WE DO NOT WANT OR NEED ANOTHER GOVERMENT AGENCY.. GOVERMENT IS TOO BIG ALREADY.. DON`T CREATE ANOTHER ONE AND FILL IT WITH ANOTHER BUNCH OF DEADBEATS.. WE HAVE ENOUGH OF THEM IN THE SENATE AND HOUSE.. PLEASE NOT ANOTHER AGENCY: Posted on November 19 @ 10:16 AM

The chamber used to serious and helpful in exposing all sides of an issue we faced. Now it has just becoma an attack Obama machine, no real facts, very slanted. Are we know run by fox news, because thats the feeling everytime to send out the spam emails for "action" I have an idea, how about you show all sides, give an opinon on how we can best use it to our advantage in the business world, and stop the right wing style of attacks..ENOUGH.. Whatever party is in control, you are supposed to help us grow and understand the current situation, not use the chamber for your own agenda.: Posted on November 16 @ 2:02 PM

I support CFPA, the current crisis was brought about by banks and investment firms with no recourse for the little guy. : Posted on November 16 @ 1:54 PM

The creation of another government agency will impact us all by creating government jobs and using more government money which we do not have. We have been told that the people receiving Social Security cannot have a COLA for two or more years while prices are going up; yet the government seems to find the money to fund more agencies, pay more employees, and give themselves a raise. We do not need more regulation. We need each government office to cut one employee from their payroll and cut taxes. We need problems handled, but we do not need more government agencies or employees. Julia from Texas: Posted on November 16 @ 12:43 AM

I am retired, but anything that causes the businesses that I do business with to raise thier prices will hurt me and other businesses that I do business with. I am on a very limited pension that hasn't been increased in 10 years. Now they tell me that I will not get a cost of living increase from Social Sec. for the next 3 years. My buying power is less each year. Every day I have 3 or 4 calls asking for money to help pay for this or that. They are all good causes and I would like to help them. I used to send a little to help out, but I just have to refuse them all or I wouldn't be able to make it. It is getting to be a sorry world to live in. Ray Jackson, Arizona: Posted on November 14 @ 10:36 PM

The current administration cannot figure out how to do anything without spending and adding yet another Agency with bloated payrolls and budgets. It is obvious that the #1 immediate priority of small business is to get Obama/Pelosi and their lapdogs out of Office so we get back to building the non-socialist USA.: Posted on November 14 @ 1:44 PM

I am a small business owner just trying to get started. If the CFPA passes this will limit me on what I can do for my customers. I will not be able to make it as small business owner if I have to raise my prices so I high to the cover these costs as it would cause me to shut down my business. I would also not be able to a loan for financial situations to keep me moving forward if I had to raise prices and then shut down my business. This is not right, it is not thinking about the small business owners as it is only going to benefit those in the white house to line their pockets with money, but what money do they think they will get if we all have to shut down our business because we can not afford to keep going. : Posted on November 14 @ 11:44 AM

I want to tell all the liberal, lefties out there that our country has been on a path to financial ruin. Our children will have to pick up the tab for our free-wheel spending on wars, entitlements and corporate subsidies through an unfair tax code. I fear without immediate action, we are all in dire shape. Doing away with all federal, state and local spending is necessary in its entirety. Police and fire should be run by private firms, like blackwater or securitas and something along the lines of home fire equipment companies. This is the only way.: Posted on November 13 @ 4:42 PM

i AM A SMALL ENTERPURNUR WHO WOULD LIKE TO BORROW $160,000 DOLLARS FROM MY BANK? I HAVE NEVER DEFAULTED ON A BANK LOAN OR BEEN LATE. My proplerty is fully pay for. I do not want to use my personal property as collateral? What is the problem why I cannot take out a business loan to fiance my business?: Posted on November 13 @ 2:30 PM

