Roman dictators and Medieval despots restricted usury more than the Reagan-Obama era administrations

[brentspeak]

It's true:

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1916300,00.html

Through much of the narrative, Geisst weaves in the concept of usury. For millenniums, societies have struggled with how much interest lenders may fairly charge. The Romans said no more than 10%, the medieval church tolerated 4% to 5%, and the 15th century Brits couldn't make up their minds, going from 10% to none (like the Muslims) and then back to 10%.

Today's rates? They often hit rates of 29% or more.

Let's face it (and only the biggest suck-ups in the history of butt-kissing sycophants could disagree): Obama will be nothing but another gutless, oppressive Wall St. President -- in the tradition of Ronald Reagan, both Bushes, and Bill Clinton -- unless he takes a stand against bank usury. Is it too much to ask that he even speaks up about it?

(The reason for my post: To get people to put Obama's feet to the fire on this issue. Judging from Obama's total silence on this issue during and following http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/13/senate-rejects-limit-on-credit-card-interest-rates/">Bernie Sanders' defeated usury bill back in May, it's clear that Obama won't move on this unless The People push him on it.)

[upi402]

1. butt-kissing sycophants

will soon be replying to your OP and flaming the snot bubbles out of you. Doesn't matter one whit that you make a valid point that even a blind man could see...
:popcorn:

[dionysus]

4. you mean actual democrats that oh, what's that thing they do... don't hate the Obama administration

like 'lil brent here?

[upi402]

15. corporate "Dems" are Republicans

and supplanting a Democrat that would act to help America and Americans. Unlike Obama and the Republican-light cabinet he installed.

Condescend much?
:hurts:

[dionysus]

53. you guys run that flag all the way up to obama... is he a republican to you?

[dionysus]

2. holy shit, this could be the biggest FAIL of all time!

:popcorn:

[DevonRex]

3. Oh, but you're a butt-kissing something or another, right?

And I guess I am, too. :rofl:

I brought butter!

[dionysus]

5. i'll bet someone will throw a "cult" or "messiah", or "cheerleader" out of desperation.

:hi:
got salt?

[DevonRex]

6. Sea salt or regular? I got both.

I think they used the thesaurus to find another word for "cheerleader" don't you? Wonder what they'll come up with for "cult."

:hi:

[dionysus]

8. i like those, but to spice it up a notch i use mortons hot salt once in a while.

[billyoc]

10. I like Camp Follower.

[DevonRex]

12. ...

[dionysus]

13. i enjoy your malaise, bill.

i really do.

[DevonRex]

16. Was Bill serious and not just following our sarcastic lead? Oh dear.

[dionysus]

19. why yes, i think he was!

[DevonRex]

20. Well, shit. They need to have 666 stamped on their foreheads or something.

:evilgrin:

[Drunken Irishman]

14. I like turtles...

[DevonRex]

17. I like frogs. :) nt

[Deja Q]

21. I like men with big willies, but I don't go telling people...

Oh, wait, I do... :blush:

All I know is, as the President has been working so much longer and harder than Bush ever did so of course he hasn't had the time to respond to every little thing.




P.S. Sorry for all of the puns; not one was intentional...

[DevonRex]

22. You said "big willies." heh.

[NYC_SKP]

47. lol.

the phrase in your reply, "longer and harder", coincidence?

:P

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

7. Forget Hitler, Obama is worse than Vlad the Impaler.

:crazy:

[ProSense]

24. .

:rofl:

[hileeopnyn8d]

26. I laughed a little too loud at that one!

Thanks though, I needed it.

[dionysus]

9. you know brent, the phrase "Obama will be nothing but another gutless,oppressive Wall St. President"

might get you some angry responses.

[DevonRex]

11. I was wondering if anybody pays attention to him anymore.

I kinda don't think many people do. :shrug:

[Name removed]

28. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[asjr]

18. England had Robin Hood and we have had

Cheney, the Sheriff of Friend Shooting.

[ProSense]

23. Summary: If the Roman dictators had won, we'd be better off. n/t

[Teaser]

25. Thank you for winning the thread

.

[NoPasaran]

27. Don't blame me, I voted for Caligula!

[hileeopnyn8d]

29. .

:spray:

I love this thread.

[Renew Deal]

45. lol

:rofl:

[brentspeak]

32. Pics of people whom K-Street/DLCers take care not to step on as they walk to their cocktail party:

"'Debt'? 'Off-shored jobs'? Shouldn't they just, like, get a job? Ah, ha! ha! ha! ...Oh, and has anyone seen Rahm? Cokie, have you seen Rahm?"

[ProSense]

33. Too bad your hero used them for political gain

He was no FDR and he screwed up.

[brentspeak]

34. Have you found the olives, yet? Ask Will Marshall - he might know.

[ProSense]

35. Touched a nerve? n/t

[Odin2005]

37. That would explain the Chavez supporters.

Caesar was a "populist".

[Forkboy]

38. That's damn simplistic, Odin.

[Odin2005]

40. I was just being flippant.

[Forkboy]

41. Ok. I can certainly relate to that.

My apologies.

