More Proof that Wall Street is Out of Touch with the Real Economy and Real Americans as Credit Card Companies Continue to Suck the Economy Dry.

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(Edit note, a couple of weeks after the writing of this article comes a powerful article from Asia Times that basically concurs with a few of the major points made below. ASIA Times on the Global Economy.)

(2nd Edit Note, Monday May 18th, 2009, almost three weeks after what was written below comes an article questioning the stock markets recent rise.)

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Since I started my Daily-Protest against Chase Bank and the credit card industry, my television viewing time has dropped. Very very early this morning, while I was revamping Daily-Protest.com, I had the overnight news on.

The CBS overnight news kept replaying a story that the worst was behind us, that inventories had depleted, and that sometime this year the economy would pick-up. The only way the economy will pick up this year is if the CREDIT CARD INDUSTRY does EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE of what they are presently doing!

Lets add up middle america economic indicators, the real indicators, the ones that matter. Joblessness, continues to rise. Home prices continue to drop. Rising home sales are from forclosures. Car Dealerships, going out of business too fast to count. Credit Card debt, rising.

Funding two wars halfway around the world, priceless.

If the world's net worth has dropped by 1/2 over the past year or two, but the world's unsecured debt has remained the same, then that means that the worlds unsecured debt has actually doubled when comparing the numbers! 

Factor in that the Credit card companies have actually raised interest rates, stolen frequent flyer miles from their best customers, are labeling anybody a with low interest rate on their unsecured debt as a toxic asset, and are assessing huge, 100% to 400% increases in the interest rates whenever a customer is late on a payment, and we can actually safely state that the credit card industry's percent of the world wide wealth has increased by at least another 100% on top of that doubling!

But wait, it is even worse than that. After a person is late on just one credit card payment, the other credit card companies can also raise that person's credit card interest rate to around 30%. Eventually people give up trying to pay down a debt at 30 percent interest rate. However, before the debt is given up on by the credit card company, it keeps growing by obscene amounts every month. 30% unpaid interest can increase one's debt by 50% or more every year!

The overly inflated credit debt keeps racking up higher and higher debt. Then it goes into default. The entire debt, that has been first outrageously inflated by 50 to 100%, is then sold to a bill collection agency for a portion of the total debt due. When the banks sell the defaulted debt, it might be 60 cents on the dollar, 40 cents on the dollar or even just 25 cents on the dollar. However, because of how the debt was so rapidly inflated at that 30% interest rate, the bank actually doesn't lose any money, even if they sell the debt at 25 to 30 cents on the dollar!

Here is where it gets really ugly. The bank is able to then write off the ENTIRE overly inflated debt that caused the debtor to eventually give up trying to pay it off. Imagine if you could being keep all of the money you earned in a years time while legally claiming that you lost an additional 50% and are owed a rebate, or bailout money from the government!

But wait, it's even worse than that! Not only do the banks get this huge credit card default write off on their 30% interest credit card debt, they then can receive new bailout monies from the government to help mitigate phantom credit card loan losses that don't actually exist!

But wait, it's even worse than that. The banks hold on to the new bailout money, refusing to circulate the very money the government has allocated them. By not releasing this new bailout money and not using it to lower credit card interest rates to the consumer, tens of millions of americans continue to create more and more debt on their credit cards, and the entire credit card debt cycle mentioned above repeats again!

But wait it's even worse than that. The banks then squeeze those who relying their credit card debt and home equity line debt to get through these bad economic times by REDUCING their credit lines, sometimes to BELOW what they owe! Now factor in those who have missed a payment for a medical emergency, job layoff, even an electronic billing mistake that can easily happen when a credit card company CHANGES THE DATE on a bill without informing the customer! All of these are reasons for the credit card company to raise the interest rate to 30%! 

Yet many of these law abiding citizens fight to salvage their credit score, resulting in additional huge profits for the banks from those who believe a debt is a debt that must be repaid, even at 30% interest. Unfortunately, a 30% interest rate is so high that unless one can make at least 3 times the monthly minimum due, or pay the debt off in full right away, the debt may never go down fast enough.

If one gives up trying to pay a 30% interest rate card, the banks make huge profits from several different sources. If a customer continues to pay 30% interest, the banks are happy because the customer is just stalling the inevitable, in essence creating additional wealth for the banks before the customer eventually defaults. The banks win no matter what the indentured credit card borrower does once the interest rate is raised to 30%.