It's time for all of us to encourage the liberals who want a Socialist country to pick one of the many that are available and move there after we remove them from office. I want my Republic to remain as it is because it is the best country on the planet which is why millions of people world wide want to move here. Capitalism is the best system anywhere, if we could just stop the greed that has been one of the major causes of the fight against it. It's time to reinstate Ethics and Honor back in schools and colleges. It's time for all of us, whether we own a business or are an employee, to take resposibility for our actions. If we screw up, admit to it, which is something members of Congress will never do. That's why we have to remove them all and start over with people who believe in protecting our Constitution and our Bill of Rights. Our poor excuse for a President and the liberals in Congress are carrying our Constitution to the shredder and we must stop them by voting all of them out of office starting in 2010. It is critical that we stop this madness before it's too late.: Posted on November 13 @ 2:22 PM

Some have said I need more information - A link found in their e-mail - P.S. Click here to learn more about the affects the CFPA could have on businesses and consumers. ? The page available after clicking on link has several sources listed on the right. If more infor. is needed using the search function, on the internet homepage, will help. It takes a lot of time to do research, but every minute is worth the effort, because America is getting remade. People that want personal freedom/a free REPUBLIC, rather than relying on the present bureaucrats to make decisions for the people, will notice keywords like redistributing the wealth, global currency, new world order, social justice, enlightenment, protecting our democracy are progressive/SOCIALISTS words. There is MUCH support of Communist/Marxist theory in the present administration ? listening to ?conservative? media doesn?t always present infor. in a balanced manner, BUT neither does the television/news channels/gen. media ? people are capable of finding facts supporting both sides of an issue ? most ?conservative? media suggests people do research to find infor. about a subject. FREE SPEECH is being assaulted ? does ?radical teabaggers? sound familiar? Do some research ? the assault on free speech is just ONE more assault against Americans, to remake America into a Socialist/Communist state. If necessary talk to elected reps. about issues ? thomas-gov makes it easy to contact reps for area entered. PLEASE learn enough about gov. to know what you?re voting for/reps that are supporting American values, vs. reps. that are not supporting libertarian views, or we may see the wealth getting spread to the rightful owners, and IT AIN?T YOU JACK, but be sure you?ll pay taxes for many of the bureaucrats to misrepresent US. lewrockwell-com/anderson/anderson48.html The Progressives? 100 Years War glennbeck-com April 16 2009 American Progressivism Who were the Progressives, and why are they important? R.J. Pestritto Shipley Professor of the American Constitution at Hillsdale College meetup-com The classical Liberal and Socialist Philosophy Reading Group glennbeck-.com- Maher: America, you're stupid August 26, 2009 glennbeck-com June 15, 2009 US VS THEM Washingtonexaminer-com democrats on path to repeat housing disaster Rightsoup-com Apollo alliance: hijacking our country aanp-org health professions stimulus bill payments announced humanevents-com Congress?s secret plan to pass obamacare snfu-ed-blogspot-com Americans anxious for cash for kitchen clunkers to start Cnsnews-com - republicans have offered three alternative health care reform bills- : Posted on November 13 @ 2:18 PM

What will those goofy free-spending a nd taxing liberals come up with next. The cfpa will affect me only indirectly, but this move against business will affect us all.: Posted on November 13 @ 2:08 PM

I am a small entrepreneur contractor who like to borrow money for restoring homes and small businesses. The banks turned me down because I did not have enough collateral to finance my business. What are the percentage of collateral is required to borrow a $160,000 loan? At the present I have a estimate of $34,000 thousand dollars cash in my retirement account.: Posted on November 13 @ 2:02 PM

The housing/financial meltdown was a result of the Liberal ideology of "equal opportunity lending". Giving people with bad credit money and homes they can not afford was a bad idea from the get go. The Clinton administration initiated this practice and the lending companies capitalized on it and the responsible tax payer is the one who is suffering now. Fannie and Freddy were warned, and the proof is documented on video, but the likes of Barney Franks and others ignored, lied, and denied any problems. To create another government-run money pit bureaucracy to oversee an already corrupt government-run money pit bureaucracy is ridiculous! If you can deny this logic, I wonder where your loyalty lies and where you get your common sense from. Government expansion is the answer? I know better. You are killing the decent, hard working American citizens with this out of control corrupt government interference, further driving up costs and taxes, while preventing small businesses from being created. Any businessman who cares about his livelihood and his profits knows not to lend money to a bad egg, and will not as long as the government keeps its filthy corrupt hands out of it. Wake up man. You are sparking a revolution in which we the people are fed up and WILL NOT TAKE IT ANY MORE!!! : Posted on November 13 @ 1:18 PM