[QC]

42. Simplistic is the new profound. n/t

[geek tragedy]

30. Osama bin Laden opposes the charging of interest.

I guess the OP is rooting for Al Qaeda.

[cherokeeprogressive]

36. So does the Bible.

Maybe he doesn't root for Al Qaeda OR Osama bin Hidin'.

http://www.tentmaker.org/lists/UsuryScriptureList.html

[harun]

39. Usury is shunned by many religions, but in the West it is worshiped as a god.

[quakerboy]

31. dictator and tyrants

were potentially answerable to angry mobs and didnt have any real retirement options to be padded.

[WonderGrunion]

43. You'd get more results by putting the Senate leadership's feet to the fire

Obama can't sign a bill that doesn't make it to his desk.

[brentspeak]

50. A President can publicize an issue like no other if he chooses to

If Obama were to actually open his mouth and specifically advocate that Congress cap interest rates at 14%, it would probably get done. How much of the public could disagree with capping interest rates?

[Renew Deal]

44. You're about 10 posts away from asking to see Obama's junk.

And hopefully I'll be here to see that post.

[brentspeak]

51. Why is your username adopted from a true progressive public policy program?

Your posts...don't seem to match New Deal ideals.

[QC]

54. Protective coloration. n/t

[Occam Bandage]

46. Obama needs to stop being so gutlessly oppressive. And fascistly socialist. And crypto-Kenyan.

[jeanpalmer]

48. He's just trying to reliquify the banks

One more instance of the little guy having to pay up to keep the banks afloat.

I got my notice yesterday that my rate would jump to 29.99%, if I was late with a payment. The notice was "sudden and unexpected." I thought the recent credit card law protected us against that.

At least they didn't threaten to break my legs.

[girl_interrupted]

49. Brent, the leading cause of credit card debt is medical bills

And here's what I don't get. I see a lot of people on this board upset and very passionate about health care, and yet when that joke of a credit card bill was passed, not a word. Instead I saw people blaming other people who were in credit card debit, as if they had gotten that way by buying only luxury items..and nothing could be further from the truth. Especially the elderly, not only do they have medical bills, they also use their cards to buy essentials, food, rent, electric, oil and gas bills. They are on a fixed income, and if prices go up, their income doesn't and they have to make ends meet. Then you also have younger people with families, who have lost a job and their medical insurance, and they are in the same boat.

I never thought I would see people here, condoning usury, yet they do. Makes no sense to me. If you are so passionate about health care, try and keep in mind, those who already got themselves into debt, because they didn't have it. That is something that could have been remedied.

I was a big supporter of Bernie Sanders bill, it set a cap. That would have helped so many people. If you have a decent rate, you would have a greater chance of paying off your debt. It would benefit the consumer AND the banks. You could pay off what you owe and the banks would get their money...simple, right? But no.

Instead we got the "Annie Oakley" Credit card bill...no caps, but....you get to carry concealed weapons in National Parks. Honest to God...I still can't believe that crap.

You're right its Usury, plain and simple. And there is no excuse for that, none. It's loan sharking, and it comes from the very banks, that took our tax dollars for bailouts. Insult to injury.

So I was very disappointed when President Obama signed it. And I'm hoping that when it comes to health care, we don't get stuck with another half ass bill.


There are so many people out there, who are in dire straits, they really need help, and instead of "bipartisanship" I'd like to see someone stand up for them.

I think your post was a good one, but I think by calling Obama names, it became a turn off, instead of an issue that really needs to be addressed and discussed.


People should be very angry that Usury is allowed to continue.

[dionysus]

52. no, what happened was, the credit card law is about to go into effect, so those bastards are

squeezing in what they can before it goes into effect.

[scheming daemons]

55. You're SERIOUSLY going to put the current Usury laws on Obama.... at all????

Presidents aren't dictators.

That said, Obama's credit card reform act is the first time any of those Presidents did anything to rein it in.

[girl_interrupted]

56. yes, I seriously would

Obama campaigned on "change" Without a cap on interest rates, nothing has changed, its just more of the same. Banks have taken our tax dollars to bail themselves out, while they continue to loan shark consumers. And to add concealed weapons to a credit card bill? What on earth for?


What concealed weapons in national parks has to do with credit cards, is beyond me. It's a joke.

Oh I'm sure it shows "bipartinsanship", unfortunately , it does nothing for people with credit card debt and everything for gun owners. And I don't think that has anything to do with the orginal intent of helping people being abused by credit card companies.

Usury is Usury, plain and simple. Nothing has changed that. Absolutely nothing.

I certainly would not call Obama a "dictator", I think that's ridiculous. But in signing this bill, he hasn't stood up for consumers either. He is the president, he has the bully pulpit, he could have refused to sign it and let the banks know in no uncertain terms, he helped them out with tax payer dollars and now he expects the banks to extend the same courtesy to consumers with fair and equitable rates.

Bernie Sanders bill really was the way to go with this, that would have effected real "change". I wish Obama would have backed Sanders bill. That would have "changed" everything. The bill that passed is akin to "look we did something" even though, in the end, that "something" wasn't much of anything.