The banks are winning every which way even as the FDIC "clamps down" on the banks for not having enough cash reserves.

So, going back to our percentage analysis of unsecured debt and how much it has increased when compared to the world's actual wealth, we can safely add another layer of gross profiting by the credit card industry at the worlds misery. Credit Card debt may have actually increased by over 400% when it is compared to the amount of perceived wealth that still remains in the world's economy.

Credit Card debt at 30% interest IS the additional hidden tax being perpetuated on the world's economy.

But wait, it may be even worse than everything stated above. What if the bankers, upon classifying a credit card loan at 30% that the consumer has given up trying to pay back, a "toxic asset", sells that "bad" credit card loan to another company that is run by a friend, a relative, a lover, a drug cartel? If the banker is in anyway connected with the new buyer of the debt they have resold, that means the banker has found an additional way to profit from the same piece of debt, also known as insider trading or collusion.

So, going back to our percentage analysis of unsecured debt, we can safely add another layer of gross profiting at the worlds misery. 

Over the past two years, Credit Card debt may have actually increased over 500% when compared to the amount of perceived wealth that remains in the world's economy. I don't have to know what the actual two numbers are to make an estimate at the percentage amount. A 500% percent increase in credit card debt as compared to the world's perceived economic value cannot be a good thing, can it?

And if I am correct, then there is NO WAY THE eCONomy can recover, unless some of these usurious interest rates are made to disappear.

So what do the credit card companies do in this time of worldwide crisis? They raise the interest rates on all of their credit cards while trying to destroy the credit rating of their best customers by raising the monthly minimum payment on these always on time paying customers by 250%.

Won't you join me in fighting back? Just put a Daily-Protest.com sign somewhere where others will see it. It is really that simple. Learn more at CHASE BANK PROTEST DAY-9, HOW YOU CAN HELP. IT IS FREE AND YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO PROTEST.

This LINK just in, Congress Fiddles while Home burns. If everybody had less to interest to pay on old credit card debt, they'd automatically have more money to apply towards their mortgage payment.

BREAKING NEWS, CHASE BANK LIES ON NATIONAL TELEVISION ABOUT THEIR OPT OUT POLICY.

Sigh, I just can't believe Chase would actually say they allow OPT OUT OPTIONS on national television when it is a bold face lie. CHASE LIES ON NATIONAL TELEVISION. The lie is near the end of the short youtube video located at this link.

Why does Barack Obama have to "Lean on" Credit Card Companies at all, and when will he enlist an outside the White House "team of rivals"?

Barack Obama is supposedly set to lean on Credit Card Companies for their recent hostile and aggressive tactics against the consumer. Here is what I don't get. Barack Obama campaigned last year that he would bring in line the Credit Card companies. Barack Obama seems to have a good relationship with these credit card companies.

Why would the credit card companies disrespect Barack Obama and force his hand? Is it so Barack Obama can swoop in at his April 23, 2009 White House meeting and look like he is saving us? Barack Obama should be less concerned about looking good and instead "punish" the credit card companies for making him, aka Barack Obama, look bad to his constituents.

Barack Obama should hire a team of outside the white house rivals to really shake things up. Yes, Ralph Nader should be part of that team, along with others who are known for fighting for the consumer. If not now at the White House meeting scheduled for April 23, 2009 with the credit card industry, then when?

WILL RALPH NADER be at the APRIL 23, 2009 WHITE HOUSE MEETING WITH THE CREDIT CARD INDUSTRY?

Change in Terms.com is reporting that the white house has planned a credit card company get together at the white house this April 23, 2009.

Apparently all the big players will be represented, Chase, Citibank, Capital One, Bank of America, American Express and so on.

Will Ralph Nader be at the APRIL 23, 2009 White House meeting with the credit card industry?

Or, will this meeting on April 23, 2009 be to spin recent Banking Industry quarterly reports into some kind of fantasy that all is well?

If the White House meeting on April 23, 2009 with credit card industry personnel does not include consumer advocates, also known as an outsider "team of rivals", then what is the point of the meeting?

This may actually be Barack Obama's first real test in office. Is Barack Obama willing to partner with actual consumer gadflies when he has his Credit Card Meeting at the White House on April 23, 2009 with the suits that represent the credit card industry?