This housing and financial meltdown was a result of the Liberal ideology of "equal opportunity lending". Giving people with bad credit money and homes they can not afford was a bad idea from the get go. The Clinton administration initiated this practice and the lending companies capitalized on it and the responsible tax payer is the one who is suffering now. Fannie and Freddy were warned, and the proof is documented on video, but the likes of Barney Franks and others ignored, lied, and denied any problems. To create another government-run money pit bureaucracy to oversee an already corrupt government-run money pit bureaucracy is ridiculous! If you can deny this logic, I wonder where your loyalty lies and where you get your common sense from. Government expansion is the answer? I know better. You are killing the decent, hard working American citizens with this out of control corrupt government interference, further driving up costs and taxes, while preventing small businesses from being created. Any businessman who cares about his livelihood and his profits knows not to lend money to a bad egg, and will not as long as the government keeps its filthy corrupt hands out of it. Wake up man. You are sparking a revolution in which we the people are fed up and WILL NOT TAKE IT ANY MORE!!! : Posted on November 13 @ 1:17 PM

CFPA will stop the "rape" of the average american with 25-30% interest rates on credit cards held by "responsible americans" who pay their bills timely. This is the same group of folks who came to the American people for a multi-billion dollar government handout because they mismanaged their finances. Small businesses are the first line affected by expensive money as they do not have the resources of large corporations and have to borrow money short term, generally using credit cards, to float their receivable. The Banking Industry has demonstrated that they can not be trusted they need to be regulated and CFPA is the first step in the right direction : Posted on November 13 @ 12:36 PM

11/13/2009 Haven;t you people in congress learned anything from all the programs the government controls ? HEAD START, SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICARE, FNMA, GNMA, & HUD. All these programs have failed due to the inability of congress to control there greed and lust for power over the people. What makes you think this program (CFPA) will be any different? The american people are tired of the government getting involved in their business. Have you people ever heard of individual rights and making a decission for yourself ? Well let me tell you. MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY CAN THINK FOR THEMSELVES. Those that can't or don't want to, are those that shouldn't be in this country anyway. Leave us alone, set back and vote yourselves another raise. I can assure you the USA will survive without you group for briliant people telling us what to do, when to do it and how to do it. I AM SURE THAT THE TEA PARTY YOU HAVE WITNESSED IS ONLY THE BEGINNING. I hope the people of this country can see through the main purpose of this communist/socialist agenda. WAIT UNTILL THE NEXT ELECTION. You better get your agenda completed while you have control of congress. S. Ray Connard 941 Sunnyside Drive Virginia Beach, Virginia: Posted on November 13 @ 11:33 AM

