Are Credit Scores Really Good for the Economy

The Credit Master

A couple of weeks ago my brother and I were sitting and discussing the state of affairs in our nation, he made an astute comment about setting up a moratorium on credit scores this would be a great incentive to increase more spending and get the economy moving. The question I have often asked is why is it that we are slaves to the almighty credit score. This is one major obstacle that hinders our nation from true economic recovery. Our nations middle class is held hostage by the banking system who continue to keep their pockets full and the rest of America (with exception of the wealthy ) in a constant state of financial purgatory.

" Money is to the Economy as Oil is to the Engine."

The moratorium will begin on a particular date and it will be in affect for two years and as such it will assure that consumers will not be solely judged on their ability to make a purchase based mainly on there credit rating but other factors will be taken into consideration such as employment history , and financial income. Some middle class workers employed for multiple years have been stymied in their ability to make purchases of homes , cars, small business loans, even a toaster all because of the almighty credit score.

A credit score moratorium will encourage consumers to start spending more, possibly leading to increase in GDP sales such as cars,and homes ,even helping previous home owners who after facing or going through a foreclosure are more educated and if given a shorter sentence of negative credit rating would jump back into the market, if financially able. The rules will be stricter but since we immediately bailed out AIG, and other banking institutions when they failed why not the consumer ? who makes it possible for these big banks to continue.

They Changed the Rules

At one time a credit score of 685 or 700 was considered a good score but now it is considered just above fair. The credit score rules our lives even though the market was saturated with foreclosed and financially challenged citizens some how the credit score numbers value increased now.. what was excellent is now good and what was good is now fair and what was fair is now poor.

Free Credit Score Lie

There is no such thing as a legitimate instant free credit report unless one is willing to pay for it up front. Companies who pull your credit will only except the report from their in house agency. Even if you send for a report directly from Trans Union, Equifax, and Experian it would not even be recognize as a legitimate report because it is coming from the consumer and the bottom line is they want to charge you for the report, $25.00 , $30.00 or higher just to pull the report this is a rip off scam.

The Pursuit of Happiness

God help you if you are a minority especially African American and or Latino it appears you will suffer the red zoning curse for being African American. The news reports have informed the public of cases where African American credit scores are always significantly lower then other consumers even if they pay their bills on time, and have no credit issues. Generally speaking if an African American has a 680 plus credit rating it will remain under 700. This has been used by some to offer higher interest rates and sub prime loans to mostly African Americans thus assuring that African Americans remain in a constant state of limited advances financially.

If our country is serious about living out the true creed of the Deceleration of Independence and our Constitution then there should be a system were we do away with the unfair practices of discrimination within the financial sector. The Wealthy do not have to worry about credit scores, case in point particular movie stars and celebrities, politicians and dare I say preachers are given swag items that we ordinary citizens would have to have a credit score of almost 790 or higher to obtain. Paris Hilton does not need free gifts, George Bush, Dick Cheney, or George Clooney all of their credit score can be as low as 550 , but it does not matter because the wealthy are well taken care of.. while the poor and the middle class are judged by a number.

Bottom Line

Finance Metric Online states " We know using more credit might affect our future plans. Yet we keep using it. If you have a bad score, you will find it difficult to get a job, rent an apartment, buy a car, or even a cell phone plan for your iPhone. But to get a good score, as mentioned earlier, you need more credit. Without using credit, you are not even allowed to have basic amenities."

My Father never believed in credit he was born in 1910 his motto was if I cant buy it I don't need it. We are under a new set of rules were even if you pay off your debt it can hurt your credit score. We are living in a Bizarro world were wall street makes the rules for main street.

Of course this is a pipe dream for those of us middle class citizens who don't have the money to lobby particular leaders in congress to back such a revolutionary idea.. could you imagine how the banking industry would squawk at taking away their ace in the hole in assuring that they and the crooked politicians who don't worry about credit scores remain in control of our nations middle class financial setting.



K. Gerard Thomas

http://www.financemetrics.com/how-helpful-is-credit-score-in-our-lives/

Fox News Channel ...America's Fake and Biased News Source

Today Fox News promoted the Tea Party rally in Searchlight Nevada, where Sarah (I truly have nothing to say) Palin, was one of the main speakers. The Tea Party crowed gathered in Searchlight the senatorial district of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid ( D) with hopes to intimidate the senator who is in a struggle to hold on to his senatorial seat in the fall.

