SilverStar wrote:
The government is playing "whack-a-mole" with the banks. They fix one set of problems, and these companies quickly find other ways to take consumer's money. The CC companies have already figured out new ways of making money (new fees, higher interest rates, etc.) with the new rules in effect. I would imagine if the government regulates the industry even more, the CC companies will cry that they aren't making any money, and they will greatly reduce the amount of credit available, if not close their businesses completely...which my not be a bad thing in the long run.
It's true that credit companies are gonna try and screw you over no matter how many regulations are in place; however, I think that the government has taken a step in the right direction on this issue. They're basically asserting that credit card holders have a right to know exactly what their status is as far as credit, and to make their operation more transparent to customers. To put it metaphorically, they're trying to stop credit card companies from pulling sudden, unexpected maneuvers designed to dump credit card holders into the lake of debt.
The credit card companies are still going to find every way possible to worm through the loopholes, but at least the government is making an honest effort to keep credit holders informed. I know its rare for the government to make an honest effort with anything (indeed, stating it sounds out of character for a malcontent like me), but this is a good move.
_________________
"Yeah, so this one time, I tried playing poker with tarot cards... got a full house, and about four people died." ~ Unknown comedian
Happy New Year from WP's resident fortune-teller! May the cards be ever in your favor.