Already so much regulation...high cost to do business...high cost to hire employees... some employees often would rather have higher wages than benefits...our taxes already pay for programs-galore and non profit tax breaks...while hard working profit driven individuals are discouraged...via higher taxes and profit dis-incentives. CFPA creates further inefficiency...more work less production...less benefit to consumers... Too much social policy, too many departments, programs and charities and government pensions while NOT enough favorable economic and business climate....to produce goods and services. and incomes...in the private industry... The sad truth is that for many years government employees have been able to double and triple dip....multiple pensions...all going to the same pool of people... ...the problem is that big government pensions and health care programs are paid for by the current private industry workers who are getting tax increases...PAY DECREASES...less productivity due to greater regulations and consumers having much less discretionary income... Private industry cannot afford to pay pensions for everyone to have 1.5 million annuity at age 65. We need to save for ourselves. Meaning higher wages and more favorable tax strategies for investment... The growing government entitlements only destroy small business entreprenuership...by creating unhealthy tax burdens on those who do WORK!! (I believe in a small level of true safety net provisions...yet most recipients simply have no job...because conditions are poor for businesses who create those jobs...) If a current lawmaker worked in financial services for a month trying to sell benefits to a small business or individual to help them "plan" and protect themselves in this highly regulated environment they would have first hand experience. Perhaps they would understand that an already over regulated environment for financial producers will lead to more highly motivated, spirited and entreprenuerials at heart becoming "disenfranchised" with the fact that over regulation leads to nothing getting done except a lot of paperwork and reporting activities...to show "compliance" with reactionary laws that were set up due to a neglegent few... ...laws that punish the honest hard working decent majority... How about creating saving guidelines, investing guidelines and referring consumers to credible financial professionals instead of having government create so many adversarial relationships where every "capitalist" or business professional is guilty first until they "comply" with government mandates. I could go on...CFPA will harm financial professionals...will create further roadblocks to business productivity...will not educate consumers will not provide discretionary income or savings plans for individuals and businesses...perhaps it may help big conglomerates get more of the pie...they will be the only ones who can afford to conduct business...again hurting small business... BIG policies need to change from social to economic...more opportunity for businesses to make money, incentive(not control, not coercion) for them to offer employees good pay...options for benefits...options to save whether it is dependant, medical, retirement, insurance or beyond...more favorable for small business... Thank you to the Chamber of Commerce for taking a stand to educate the lawmakers...lets educate them on the economic needs and wants of the private small businesses, the people who work in private industry and the direct conflicts that are arising when the inefficiencies of big goverment programs expand and compete with the private individual and business owners... Laurie Beane, North Berwick Maine : Posted on November 13 @ 11:24 AM

Your Social Security Just in case some of you young whippersnappers (& some older ones) didn't know this. Be sure and show it to your kids. They need a little history lesson on what's what. And it doesn't matter whether you are Democrat or Republican. Facts are facts!!! Our Social Security Franklin Roosevelt, a Democrat, introduced the Social Security (FICA) Program. He promised: 1.) That participation in the Program would be completely voluntary. 2.) That the participants would only have to pay 1% of the first $1,400 of their annual incomes into the Program, 3.) That the money the participants elected to put into the Program would be deductible from their income for tax purposes each year, 4.) That the money the participants put into the Independent 'Trust Fund' rather than into the General Operating Fund, and therefore, would only be used to fund the Social Security Retirement Program, and no other government program, and, 5.) That the annuity payments to the retirees would never be taxed as income. Since many of us have paid into FICA for years and are now receiving a Social Security check every month -- and then finding that we are getting taxed on 85% of the money we paid to the federal government to 'put away', you may be interested in the following: ------------------------------------------------------------- Q: Which political party took Social Security from the Independent 'Trust Fund' and put it in to the General Fund so that Congress could spend it? A: It was Lyndon Johnson and the Democratically- controlled House and Senate. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Q: Which political party eliminated the income tax deduction for Social Security (FICA) withholding? A: The Democratic Party. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Q: Which political party started taxing Social Security annuities? A: The Democratic Party, with Al Gore casting the 'tie-breaking' deciding vote as President of the Senate, while he was Vice President of the U.S. ----------------------------- -------------------------------------- Q: Which political party decided to start giving annuity payments to immigrants? AND MY FAVORITE: A: That's right! Jimmy Carter and the Democratic Party. Immigrants moved into this country, and at age 65, they began to receive Social Security payments! The Democratic Party gave these payments to them even though they never paid a dime into it! Then, after violating the original contract (FICA), the Democrats turn around and tell you that the Republicans want to take your Social Security away! And the worst part about it is, uninformed citizens believe it! If enough people receive this, maybe a seed of awareness will be planted and maybe changes will evolve. Maybe not, some Democrats are awfully sure of what isn't so. But it's worth a try. How many people can YOU send this to? Actions speak louder than bumper stickers. AND CONGRESS GIVES THEMSELVES 100% RETIREMENT FOR ONLY SERVING ONE TERM!!! 'A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have.' ----Thomas Jefferson---- : Posted on November 13 @ 10:18 AM

It's tim to break up the two parties. If we only had two airlines we would break them up. We only have two parties. It's time to break them up.: Posted on November 13 @ 10:18 AM

Just what we need, another bureaucratic out of control government agency to flush more tax money down the toliet. : Posted on November 13 @ 10:14 AM

