Anyone remember when Carter asked Americans to stop using credit cards?

[FloridaPat]

We did. I remember the panic well. everyone was upset. Carter had to come back a couple of months later and tell Americans he didn't mean to stop using them totally.

So if we do stop using credit cards, it will be noticed. Someone suggested that and I think we should start the ball rolling.

Also, www.solari.com has some things to say about these kind of things.

[Southsideirish]

1. We've already decided to do this!

[etherealtruth]

2. It certainly would get the attention of the CC co.'s...

I have lost so much faith in our legislature, that I am sure there would be a congressional bailout if there was an ill effect from lost profits.

[CottonBear]

3. He also told us to turn down the thermostat

and wear a sweater inside during the winter. We should've listened to him. Jimmy was right on so many issues. We just wouldn't listen.
:cry:

[sandnsea]

6. That was Nixon, as I recall

He was pretty good on the environment and had some energy problems of his own to deal with. Although Carter was much better on energy matters and called for conservation too. We definitely should have listened to him, we'd have been so far ahead if we had.

[CottonBear]

10. Carter went on TV and asked us to turn down the thermostat.

he wore a cardigan sweater. I remember watching him on TV.
We also had to drive 55 MPH, thus saving gas and lives

[hector459]

4. Great idea. We tired to get people to stop buying during Xmats but that

didn't seem to work. Carter also tried to get Americans to "sacrifice" and "conserve" energy and was promptly ridiculed by candidat Reagan during a debate. I remember Reagan saying that Americans should not have to sacrifice for anything. He riducled Carter and most Americans ridiculed candidate Anderson when he called for a 50 cent Federal tax on gasoline to be used to spur research into alternative fuels and to spur conservation. Americans complained about the 50 cent tax for those reasons, I guess we all feel a hell of a lot better that the gasoline increases are going totally into the pockets of the oil companies and their CEOs and families.

I also remember the prototype for a car during that time that could get about 60-70 miles/gallon. Never again heard of the guy who designed the engine.

I am old enough to remember when Republicans decried deficit spending, and huge Federal debt. But that was only so they could run against the "tax and spend" as they called us Dems. Reagan was elected into office because of his attacks on the "welfare queesns", the deficit (which was then seen as government spending to help the worthless poor woings men and women and their children), ang BIG government. Histroy shows us that the only cuts to government employment have been under the Clinton administration and the Carter administration while the Federal employment roles increased markedly under the Reagan/Bush, Bush/Quayle, and Bush Cheney administrations. Dems got the blame for downsizing the military when it was Cheney and his goons who signed off on that for the real reason of promoting "star wars" and NMD...but with the media covering for the Republicans on every turn, who knew?

[flpoljunkie]

5. Carter has also called Landrieu and asked her not vote for ANWR drilling.

Kudos for Jimmy Carter-a man of honor and integrity.

[sendero]

7. I've told my wife..

... that I want to start carrying cash and relying on CCs less.

I never incur revolving debt - I pay the balance every month. But every year or two I'll miss the deadline for whatever reason (generally poor organization on my part :() and then I get a damn $45 late fee and the absurd interest charges.

I'v come to think that the "convenience" I enjoy using the cards is not worth the hassle-factor. I'd still use cards for certain things, like on line purchases, but I'm thinking hard about never using them for anything but gas and online again.

[trogdor]

8. Cash is cool.

I just called it.

[Radical Activist]

9. Imagine if Democratic leaders

asked everyone to stop using their credit cards for one full day in protest of the bankruptcy bill. That would put a dent in the industry and scare the crap out of them. We need something like that to bring attention to the issue. They would never do something that bold though.

[HereSince1628]

11. It won't solve everything, but "they'd" notice a consumer slowdown

Until they are collecting all the traffic will bear they will continue to explore ways to get more.


The Credit Temperance Pledge

A pledge we make,
no more credit cards to take
from lending corp. or merchant store.
We’ll buy on interest with fees no more.
To make our purchases we'll bring
checks or cash for needed things.
Here we pledge to become free
no more enslaved by usury.