Congress, we have more work for you to do
The great economist, Elizabeth Warren, was on the Bill Maher Show. She is kind and gentle, yet fiercely loyal to her principles. She’s been on the Daily Show a couple of times. Each time she makes a huge splash.
So, Elizabeth Warren, Harvard professor and Chair of the Congressional Oversight Panel, is talking with comedian Bill Maher. They’re talking about credit card companies and this new consumer protection plan. Watch the video below:
Suddenly, as if awakened from a trance, Bill Maher hits on the central problem in America today. Somehow, we’ve made it legal for companies to deliberately take advantage of Americans. This is the fundamental problem. It is no longer about companies making money. It’s no longer about how good your credit is. Instead, it’s about how well you can read the fine print. Is there a trap in this contract somewhere? Where are the hidden fees?
I don’t think that anybody believes that a company, big or small, should not be allowed to make a reasonable profit for selling a reasonable product. I know all Americans believe that making a profit in this way is, well, the American Way. I don’t think that anybody wants to stop this. Not Democrats, not Independents and certainly not Republicans. But the unnecessary gouging or, as Bill stated, the usury must stop. Congress must act to protect Americans. If you miss a couple credit card payments, your interest rate shouldn’t go from 5% to 30%. That’s ridiculous. That becomes indentured servitude.
I’m not sure that we’re not looking at indentured servitude in the United States today. If you’re in your late 20s and went to college and graduate school, you may owe $50,000, possibly $100,000. Unfortunately, you may owe significantly more than this. What job can you get in which you can pay this off in a reasonable amount of time, 5-10 years? If you buy a house and a car, that will just put you farther in the hole.
Congress, are you listening? We, the American people, need you to fix this, now! This is an American problem. We need education to be affordable. I don’t need tax credits to go to college. I don’t want some super-duper scholarship. I want college to be more affordable for everyone. I want contracts to be readable. I want credit card companies and other lending agencies, including mortgage banks, to be held in check by reasonable regulations. I want regulations that are designed to protect the American people from fraudulent, amoral and downright asinine practices. Can you do this for me? Can you do this for us, the American people?