I cannot understand why they need any more agencies for the same thing. There are already agencies in place to do these things. Let's force them to do their job, like we have to do in the real world, and stop adding to the payroll. These so- called businessmen and women that have been elected to run this business do not have one clue as to how to run anything. If I ran my business this way it would be broke in 2 months. Let's MAKE THEM get off their A****** to do their Job.: Posted on November 13 @ 10:07 AM

I cannot understand why they need any more agencies for the same thing. There are already agencies in place to do these things. Let's force them to do their job, like we have to do in the real world, and stop adding to the payroll. These so- called businessmen and women that have been elected to run this business do not have one clue as to how to run anything. If I ran my business this way it would be broke in 2 months. Let's : Posted on November 13 @ 10:05 AM

MASSIVE MONEY MAKING COMPANIES SHOULD BE MORE LOOKED @ THAN PLUMBER JOE'S OUT HERE. WHO STRESS DAILY MAKING SURE THE WHEELS WILL TURN ANOTHER WEEK FOR PAYROLL. WEED OUT UNLISCENSED BUSINESSES. NAIL THEM FOR NOT BEING LEGGIT. BEING RIGHT WITH BUSINESS MAKES YOU A TARGET FOR CITIES, AND GOVERNMENT. THEY ATTACK BUSINESSES THAT DO THINGS RIGHT BECAUSE THEY ARE MORE LIKLEY TO GET MONEY FROM THEM. THAT IS WHY PEOPLE KEEP OPENING BUSINESS AFTER BUSINESS, BANKRUPTING TAKING THE CASH, NOT PAYING THEIR BILLS,AND OPENING UP UNDER ANOTHER NAME. I GUESS IT PAYS TO BE A GOOD CRIMINAL.: Posted on November 13 @ 10:04 AM

HOW IT'S NOT HANDLED LIKE STIMULUS MONEY.: Posted on November 13 @ 9:50 AM

If the government is able to gets its hands into our finances even more, we are faced with a socialist society. What are these people thinking. Do you really want government in your lives that much. Someone needs to put a stop to the madness. Our founding fathers never intended to create a government that controls people's lives. Why do some thing know what's best for those less fortunate. The people of this country need to take a stand and use the power granted you by the Constitution...vote these idiots out of office. Let's get some practical thinking people who value the constitution, value basic ideals and not radical idealogy and belief in freedom from government control and repression. Come on people...stand up and fight for your freedom!: Posted on November 13 @ 9:22 AM

We already see how the government regulates. LEAVE OUR FINANCES ALONE!: Posted on November 13 @ 8:15 AM

Government meddling in our affairs "to help us" always backfires and causes things to get worse and reduces competition. But if congress causes problems then they stay in power because now they must fix the problem they really caused but they never seem to take credit for their mistakes do they! I say trow all democrats out and all liberal republicans too. Start over get the old communists like pelosi out or we need to start a new country free on assholes from communist san francisco. How do new york and california along with massachusets survive? On money stolen from the rest of the hard working part of the country. Send all government a message! GET OUT OF OUR LIVES!: Posted on November 13 @ 7:53 AM

I do not want my tax dollars going to create another government agency. In general, when governments grow larger, more freedoms are lost. People need to take personal responsibility for themselves and their families rather than relying on government agencies to do everything.: Posted on November 13 @ 12:02 AM

THe CFPA will be another agency exercising control over my life which I do not want. We have several consumer agenci, and it would simply be piling another controlling agency on top of the pile! We must not allow govern,ment to grow beyond what it is now, which is already far too much. We can make our own decisions and I am not willing to let someone dictate what I do in my life. I do not want this bill to pass and further undermine the freedoms we now enjoy, but which are begining to be whittled away. : Posted on November 12 @ 11:17 PM

I don't know anything about CFPA, but if a new government agency is being created by House, I'm against it.: Posted on November 12 @ 10:43 PM

How can you explain so little about a bill, yet create such a flood of comments? Truth? Fiction? Conjecture? I need more information. Bob (FL): Posted on November 12 @ 10:27 PM