Fox News promoted this event with glee assuring that Sarah Palin is a celebrity who's appearance is more valuable to Fox then the President of the United States. One blogger on Media Matters for America wrote ...

"I'd like to know how Fox reconciles their assertion that they're an authentic news outlet with their practice of selectively covering events. For instance, President Obama gave several speeches on the health care legislation that was under debate at the time, and Fox was the only cable news outlet that didn't carry any of them. Yet they'll cover Sarah Palin? A half-term Republican governor rates more airtime than the President of the United States? How do Fox fans keep their gazes so firmly averted to the unsubtle bias in such practices? "

n'est-ce pas http://mediamatters.org/research/201003270028


I personally observed how the Fake and Biased Network snubbed the President when all other cable news channels covered his speeches. When former president George W. Bush spoke they were there 24/7 but for some reason since the election of President Obama Fox finds something else to report on when the President speaks the only attention the president receives from Fox is constant attacks on his administration 24/7.

One reason to give her this type of promotion is she is part of the Fox misinformation team she has been hired by Fox to represent the less educated, angry, fearful, racist, extremist, violent, Fox News watcher and keeping in the Fox News tradition she is a good looking woman.


K.Gerard Thomas

The Tea Party'ers the Republicans Black Eye

A gun is used to make a threat against health care reform supporters or possibly
the president. Photo courtesy of the Huffington Post .

They're at it Again

The racist , the homophobic religious zealots, and the down right ignorant have come out to attack all of the democratic congressional leaders who are voting today on the most historical bill since Lyndon Johnson's administration. Since the presidency of Teddy Roosevelt over 100 yrs ago health care for the American people has been a serious issue that 18 previous presidential administrations have not been able to tackle fully until today.

It is unfortunate that the current Republican Party is void of true intellectual leadership and has little to offer in their supposed counter argument except for appealing to the abased ideological attacks on ones race or sexual orientation. The frustrated Tea Party movement made ugly remarks yesterday towards Representative John Lewis one of the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement.

According to Sam Stein at the Huffington Post

A staffer for Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) told reporters that Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) had been spat on by a protestor. Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), a hero of the civil rights movement, was called a 'ni--er.' And Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) was called a "faggot," as protesters shouted at him with deliberately lisp-y screams. Frank, approached in the halls after the president's speech, shrugged off the incident.

Clyburn was downright incredulous, saying he had not witnessed such treatment since he was leading civil rights protests in South Carolina in the 1960s.

The unfortunate response by the Republican leaders is that this is an isolated incident and it does not represent the so called tea party movement, yet when one examines the so called movement it has been latent with those who use racist placards or comments that speak negatively towards the president based on his race.



As of the time of this posting it appears that the vote in favor of Health Care reform is going to take place favorably for those Americans who feel the need for true reform. The republican party will have to wake up tomorrow wondering why the Apocalypse did not take place.

They are still trying to explain how a black president has not destroyed the country, yet most of these angry people are still going to work , paying their bills, enjoying life to the best of their idiotic ability. They will have to face the facts that our nation is at a pinnacle of change and
even though they continue to use the tactics of fear and bigotry this momentous vote will start a greater movement of true governmental change that will finally work for the benefits of the people, and there's not a damn thing they can do about it.


K.Gerard Thomas

Haiti Judgment or Act of Nature

Photo from Media Matters & Huffington Post.com


God Dislikes Slavery Unless Its Black People

I could not believe my ears when I heard Pat Robinson say on his 700 Club television program that Hatti made a pact with the Devil and that is why Haiti is suffering now , so in other words any one who assists Haiti is going against God's will.

"Something happened a long time ago in Haiti, and people might not want to talk about it," he said on Christian Broadcasting Network's "The 700 Club." "They were under the heel of the French. You know, Napoleon III, or whatever. And they got together and swore a pact to the devil. They said, we will serve you if you'll get us free from the French. True story. And so, the devil said, okay it's a deal."

Being a person of faith and a believer in God's Love and Grace I find it abhorrent that a well paid conservative so called Christian is using a terrible tragedy like yesterday's earth quake to some how blame the victim , and use his warped opinion of God's judgment, thus doing more to alienate people from his so called faith.

