How long before we see debtor's prisons here?

[NightWatcher]

If we all collectively say "FUCK OFF" to the credit card co's, then refuse our tax debts, and stop playing the role of the "nice consumer", how long before they are forced to start locking us up by the hundreds and thousands?

[Duer 157099]

1. Will we have to pay rent there?

Or food? Hmmmm, it's beginning to sound like a plan...

[readmoreoften]

2. Life is one big debtors' prison. In fact, debtors' prison is a luxury.

In prison, you get 3 hots and a cot. A ruined credit score can get you homeless and, subsequently, jobless, foodless, and lifeless.

[NightWatcher]

4. "Homeless" sounds so terrible, I'll prefered to be called an "Urban Outdoorsman"

[notadmblnd]

3. I hear they've got the FEMA camps set up for us. So it might not be in the too distant future.

[Jeep789]

5. Who would pay for the prisons??

Repukes don't want to pay for anything.

[Blue Meany]

7. I tihink the American equivalent was the poor farm, which

which many towns had well into the 1930s and even the 1940s, but were to a large extent eclipsed by New Deal programs.

[Fleshdancer]

6. When the updated bankruptcy bill passed in '05, I assumed we would see them

I'm actually somewhat surprised that they're not here already.

Back in 2005...

Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), the chief sponsor of the bill, said the bill would preserve two key principles: Those able to pay some of their debts would have to do so, and those who need a fresh start would still be able to extinguish their debt through bankruptcy.

Consumer advocacy groups and many Democrats, who fought the legislation, disagree, arguing that lenders' liberal credit policies and aggressive sales practices have been equally responsible for putting many Americans over their heads in debt. They say the new legislation would be too harsh on individuals driven into debt by job loss, sickness, divorce or military duty. That is especially unfair, they say, because the bill would preserve loopholes that enable wealthy individuals who file for bankruptcy to shield unlimited amounts of money in complex trusts and in multimillion-dollar homes in states including Texas and Florida.

"The big winner under the new law will be credit card issuers, whose reckless and abusive lending practices have driven many Americans to the brink of bankruptcy," said Travis B. Plunkett, lobbyist for the nonprofit Consumer Federation of America. "Now that Americans in bankruptcy will have to pay more back to creditors, they have a right to expect that credit card companies will lower their interest rates and fees. We will be watching credit card companies closely to see if they will become more responsible corporate citizens in return for this unprecedented gift from Congress."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A53688-2005Apr14.html