If you want to read about a solid idea that would help the consumer, the economy and the credit card companies, check out Credit-Card-Cap.com (page-3 Solutions)

Tea Party Protest Do's and Dont's. What NOT to Write on your Protest Sign if you don't want to be labeled a loon or Republican Operative by the Media.

Tea Party Protests started yesterday, April 11, 2009. My concern was that if Barack Obama, his alleged citizenship status, or if socialism, fascism, the bailout or the constitution were mentioned in any way, the protests would be labeled as Republican driven, making the protests somewhat easy to dismiss as the rantings of "bitter" Republicans or conspiracy types.

Apparently, in Los Angeles, that is sort of how the Chase Bank Studio City Protest event was reported by KABC-7 News. The Studio City location that I was invited to attend on Saturday had approximately 2 to 3 dozen protestors. Most of the protest signs were about issues that the protestors felt passionately about, but they did not convey a unified message. Because the protest was in front of a Chase Bank, I was able to use my "Chase, Keep your word" protest sign, along with my Daily-Protest.com sign.

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JOHN ZIEGLER ACROSS AMERICA TOUR
CLICK HERE TO SEE MEDIA MALPRACTICE SCHEDULE

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I believe that going after the banks and their cheating and thieving ways is neither a Republican or Democratic position. I fear that the April 15th Tea Party's are going to be minimized with accusations of Republican manipulation. FOX Promo doing more harm than good.

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Exposing the illegal suctioning of money from the middle class by the banks via change in terms on millions of credit card accounts is a big enough issue to be mad about.
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Exposing the theft of Frequent Flyer miles from American Express consumers so Citibank can acquire them in exchange for cushy loan deals with American Airlines is another non partisan issue.

On the Crooks and Liars website, notice how the Studio City, CA Tea Party Protest Discussion takes a turn for the positive when the discussion changes from labeling the protestors as bitter republican protestors to discussion about how Chase Bank is harming hundreds of thousands of trustworthy americans.

Rather than protest about Barack Obama, fascism, socialism, natural born, or the bailout itself, I believe if the April 15th tea party protests could focus on something most of americans agree on, we can change that one thing, rather than just be minimized by the media as being a republican based protest.

So I am asking, do you want to have the right to have your very specific protest heard and obfuscated by the media, or do you want to help affect change and save millions of americans upcoming grief when they open up their credit card statement and see a low interest life of the loan offer balloon from 2% to 5%, aka 200 dollars to 500 dollars a month payment!

At the Studio City Tea Party Protest, I was the only one protesting against Chase Bank and their illegal and incredibly destructive, anti-family credit card billing tactics even though the protest was in front of Chase bank, yet I got a much more positive response than any other cause being protested that day.

I don't just want to be heard, I want to help affect change that can instantly benefit millions of americans from the hostile, insensitive and illegal actions the credit card companies have spawned.

BREAKING NEWS, AMEX, AMERICAN AIRLINES & CITIBANK may have CONSPIRED to STEAL FREQUENT FLYER MILES from AMEX Customers who were in GOOD STANDING!

Click here to see the most current DailyPUMA article.

I actually broke this story on DAILY-PROTEST.com but that blog is only four days old and I don't think it was picked up by many PUMA's.

Here is how the AMEX and CITIBANK CUSTOMER STEAL BACK FREQUENT FLYER MILES PROGRAM works. AMEX has been closing accounts of their best credit card customers who had already accumulated 100,000 FREQUENT FLYER MILES all the way up to 7 MILLION FREQUENT FLYER MILES, and perhaps even higher! When these credit card accounts are closed, ALL OF THOSE FREQUENT FLYER MILES ARE ELIMINATED AS WELL!

In the meantime, CITIBANK is negotiating loans and other financial deals with American Airlines and US Airways IN WHICH CITIBANK ACCEPTS FREQUENT FLYER MILES AS COLLATERAL FOR LOANS!

It appears that AMEX and CITIBANK have teamed up. AMEX terminates what could amount to a billion miles of CONSUMER FREQUENT FLYER MILES or more by canceling the accounts of their best customers, then CITIBANK receives those miles in exchange for loans to American Airlines and US Airways! If you have been following Daily-Protest.com we can see a pattern emerging in which the credit card companies are doing their utmost to create financial hardships to their best customers.

