I ask that you please read this whole thread before commenting.  You need to get through the fluff to see the meat.

credit (webster’s unabridged version): 5. confidence in a purchaser’s ability and intention to pay, displayed by entrusting the buyer with goods or services without immediate payment. 6. reputation of solvency and probity, entitling a person to be trusted in buying or borrowing. 7. influence or authority resulting from the confidence of others or from one’s reputation.

Let it sink in.  Re-read it numerous times till you understand that it deals in TRUST.

credit (my parents version): 1. don’t spend money that you don’t have. 2. buy only what is necessary and save for emergencies or hard times 3. NEVER put anything on credit (except a home) if you don’t already have the money to pay it back immediately.  This last one is kinda like the old gold standard.

I heeded my parents wisdom at an early age and set-up a habit that has stayed with me ever since. I use to pay cash for everything. One day I needed a house. I had no credit report they told me. I would have to build credit. I went to SEARS and asked for a card. I was told that I had no credit and therefor I couldn’t get a card. “How can I obtain credit if no one will give me credit?” I asked. They had no answer but I did. I informed SEARS how much I purchased from them a year and that if they refused to give me credit then I would just take my business elsewhere. Presto! A credit card for $100.00…..which changed to $500.00 and then to $800.00 and so on. But this card would only allow me to purchase THEIR goods so I went to my credit union (that’s almost an oximoron). Same story about having no credit. I informed them that my checking and savings accounts were with them and the time that I have been a member and that some other bank would want to do business with me. Presto! A credit card for $400.00 dollars that, within 3 moinths, had reached $5,000.00 were I had to put a limit on it.

Needless to say I started using my cards immediately so that I could build credit. My buying habits did not change and I paid the full amount every bill. I had great credit. I have always had great credit. I can get anything I want (within my income %) because I have great credit. The government questions me about all my credit lines because they think it could be a “flight” issue and I have to close accounts that I opened for nothing more than a discount on the days purchases. Who among you started out similar to this? Oh, I see all those hands. The next part should be easy for you.

Like many of you, my credit has allowed me to obtain a house.  With that credit came obligations and responsibilities.  I must pay the mortgage company back WITH INTEREST and I must pay my county taxes.  This is MY responsibility and MINE alone.  If I don’t pay back my obligations, well, there are dire consequences.  Our county (Loudoun) has an exellent credit rating.  They got this rating by paying back their loans WITH INTEREST and the way they do this is to raise our taxes to meet THEIR obligations.  Wait a minute.  OUR money for THEIR obligations.  That means that the money I make, after taxes, goes to them as a tax and an INTEREST payment both?  MY credit bills minus my mortgage are paid in full when due.  I don’t like giving away free money that I can use somewhere else, paying interest payments.  So why does the county get to do that with my money?  Shouldn’t they work their credit the same way I work mine?  See where I  am going with this?

Let’s look at the big picture.  I pay taxes to the U.S. government to uphold the SECURITY of this nation but my tax dollars are all over the board with entitlements, earmarks, world aid and so on.  My debt has gone up since the economy started tanking and more is about to come out of my pocket in bailouts, stimulus packages and higher tax rates on goods and income.  Why?  This isn’t the way I run my credit!  And what was the major cause of this dilemma?  Easy home loans and illegal aliens.  People that should never have gotten credit for one reason or another end up getting credit on the biggest assest you will own-a home!  And that is where the county taxes come from and that is what I build equity in.  And what will that bailout and stimulus package do but put the same people that defaulted on their loans back into homes again.  What?  The ones that didn’t have credit but purchsed a home (and never should have been able to) just blew their credit.  How is it that they get ANOTHER chance to do it all over again?  And what will happen to our (and the world) economy when we keep spending money ON CREDIT (with interest, of course) that we don’t need to spend?

My frustration factor is through the roof on this issue.  I have some things that can be done (good and bad ideas but, hey) to try and curtail this behavior but I don’t see an end in sight.

1. Write and call every representative on a weekly basis and let them know that YOUR checkbook is overdrawn and what are they going to do about it?  Be relentless and make it a routine!

2. Ask your employer to stop taking out taxes and tell them that you will file a 1099 at the end of the year.  First hide all your assets and liquify your savings and checking accounts then don’t pay your taxes.  When the IRS threatens to send you to jail, contact one of those businesses that can settle your tax debt for pennies on the dollar and walk away smiling.  Even if they say it will ruin your credit just remind them of the minorities and illegals that do it all the time and get away with it.  Then just do business as usual.

3.  Get a job (or second job) that pays cash under the table.  With the money you make, when the econmy tanks all around, use your new found wealth and buy things on the cheap.  You will be invigorating the economy and put yourself on the road to financial independence.

4.  Have bills enacted where EVERYONE using credit must pass credit criteria.  If not then have credit reporting agencies abolished.  If businesses don’t know what suckers to trust then credit will go away and it will be back to cash-on-the-barrelhead!

Some of this may sound silly to you but I want you to know that I wrote this with seriousness in mind (and that doesn’t happen all that often).  You may know other ways to fight back and get the attention deserved.  The tactics above are viable and, like most ventures, have side-effects or consequences but are very survivable.  My personal motto has always been “they can’t kill me because of it” and that is my yardstick for doing things.  I stay away from the ones that can unless it is an extreme situation and I am willing to then take that consequence.

I think we are all looking for some answers here and would love to have your input and suggestions.

Post note:  I originally wanted to include this in the post.  I have thought of all the things that Bush has done and it pales in comparison to what this rabid liberal group is now doing.  I spent many, many years squelching my “vengeful” nature but I have found that it has come back in spades.  This is absolutely the worst government I have seen in my lifetime.  And with what is happening right before my retirement will not give me the peace and quality of life that I have worked so hard for.  Therefore I have decided to be “selective” to who I help out in any way.  I am remembering cars, neighbors and aquaintances that voted for these a**holes and if the time arises that they nedd help, I will allow them to get it from their brethern.  Same way for a stranger requesting help.  I’ll find out how their politics are.  This may be extreme (or dumb) but it is just another way of stopping the “free ride” that liberal loons expect they deserve.  Not here!