What.. Not Enough Righteous People ?

Pat Robertson ideology and his perceived Christian belief in God's word which he claims to represent. If one reads the book of Genesis chapter 18 it is a story where the Hebrew patriarch Abraham's is an ombudsman or intercessor on the behalf of the city of Sodom with whom God was displeased and informed Abraham he was going to judge the city for it's wickedness , wanting to save his nephew Lot and his family Abraham and God struck a deal.

Through out the chapter Abraham pleads with God not to destroy Sodom and he bargained with God to not destroy the city if 45 righteous people could be found, Abraham was afraid that he could not find that many, therefore he asked God if he would settle for ten. God agreed and told Abraham he would spare the city of Sodom from his judgment if only 10 righteous people could be found.

Using this scriptural reference to examine Pat Robertson thinking regarding Gods judgment, why would God spare Sodom over one mans intercession and judge America on 9/11 , New Orleans and the Gulf Coast with Hurricane Katrina and now Haiti? when I am sure there are multitudes of Righteous people who prayed and interceded for America or Haiti before any of these catastrophes took place.

Pat Robertson Apocalyptic History

Referring to 9-11
"Don't ask why did it happen. It happened because people are evil. It also happened because God is lifting His protection from this nation and we must pray and ask Him for revival so that once again we will be His people," Pat Robertson response to 9/11

http://www.patrobertson.com/pressreleases/terroristattack.asp

Referring to Katrina

On the September 1 broadcast of The 700 Club, Robertson also claimed that, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Roberts can "be thankful that a tragedy has brought him some good," inasmuch as Democratic senators may be less likely to question him aggressively.

http://mediamatters.org/research/200509130004


Both of these former tragedies were also blamed on Gods angry judgment against those Innocent people who's lives were taken by tragic events and I would venture to say many of those who died in each of these tragedies were believers in the so called same Jesus as Pat claims to serve and worship.

Haiti Struggle for Independence is Evil but America's is God Ordained.

This online article titled God, Satan, and the Birth of Haiti by
Jean R. Gelin, Ph.D taken from the web site Black and Christian .Com

Explaining Haiti
Right or wrong, Haiti is considered the point of entry of Christianity into the New World because it is the place where Christopher Columbus built the first Spanish colony after landing on December 5th, 1492. Roman Catholicism was the official religion of Spain, and thus was imposed on all the original inhabitants of the island. The natives were made Christians by force and the island was called ‘Hispaniola’, meaning ‘little Spain’. Before long the Indian population was enslaved and wiped out, and Africans were imported as replacements. But that’s not all.

Haiti is the only place in the world where revolutionary African slaves successfully ended slavery and colonialism to build a new and independent country. All this happened when Jean-Jacques Dessalines, his Generals, along with the indigenous army, proclaimed Haiti’s independence from France on January 1st, 1804. On that day, they rejected the colonial name ‘Saint-Domingue’ and reclaimed the Indian name Haiti (Ayiti¹) for the country.

Seeks to offer some explanation as to the lie that was made up by racist religious leaders or missionaries who sought to bring disdain on the freed people of Haiti because former slaves could not be freed with God's help only the devil would help the black slaves. This co insides with the lie of the curse of Ham and the Mormon belief that God cursed the black race.

The worst part of the whole picture is that the story is believed by many sincere Christians in America and around the world; and not only do they believe it, they also spread it as fact. The tragedy of our age is that repeated lies are often mistaken for the truth, especially when repeated long enough. That’s particularly the case in religious circles where faith on the part of the audience is generally expected, but that should never be so for those who believe in the Bible.

Maybe, believers need to return to biblical texts like 1 Thessalonians 5:21, “Test everything. Hold on to the good”.

It’s hard to know where the idea of a divine curse on Haiti following the purported satanic pact actually originated, whether from foreign missionaries or from local church leaders.

http://www.blackandchristian.com/articles/academy/gelin-10-05.shtml


Bottom Line

Dr.Jean R. Gelin, along with most of the civilized cognitive thinking adults in the year 2010 can see that Pat Robertson is an intellectual dwarf and it should be obvious that the notion that Haiti is a nation that is cursed comes form some antiquated superstitious lie that was birthed during the days of the colonial slave trade and it should remain there for the rest of eternity never to raise it's ugly racist head again .


