Freedom is Slavery, Slavery is Freedom

I thought America was supposed to be the land of the free, land of opportunities. Have you checked your credit report lately?

Its AMAZING that we have all these large banks and automakers that accumulated so much debt, and our government bailed them out. Billions of dollars. Yet, if we, as citizens struggling to pay for our living expenses make ONE mistake, it can stay with us for many, many years.

I am ranting because I just got denied for an Old Navy Store card. Are you fucking kidding me? I said Old Navy, not AMEX Black.. I have THREE credit cards in GOOD standing, always make full payments and have never been late. I have 3 delinquent accounts that have been paid off and CLOSED - most of them 6 years ago. I know for a FACT that people with lower credit scores than I have gotten approved and now have the card.

Talk about technologically retarded - if you want to contact the credit bureaus, there is no email, no live chat, only a phone number where no live person ever answers. OR - you can MAIL them a letter. Every time I check my report I have had a middle initial that wasn't mine or an address I've never lived in. Nice. Glad to know the agencies that basically control our lives are at least accurate.

You can get this info free once a year on annualcreditreport.com, but again, they are so behind that most times the report is not available to you online so you have to mail proofs along with a letter stating you would like them to mail you your report. Holy Shit - and after all this, they don't even let you view your credit score. Nope, that's an additional charge. You would think the 2 things that dictate whether you can buy a car, get a mortgage or business loan or additional credit should be available to us free, all year, as many times as we want. It is OUR information, not theirs.

All three credit reporting agencies, Experian, Equifax and Transunion all have different information. Whats closed on one will be listed as open on another. The thing is, you never know which one someone will use when they try to verify your credit.

I have a checking account, savings account, 401 K, credit cards, pay my bills on time, work full time, have been with the same firm for 10 years and make a decent salary, have never declared bankruptcy or defaulted on a mortgage, AND am a US CITIZEN yet I am not credit worthy.

I am so frustrated with the whole economy I would love to go back to straight up cash. With cash, there are no late charges, no finance charges, no bounced check fee, no overdrafts or per check fees. You just have to keep it secure.

But of course, the government will consider you "hoarding cash" and not putting that cash flow back into our economy. They consider this illegal. Walmart employees can no longer opt to get a paper check; if they do not wish to get direct deposit they will be issued a debit card with their payments on it.

Why isn't there a better system in place? How about an agency that will actually work WITH us to resolve our credit issues and take other factors into consideration. If President Obama cares so much about helping out the citizens of the United States, besides health care and education reforms, we need a credit reform act for the people. How are people supposed to take advantage of the new home buyer tax credit if they can't even secure a freakin loan?