America seems to be full of people who attempt to maintain lifestyles that they simply can't afford financially. This is why credit cards were invented, and this is why the average credit card debt in America is over $8,500. Yes, the world can thank Us, greedy, overspending, materialistic Americans, for the Credit Card.
AmericanI am really beginning to see that we Americans are spoiled rotten. Commodities such as iPods, laptops, designer clothes, smart phones, fancy deodorant, and satellite television have been successfully marketed as necessities. We (when I say we, I mean Americans) have to have this crap, and we are not afraid to give their left nut to the creditors in order to make sure that they get that cool new Katy Perry Ring-Tone.
So what can we do about it?
I believe we have two options:
1) We can abolish credit all together - If you haven't earned it you can't have it. It's that simple. What's the problem with this plan? Although it's a very sane, well-thought out plan, Big Business doesn't really like it when Americans commit treason through the act of "budgeting". The Big Business Machine is oiled with the blood of the cell phone-toting proletariat masses, and they'd like it to stay that way. I get a couple of mails and phone calls a week wanting me to get a new credit card. I tell them "NO" I can't afford it. They don't care, they just call back in a week or two and try to pitch it again. They do not want us to be smart and budget our money.
2) We can give free reign to the credit card companies, and let the chips fall where they may - A little late on that MasterCard payment? No problem, we'll just jack up your interest rate to 3 billion percent, garnish all of your wages, kill your first born son, and take over your house and replace your car with a moped. A little late again? Don't Worry! That's why we have the death penalty! (The death penalty can solve so many of our nation's problems if our soft-hearted political leaders would only learn to make misdemeanors punishable by death.)
These plans may seem a little outlandish at first, but they're certainly better than the alternative: fiscal responsibility (HEAVEN FORBID! DID I JUST SAY THAT!)