Quit protecting the banking industry. While I dont believe in more government involvement, the banking industry has been very much at fault for the economic situation. Something must be done to stop the outragious fees charged for credit. If the Chamber of Commerce really cared about the everyday consumer they would have started a plan years ago. But that would have been cutting off their nose the was stuck in big businesses ass.: Posted on November 12 @ 9:55 PM

I will have to read more about this, but anything that grows yet another government agency needs to be heavily scrutinized. The protections needed should be able to be done within the current government committees. There are certainly areas that need more regulation, like the unethical credit card rate hikes and limit reductions going on, but that doesn't merit bigger government. This administration wants to run every aspect of our businesses and our lives. That is not what made this country great, and it is a great country, despite it's problems. Susan - N.C.: Posted on November 12 @ 9:45 PM

Will you give me a more detailed explanation as to what this is. I can't comment on it because I need more information.: Posted on November 12 @ 9:17 PM

I am retired but it will affect our family business, which will ultimately affect me.: Posted on November 12 @ 8:37 PM

I'm against adding more regulations on small businesses. Just in case nobody has set back to see where our world is going. I think it is time you all take a good long look at just what America use to have and all that we have had to give up. You should all try to find peace on earth instead of trying to make life harder for the small person to live a solid life. We are not saying we need to make millions like some of the big wigs in our world but to be able to live a comfortable life. The seniors in this world of ours should not have to go to bed at night wondering how they can afford to live now on what we get from ss. When all they seem to want to do is take from us. We have worked long and hard for years and years for what we get and it sure doesn't seem like the answer to the worlds problems. Kill off the old because they can't afford to live. The rich that boast about all the money they have and don't have to worry as they get their big checks without even working. They really need to pass a law that they should have to try to live on what ss allows the average person to live on. This is my opinion and know that nobody has to agree with me if they don't want to. I am not a rich person and worry about paying my bills which half the time I can't meet them either. Pay what I can and cry a lot knowing that life isn't going to ever get any better for us seniors. Passing new laws and new bills are not going to fix what is wrong with our world. Sure wish I had the answers to all of them but don't so just gave a few of my feelings about the law makers : Posted on November 12 @ 8:07 PM

I'm against adding more regulations on small businesses operations. However Isn't CFPA in response to 30% interest rates on credit cards? I think banks needs to be regulated to stop this!: Posted on November 12 @ 7:45 PM

This is just another effort to promote socialism and reduce all Americans freedom of choice. It would be a blow to the free enterprise system. There is so much corruption that we are losing America. Why are Americans not allowed to vote for certain things like this which are of major importance? We vote people into office and then we have no say even though they using our tax dollars it is outrageous. Tracy IL: Posted on November 12 @ 7:34 PM

Thanks to this law being on capital hill, the interest rates on my credit card debt have been substantially raised in anticipation of the bill's passing. I am already paying a price for this legislation.: Posted on November 12 @ 5:56 PM

I don't like the cfpa.: Posted on November 12 @ 11:42 AM

This is just another effort to promote socialism and reduce all Americans freedom of choice. It would be a blow to the free enterprise system. : Posted on November 9 @ 2:24 PM

Hmm... ever since the split of the chamber of commerce, they are acting more and more like a corporate chamber of importers. Everything seems related though... We can't get good health insurance because customers can't get representation for their premiums (a form of socialist tax). And we can't get representation if not even stockholders can get good representation and have by having a fairly regulated environment. If not even investors, who we supposedly want to invest with America, can't get representation in corporate government, how can we as health insurance consumers get it? Well we can't. Also, we can't get representation over those who control monetary policy of consumer credit. My state Attorney General has no say over the policies of South Dakota where the credit card companies incorporate. So no matter how bad things get, my elected officials have no power to protect me. Things can change of course. If the crazy insurance corps have an honest competitor to deal with in a pubic option, and if consumer protections can trump the corporations who hijack our consumer credit, then there is some hope for the rest of the country to get back to business. : Posted on October 29 @ 4:39 PM

