oooooh! I love this! (4.00 / 2)

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by: melmel @ Wed Apr 01, 2009 at 08:58:06 AM CDT

Great ad (4.00 / 1)

A few months ago Dick "let 'em die" Shelby was all about how foreign automakers in the South were doing fine and the Big Three's troubles were caused by unions and mismanagement.  This from the morning paper

Honda to cut production at Lincoln plant by 12,000 vehicles, cut pay, offer buyouts and retirements, and possibly force some to take unpaid leave

Buyouts, voluntary retirements and pay cuts are on the table at Honda's Alabama factory, which is moving forward with its most extensive cost-cutting plan to date to deal with a severe downturn in the global automotive industry.

...

Officials at the Lincoln plant told employees of the plans Tuesday. Plant spokesman Mark Morrison cited the continued slump in demand for vehicles and the need to "share the burden of never-before-seen business challenges."

Everyone but Shelby realized last fall that the real problem for American automakers was that car sales -- all car sales -- had fallen off a cliff.  No credit available, no new car.  No job, no new car.  Worried about a layoff, no new car.  Those effects aren't limited to Detroit; we're feeling the hurt in Alabama, too.

Many Alabamians are also feeling the hurt of increased credit card interest, fees and so forth.  Dick Shelby doesn't feel your pain.  Yesterday he voted against the Credit Card Responsibility, Accountability and Disclosure Act which would give customers modest protections. 

The legislation would:

• Prevent credit-card companies from unilateral changes to the terms of an agreement.
• Require the signature of a parent for a borrower under age 21, unless there’s proof of independent income or completion of a financial education course.
  
• Require card companies to disclose how long it would take to pay off a balance when making a minimum monthly payment
• Require statements to be mailed at least 21 days before the payment due date, up from 14 days
• Prohibit banks from charging interest on fees, such as those imposed for late payments or exceeding credit limits

Good stuff.  All members of the Party of No voted against it, but the bill passed out of Committee because all the Democrats (the Party Who Gives a Damn) supported it. 

 

Work harder and work smarter!

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by: mooncat @ Wed Apr 01, 2009 at 09:21:30 AM CDT

so glad to know about that bill. (4.00 / 2)

Gives me hope.

At the same time banks get our tax dollars they hike up credit card rates. UNCONSCIONABLE!

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by: melmel @ Wed Apr 01, 2009 at 09:41:34 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Wow! I didn't know about that bill (4.00 / 2)

I'm sure Shelby thought it would be just too, too onerous to ask the credit card companies to provide accurate and complete information.

Funny how the borrowers aren't allowed to make unilateral changes in the agreement...

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by: Kathy @ Wed Apr 01, 2009 at 12:15:49 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I love it, just wish it ran 5-6 times a day on every TV station in the USA...especially in the South. (4.00 / 1)

And maybe it would finally start to sink in with the republican pea brains here in Alabama.

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by: BlueSeeingRed @ Wed Apr 01, 2009 at 21:42:02 PM CDT

Voters here are poorly informed (0.00 / 0)

I don't buy the frequent argument that we are less intelligent than the norm, just that our sources of information are pretty poor.  Which is to say that there are a certain number of lies in the local media and on certain cable news channels who shall remain nameless, but the worst offender looks like FAUX.

Work harder and work smarter!

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by: mooncat @ Wed Apr 01, 2009 at 22:26:44 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I just think its that no matter what country you go to, there are always conservatives.... (4.00 / 1)

go to Iran, and you have those diaper heads who want to live the way they did 2000 years ago....same with the Taliban in Afganistan....same with the conservatives in Russia who even today, long for the days of Stalin....and same as it is with the majority of white alabamians....one thing they all have in common is that they grew up surrounded by people who grew up surrounded by the same old people generation after generation....those people make good clan members who remain loyal to the end...the progressive ones leave cause they don't buy into the idea that what was good for my grand father is good enough for me. Luckily we have people that will venture outside their comfort zone and explore new ways and ideas.

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by: BlueSeeingRed @ Wed Apr 01, 2009 at 23:17:45 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Agreed. (0.00 / 0)

Work harder and work smarter!

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by: mooncat @ Wed Apr 01, 2009 at 23:22:08 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I don't think its necessarily stupidity that guides conservatives in their every action and thought.... (0.00 / 0)

but I do think its an intellectual laziness that they wallow in and even revel in when challenged...

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by: BlueSeeingRed @ Wed Apr 01, 2009 at 23:29:09 PM CDT

[ Parent ]