Kevin Thomas

When Angels Leave Too Soon

On this the one year anniversary of the passing of a sweet young lady whom I have known since she was six years old. I would like to take this opportunity to re-post the January 7, 2010 memorial in her honor.

On December 30 2009 , Emerald Arias was taken from us in a terrible car accident . The Santa Clarita Signal News Paper report... An 18-year-old North Hollywood woman died this morning after being injured and trapped in a car in a traffic collision, officials said.Emerald Arias was pronounced dead at 3:14 a.m., according to a California Highway Patrol report.Coroner's officials said Arias died at Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital.

Emerald was a sweet caring young lady who was bright beyond her years, and was completing her senior year at Grant High School in the San Fernando Valley.

Emerald and her older sister Sarah would spend Christmas time with my children relatives and friends participating in a Thomas family tradition of making Christmas Cookies, Popcorn Balls, watching holiday movies, looking at Christmas lights and making Tamales ...added by Sarah and Emerald.

Birthdays, graduations, and the celebration of her La Quinceanera was a wonderful experiences shared with her. Our families would take trips to Magic Mountain , sleep overs with my daughter, going to the movies.. all of these wonderful times our families have shared together for many years. My son and Emerald had a special relationship she was one of the few who related to him and was his motivator from the first grade to high school.

How do we mourn the death of a child ? it is one of the most difficult experiences that any family would suffer. The pain of the senseless passing of a person who is still a teenager will never totally dissipate, but as long as we hold dear to the memory of the wonderful time we had in sharing our lives with those who have passed it helps ease the the pain in a small way.

Our Thoughts and Prayers are with the Arias Family.

Our Loss is Heavens Gain.

K. Gerard Thomas

I'm Back..." Now What "

It has been quite some time since I have written on my blog . I was in the hospital in October. It has been a interesting time of of recuperating and watching some of the dumbest programs on television. All the judges on day time TV , the political talk shows on cable , and less we forget all the half hour commercials spreading it's way from station to station.

Lets Talk Politics

November News


TEA PARTY ( "DUH... LETS DO IT AGAIN" )

The Tea Party protesters are proof enough that there is a serious lack of education in some parts of America, it is hard to believe these angry republicans cant' or won't read the Health Care Bill and why should they? many of their cognitively challenged Republican leaders in congress refuse to read it too. How many pay for play protest are they going to have in Washington before they finally get it ...most of main stream America wants Health Care / Insurance Reform.

They lack the ability to construct a reasonable argument or debate against health care reform, and what is truly sad is that their so called real leaders of the GOP, Limbaugh, Beck, Hannity, the Questionable Christian Right and all of Rupert Murdoch s minions at Faux News seem to relish in their ignorance of the facts.

Sarah Palin Holy Book Tour

Amazing that this woman can still stir up enough attention that every television network such as Fox, CNN, MSNBC, NBC, ABC, CBS continues to allow her lie all book to get press, many in the msm are not allowed to ask any questions this goes especially for the public. The Christian Right has embraced her (lies, racist idiology and all ) as the greatest leader since the Holy Apostles.

Her book is promoted and sold at Christian book stores , advertised on Christian radio and television stations. Most surprisingly she is touted by many so called Christian leaders as a viable candidate for President in 2012, so was Alan Keys, Pat Robertson, and Gary Bauer who all were considered to religiously conservative to even receive the nomination by the Republican Party.

It's All About Looks ( Looks Sell )

Bottom line... if a less attractive woman made half the dumb, lying, statements Sarah Palin is accused of making she would be yesterday's news. She would not be on the front page of "News Week Magazine" posing in a short pants jogging suit. People don't care whats in that wacky brain of yours as long as you look good spouting your ignorance and will pay money to read it.


Motor Mouth Matthews ...Get it Right


On his MSNBC November 20th airing of "Hard Ball" Chris Matthews questions if president Obama is " dithering " on a decision regarding an Afghanistan troop surge?

OK lets look at the numbers of dead men and woman who bravely defended our nation in both campaigns of war in Afghanistan , Iraq According to i Casualties.org there have been a total of 4,371 soldiers who paid the ultimate price in " Operation Iraqi Freedom" and in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan the US fatalities is now 936 soldiers.