For more than thirty years I've been a successful consultant to a variety of big and small business companies, including those preparing to go into or start up a business, from the nation's largest to family owned. I've seen more companies than ever having to close down. Evidently, each loss was in light of the Democratic takeover of our government last November. Sadly, this decline is going to worsen until there is a reasonable balance of party members in the Congress. Otherwise, this nation will not survive another 24 months. I seriously doubt it will be that bad however. More than likely, it will be much sooner.: Posted on October 28 @ 6:05 PM

Simply: my cabinet shop business will cease to exist. Mona Steck, Florida: Posted on October 28 @ 4:18 PM

Oh yeah! We need some more power mad, failed accountants with badges to regulate business. Heck Yeah! That always works. It sure worked in the last "crisis" they caused. I wish just one of these genius Czars from DC had ever tried to run a business. Any kind of business! A freakin' shoe shine boy! Paper route. Roofer. Anything! Have they ever even had jobs in the private sector? Oh wait, he does have those rich folks from Goldman and that guy from Raytheon. And Hillary probably answered an unannounced telephone call by herself once. : Posted on October 25 @ 10:55 AM

I see this website is badly spammed by Obama fruitcakes who've never invested in anything larger than a group pizza delivery. The truth is, as usual, we already have enough law in place and adding another oversight agency is simply redundant and a cumbersome expansion of government. We have laws in place governing investment product suitability and its in place on every account application for every kind of brokerage account opened in the USA. You've seen the lawyer commercials asking if you've lost money in the market? That goes to unsuitable investment product sales abuses. If an unsuitable product has been sold, it improperly passed through at least two fail-safes at the firm level. The registered representative of the firm failed under "know your customer" rules and his supervisor failed under her duties to approve the account. Both are now liable as is the firm. Here are examples just for giggles: That man in the grocery store picture is a mildly retarded sacker dude so he'll get nothing in his brokerage account that carries market risk. He doesn't know the difference between Blue Chips and Tater Chips, stock options or stock okra, so he gets a Government Bond dominated Mutual Fund. No sales fees. Low expense. Daily redemption. No minimums. That man in the grocery store is the owner of a chain of "natural" product supply stores catering to self-important, easily swayed, leftist professionals who enjoy a slag of head cheese flavored tofu with their Brazilian bottled, Dog Spit Petite Sarah. He has been as morally corrupt as Obama's calling circle throughout his entire life. He gets Naked Call Selling in his pension account, a broker with cuff links and 10% off his next overseas flight to Columbia. Brokerage firms and Registered Investment Advisors are very heavily regulated right now and have been for decades. The Obama fruitcakes like to point to Bernie Madoff as an excuse to shutter the entire industry. Well, he sold to an exclusive client group of generally wealthy investors who all travel in the same Manhattan queues. Solution Hint: Claw Back. But he claimed excessive trade profits that only could originate from market volumes in particular stocks that simply did not exist. A blind drunk, blind regulator or a member of Obama's commie cabinet would have caught the fundamental corruption that was Bernie. They even had complaints filed against him dating years back where no regulatory action was undertaken. I'd say someone looked the other way on purpose. You know, we could actually ask Obama's pick to head the SEC if she knows how Bernie ran his scheme with total impunity for so long. Regulators have an impossible time regulating themselves. : Posted on October 25 @ 10:34 AM

I withdrew my money from Bernie Madoff's firm just in time, so I made a much larger profit than even the bubble economy of the time would justify. Had regulation been stricter or better enforced, it would have prevented me from making this surprising profit! So, that's one example of government regulation cutting into everybody's profits. Similarly having CFPA would close again more profit-making opportunities in the (especially low-end) consumer market, which many of us now have to rely on for our bonuses. Thank you, Chamber of Commerce, for being again on the right side of this struggle. ---Friend of Bernie P.S. The guy on the picture, with the Italian sausages and olives behind him, already gets an informal loan from my friends, who do not need any government interference to regulate their interest rates or collection methods. Bank of //// just refused to roll over his short-term loan, no doubt in anticipation of future regulation. Or after their bailout, the regulations just became to burdensome, and they had to concentrate on calculating their bonuses.-- If only the government could get out completely of this money-regulating business! : Posted on October 21 @ 5:35 PM

