Now that they've got everyone in a choke hold that nobody can get out of, two credit card companies (so far) have doubled their minimum payment requirements:

"The new policy of some banks to raise the minimum required payment on credit card accounts from 2 percent to 4 percent will impact many consumers," said Pamela Hart, manager of Consumer Credit Counseling Services Inc.

"For those who either pay their credit cards in full each month, or pay more than the minimum, there may be little impact," she said. "On the other hand, for those who are barely getting by and paying merely the minimum each month, the effect could be catastrophic."

Of course, if you can't make that payment, you're interest rate goes up to 29.9% and they hit you with all sorts of fees justified in the fine print.

--Not that this would affect you if your a worthwhile citizen. No, if you're struggling, that must mean that you're irresponsible, a freeloader, beneath contempt. That's why the Republicans (and not a few Democrats) abandoned you and passed the credit card company welfare no-more-bankruptcy-for-the-poor-and-middle-class bill. Because you are a bad person for being poor.

--That and that the financial industry paid them millions to do this.

Welcome to the "ownership society."

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