The Washington Post gives a slightly different count of 4,356 soldier fatalities in Iraq and 932 in Afghanistan as of Dec 22, 2009. There is a a total of injured or wounded is over 31,557.

Since President Obama's Dec 1 announcement he is sending 30,000 more troops into Afghanistan the next question by the talking heads of cable news is will he be able to keep his time line for ending the war? and how is the surge of troops going to work ? and why is he?, and will he?... it never ends with these so called political pundits.

Some of these TV pundits get on my last nerve they are afraid of the GOP or Palin but will go toe to toe with the most powerful leader in the free world and question every little thing he does from eating a chili dog to his not wearing a lapel pin.

http://www.icasualties.org/Iraq/Index.aspx
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/fallen/

Bottom line after only one year in office facing the biggest financial crisis since the "Great Depression" taking on other issues like Health Care which has a direct link to our economy making every effort to repair our standing in the world.

December News

December 24 the Senate passed the last hurdle in the 25 day debate over health care in a 60 to 38 vote to move the Senate version of the Health Care Bill H.R. 3200 to committee in order to now compare both senate and house bills and see what stays or goes or is added to the final bill.

Health Care has been an issue since Teddy Roosevelt called for health care reform back in 1912 the same year the Titanic sunk.

Bottom Line

Rather then get all flustered about the issues within the two bills we should see what the House and Senate work out. Some say that there may be some type of a Public Option in the bill that will offer a better health care choice for those insured and un insured citizens.

Some unhappy progressives and new voters want to "Throw the Baby Out with the Bath Water", but keep in mind that we have never done this before and it will be a growing process much like the Civil Rights Bill of 1964 under Lyndon B.Johnson. Democrats are so used to not being in the majority and loosing that they want the whole Enchilada or nothing at all, and bottom line is politics don't work that way.

Beware of Lying Revisionsits.

After the death of Senator Edward Kennedy on August 26, 2009 many mainstream, cable news pundits and reporters seized the opportunity to show their so called bipartisan efforts to take shots at the current leaders of congress for not being like Ted Kennedy, who was able to befriend some particular members of the Republican party even if they were diametrically apposed to each others political standings.

We must keep in mind that Republicans and Democrats of the fifties and sixties had the ability to be civil to one another, even going to dinner or lunch and able to express kind jesters between the two parties. It was not uncommon for these two party members. Both parties may have had different ideas or opinions as to what was best for the country but they were able to compromise for the betterment of the nation.

This may not have happened often but there were cases where men like the former Speaker of the House Tip O’Neal and former president Ronald Reagan would share time together. Tip respected the office of the president and even though he did not agree with Reagan’s policy they were able to find some common ground, this is not so today.

It is true that Ted Kennedy was a reasonable man when it came to governing and working on the behalf of his constituents and the nation as a whole, but never let it be forgotten that he was liberal to his core and our nation is much better as a result.

When ever a political leader passes away there is this need for the press to over indulge in how this person lived and concentrating on the all the negative and some of the positive issues in their lives, friends, enemies, and such.

Now, that the country is in a tough battle over the need for Health Care reform, Senator Kennedy's new best friends have some how become the conservative right wing who are making an effort to invoke his name and memory to better their attack on president Obama and the democratic leaders in the house and senate.

They are claiming that if Ted Kennedy was in better health many months ago he would have compromised and come to a so-called bipartisan agreement with the republican leaders. These same republicans are now trying to hijack Ted Kennedy’s funeral by using a talking point against anyone speaking about politics at a politician’s funeral.

These People have no shame to think that Ted Kennedy's funeral is going to be something other then political is the height of stupidity. These people who galvanized their political agenda off of the death of Ronald Reagan.

If those men and women who are our elected leaders in the House and Senate had half the back bone and courage of Ted Kennedy … not worrying about polls, Limbaugh, Fox News, the powerful Insurance lobbyist and all of those of whom the main stream media has not the journalistic savvy to investigate .

I believe emphatically that his dream will not be forgotten and the work that he started will continue just as assuredly as we honor the works of his brothers and Dr. King, one of the highest cause's of Senator Kennedy life will be the passing of a bill for true health care reform.

K. Gerard Thomas