Who is allowing this credit card consumer swindle to happen? Who among our leaders has become so rotten to the core that these banks can continue to openly eat their very own customers? This is now two instances in which banks have attacked and devastated their best customers for instant profit, gain, and possibly a bump in Wall Street Share Share Prices once the next quarterly earnings report come out.

This is huge.

I'd like to thank KCBS and Joel Grover for breaking the frequent flyer rip off story. When I combined that news with my own research that Citibank is accepting frequent flyer miles as loan collateral, it becomes pretty evident that a quid pro quo involving the theft of millions of dollars worth of frequent flyer miles from good, on time paying customers is going on even as we speak.

Are you a Toxic Asset? Chase and Citibank may have you Pegged as a Toxic Asset, Especially if you Pay your Bills on Time!

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Do you make all of your credit card payments on time? Do you scour the credit card companies for their best offers? Do you reject the credit card companies 6 month low interest rate offers that then skyrocket to much higher interest rates and instead hold out for the longer, LIFE OF THE LOAN, LOW INTEREST RATE credit card offers?

When you were offered LIFE OF THE LOAN, LOW INTEREST RATE CREDIT CARD OFFERS specifically because you have been a good customer who always paid your bills on time, did you ever think the banking industry would one day call your loan, and you, a toxic asset? 

Well let me be the first to tell you, YOU ARE A TOXIC ASSET IF YOU HAVE ALWAYS PAID YOUR BILLS ON TIME, AND YOU MUST BE CONVERTED TO SOILED GREEN.Soiled Green is the act of banks trying to SOIL your credit rating by increasing your monthly minimum payment 250%. When you can't afford this 250% increase (600 dollars a month for some customers) the banks then report your Toxicness to the credit bureaus and then charge you obscenely higher interest rates on the very same debt you previously had been paying down for years, on time.

In the movie Soylent Green, we discover the food source at the end of the movie is other humans. In this instance, we discover that the banks appear bent on destroying good credit scores of their most reliable customers so they can add fees and dramatically increase interest rates on them. Then these new found profits will be fed to those with poorer credit, resulting in even more loans at ridiculously high interest rates.

Once the formerly good credit rating is soiled, the customers OTHER CREDIT CARD LOANS will most likely get hit with much higher interest rates as well. Only then will Wall Street Be Happy because it means these robber baron banks have created more profit. At which point, the person with the formerly excellent credit history becomes a frightened worker bee whose only mission is to try and pay bills, nothing else matters nor do they care to get involved or protest basically illegal credit card actions out of fear they will fall further behind with their bills.

If americans do want to peacefully fight back against the credit card companies, please check out www.Daily-Protest.com. Not only will you be saving your fellow american, the one hour a day protest is turning out to be wonderful exercise!

When Chase and Citibank get through with you and you default on your long term low interest rate balance transfer loan because Chase and Citibank have increased the monthly minimum payment by 250%, Chase and Citibank can then file liens on your home, all the while charging you 1,000 percent more in interest on that same low interest, life of the loan credit card offer that you used to pay on time, and pay down, every month before the change in terms happened.

Chase and Citibank will now call you a toxic asset. In truth, you are actually a "Converted Toxic Asset". You were converted from being a solid, always paying on time customer, to a toxic asset, courtesy of Chase and Citibank and other banks that will soon follow their lead.A portion of the population was called "bitter" last year, now this year, additional americans are being converted to toxic assets by the banks who lent then money then changed the terms without giving these customers an opt out option.

For those of you who don't have these credit card loans and think this doesn't affect you, chances are a small business owner near has seen their business revenue decline because customers are now overpaying Chase and Citibank. Chances are a family friend or neighbor has been affected, and has internalized their problem rather than gone public.

Divide and conquer is a tried and true method and that is exactly what JP Morgan Chase Bank and Citibank are doing. Maybe you are not Bitter, nor a Toxic Asset, nor had your frequent flyer miles stolen and resold for better loan terms between American Airlines and Citibank, nor had a change in terms that you were not allowed to opt out, but most certainly some people who use your products or services have been affected, and that WILL affect your bottom line.

(edit note, Citibank seems to be waiting to pounce with their own change in terms plan, they may be waiting to see how much public outrage there is over what Chase Bank has already done before doing it themselves. I had been told by a Citibank worker that they were doing what Chase Bank was doing when I first wrote this article, but so far Citibank has shown far more integrity than Chase Bank by not following Chase Bank's path.)