August 18, 2007


IMPEACH BUSH


IMPEACH CHENEY


LOATHSOME CREDIT CARD COMPANIES

The creed of banks that issue credit cards must be: Let nothing get in the way of profit. Don't let conscience, compassion, integrity, decency, or justice get in the way. Use every method available, especially the help of politicians, to find ways to squeeze more and more out of credit card customers. Ding them for outrageous fees for the slightest pretext, change the contract terms of the card in midstream, move the due dates around so someone might make a late payment and you can charge late fees, and use "universal default" so you sock it to the hapless customer for being late somewhere else. When Bush is gone I hope the next president will take action to help millions of credit card customers who are getting the royal shaft. This article by Marney White is at www.commondreams.org:

There’s a sure way that a presidential candidate could get the attention of even the most politically apathetic citizen this year: vow to outlaw outrageous interest rates legally being charged to American consumers by credit card and student loan corporations. These rates are causing real and enduring pain to hard-working Americans and their families who find themselves behind the eight-ball.

Like me.

I’m not much different from a lot of people. Not long ago, I had a credit rating of 755, all my bills were paid on time, and I had no credit card balances outstanding. Then suddenly, I found myself out of work for over 6 months at the age of 39, with two kids in tow (ages 9 and 11). While interviewing for “career positions”, I even tried a stint at Starbucks to tide us over. In my interview, they assured me I’d be able to get forty hours per week as a “barista” (woo-hoo!). But, during my illustrious five-week career, they never gave me more than 10 hours a week (at $7.25 an hour). I was told by fellow employees that my experience was par for the course. As my childcare bill was always bigger than my paycheck, I had to quit. (But I can still make a killer venti decaf cinnamon soy latte.)

RELIGION AND SPORTS

I love sports. In the years I've watched baseball, football, and basketball I don't know how many times I've seen a hitter in baseball "cross" himself before stepping into the batter's box, or heard some reference to God in a post-game interview. I've seen football players kneeled in prayer after a game. Now things are going even a step further. Evangelical Christians are having "faith days" at major league ballparks. It's the height of hubris to play "God Bless America"; why should God, even if God exists, play favorites with nation states? Sports should be about enjoying the skills of great athletes, not forums for jingoistic patriotism or evangelical religion. This article by Tom Krattenmaker is at www.latimes.com:

Critics of the Christianizing of pro sports -- including interfaith groups, Jewish leaders and secular progressives -- have voiced reservations about the seemingly ever-closer relationship between evangelical sports ministries and major professional sports teams. Frequent on-field religious gestures by players already rankle many -- does it really honor God to knock the snot of your opponent on the football field and then point to the sky? And shout-outs to God during live post-game interviews offend those fans who would prefer to enjoy their sports without a dose of in-your-face religion.

Remember the owner and the coach of the Indianapolis Colts who both praised God before a worldwide television audience while collecting the Super Bowl trophy last winter? It's no accident that scenes like that have become a common feature of the pro sports landscape. The Fellowship of Christian Athletes and similar sports ministries have been operating behind the scenes for decades to minister to sports figures and encourage them to use their high-profile platform to spread the Christian message.