but pleasant task, to start the process of conception which culminates, after about nine months in the miracle of birth, a child, genetically connected to its parents.It is a mother’s love and her body that transforms this act into human reproduction.      It is this same love and dedication, which cares for every child after birth for the many years through infancy adolescence to adulthood and sometimes, beyond.
     The umbilical cord, connecting the mother and the nurturing child, during its development in the womb, is physically cut at birth, but the close emotional bond between them remains throughout their lives. At birth, the child is small, frail and helpless, but for the love, protection and care from its mother.     It is she, who nurtures the child after birth as she did before birth.     It is her love, devotion and dedication that insure the child’s good health and survival during those early, critical years.               
     Neither God, science nor nature has devised a way for the male person to become pregnant as does women to perform the miracle of birth.It is a mother who dedicates her whole life to her children, their birth and upbringing, while the father’s responsibility is to be the provider, by working away from the home for most of the day.     When he arrives home after work however, he may be pressed into service by the much overwhelmed mother and wife.Fathers are usually relegated to secondary and temporary positions by substituting for the mother at a time of need and the rare absence of the mother.  Mothers need not prove their love to their children; they have already done that by the time their children grow up.     All the mother needs at this time is a little sign of reciprocal love from her children.    It is mother who must take the children to school, children’s’ sports and activities.    When she needs to shop or run errands, she must bundle up the children and take them with her, most everywhere.    She does this, day after day without complaint and usually proud to show off her talented and beautiful children.    Sometimes a mother is required to mother her husband to make him feel wanted and loved having been relegated to a secondary position of attention, some fathers have difficulty adjusting when children come into the family and he is no longer the center of attention.  Nowadays, the tasks and challenges to a mother are magnified by society.    Our present standard of living causes most mothers to work outside the home to help with the family’s finances.    As a result the mother is required to juggle between duties and responsibilities to her children and those of her workplace.    Somehow, these mothers manage to perform these extra duties, without any noticeable loss to the family while inwardly mothers sense a void within, when they leave their children and go to work each day.
     Mothers are and have always been the first love of every child.     Eventually a child’s attention may be diverted to many other people male or female.      Children marry and make their own lives and families with the mate of their choice in marriage, but their love of their mother remains connected and indestructible, forever.
     Therefore, we should make each day, mother’s day, by remembering our mother’s dedicated role in our lives, their love, care, sacrifice and guidance, without which we would not have been the offspring we have become.    Mothers are always proud of their children in whatever endeavor they choose, while children are always proud of their mothers for their proven endeavor as mothers.

Happy, happy Mother’s day today and always, to all you deserving mothers.