SEPTEMBER 16, 2008 --

LPR is on record as expressing delight that the  McCain-Palin ticket is committed to serving “the common good.”  The last LPR noted several of its calls, months ago, for campaign commitment to the common good.

These calls included a memo to Sen. McCain urging him to speak about “the common good” in the Context of Federalist 57 (The reference, two weeks ago can also be reached by googling “McCain LPR Federalist 57 common good.”) LPR is a small, obscure website, but perhaps it is more on target more of the time than the sites that get bushels of visits and make good money. Certainly, thanks to webmaster Terri Fasso at Skullco.com, the LPR layout beats most of the others.
 
When will Senator McCain or Gov Palin address the impact of 30% credit card interest rates on the common good?  True, there are a lot of commercials on radio from debt relief agencies promising to take struggling credit card holders out of debt.  LPR does not believe, that the purchase of radio time is the best way to serve the common good on the issue predatory credit card companies.
 
There is something odd happening in our economy. Credit card interest rates are milking ordinary people … Once-great investment banks are losing 90% of their value … Mortgage companies created to serve the public reportedly will required $200 billion of in tax money to be bailed out.

The stock market swings wildly – going up based on claims of consumer confidence or lower oil prices and then dropping a day or two later because of an increase in unemployment, problems with oil refineries, a lower than expected profit for one corporation, and so forth. 
 

The behavior of the financial sector seems surreal, if not bizarre.  Certainly the financial sector does not indicate stability.  Who is benefiting from the volatility of the stock market. Who might benefit from billions in lost value?

LPR believes answers to these questions would serve the common good.
 
A postscript to credit card company conduct.  This writer borrowed funds to pay his credit card debts.   Two accounts ended with a small balance. Can I get the money back? I inquired.  Yes, both credit card companies answered.  When will I get the money? I then asked.  One credit card rep said ten days to two weeks; the other said 21 days.  I suppose I can’t charge these credit cards late fees.  And I haven’t even heard, yet, that the checks are in the mail.
 
In any event, Senator McCain, now that you have pledged, with Gov.. Palin, to serve the common good –when will you start?
 
For LPR, President Bush’s view of “compassionate conservatism” seems to go no further than to the executives who mismanage their companies into disaster, certainly not to credit card holders  hit with predatory 30% interest rates.