When I go to the grocery story, I can be reasonably sure nothing I buy will make me violently ill. If these is a serious toxic or bacteria that's made its way into the food supply, I can count on the Food and Drug Administration to warn the public and to get the product off the market as soon as possible. Wouldn't it be nice if the same thing happened with sub-prime loans? Or with credit default swaps? We need a CFPA to regulate dangerous financial products.: Posted on October 20 @ 1:42 AM

Number one, any new agency created by the government is more overhead----- pensions, more salaries, etc that never goes away. Example--Jimmy Carter formed the Energy Department and I quote: We will no longer be dependent upon foreign oil. What does the energy department do? What does the EPA do? What does the department of education do. They regulate more and more every year, get larger every year, their bugets get bigger every year and the employee turn over is zero. Your cost go up and taxes get bigger. And they vote for whomever stated the department! I am tired of this same old story!: Posted on October 15 @ 10:32 AM

At age 72, I do not have any financial activities for which I require the protection of the proposed CFPA. If I live long enough, I could be affected by higher taxes needed to support yet another organization that creates no new jobs that produce consumer goods which in turn overtaxed Americans can't afford.anyway. My principal concern is the impact that CFPA and similar legislation will have on my four adult children and five grandchildren. Much of the legislation currently being considered by Congress, if passed, will increase the size of the Federal Government, require additional tax increases, and push the country further into debt. A progressively worst recession and a potentlal for double digit inflation would be highly likely. The socalled Health Care Reform legislation could require in excess of 2 million additional government employees (i.e., non producers of gods and services). Isn't Socialism/Communism wonderful. : Posted on October 14 @ 3:07 PM

It will make the products and services I buy safer and keep vendors honest. Its a tough econemy and people are more likely to cheat and cut corners. We don't need any more "Buyer Beware". And if you can't get that we need legislation to help protect us. I am an American to you know.: Posted on October 14 @ 10:13 AM

I sincerely hope this legislation fails to pass. I am all for raping consumers and robbing them blind. That is why I joined the Chamber and I am happy to see that the Chamber supports my business ethics.: Posted on October 13 @ 5:31 PM

I'm a card carrying member of the Constitution Party-nuff said! Truly The Prince of Sense: Posted on October 9 @ 2:10 PM

I am all for regulation which ensures that consumer financial products are explained in a way that consumers can understand, however there is concern that the CFPA will institute a national APR cap on loans, which would do considerable harm to the people it is supposedly meant to help and to many others as well (including myself, as someone with strong financial ties to the payday loan industry). It is an absolutely dumb idea, based on a fallacious understanding of the meaning of the APR, and is a gross violation of freedom of commerce or the right of citizens to engage in honest, mutually-agreeable economic transactions where no dangerous goods are involved. / It is useful for consumers to know the APRs when comparing loans of different fee structures, but it is nothing but a superstition, based on ancient religious concepts, that you can draw a line between a "reasonable" APR on a loan and an APR which is "excessive." The APR simply doesn't tell you that much. It doesn't tell you how much profit the lender is making - because it ignores his costs - and it doesn't tell you whether the loan is a good choice for a consumer - because it ignores his other options. The APR is only a small part of the picture, and just as you cannot judge a book by its cover you cannot judge a loan by its APR. / Small-dollar short-term loans, which can be extremely useful or even life-saving for people who don't qualify for longer-term loans, MUST carry a relatively high APR because the lender only receives interest on a small amount of money for a short period of time, and needs to recover costs. Even the non-profit payday loan offered as a public service by Goodwill Industries carries a 252% APR. / Yes, some people get themselves into a bind borrowing more money than they can afford to, with all kinds of loans, but assuming that there has been no deception on the part of the lender he is no more "responsible" for their trouble than ice cream manufacturers are responsible for the problems of those people who eat too much ice cream and become obese. You can warn people of the dangers of irresponsible behavior, but if they don't understand then they simply have to learn from the bad results of their mistakes. People who make honest, useful offerings should not be blamed for the troubles of those who misuse those offerings. / Customer satisfaction surveys show that a large majority of the people who utilize payday loans are satisfied with the service and consider it to be a valuable financial option. A 36% rate cap would simply force the lenders to stop offering these loans and take this option away from consumers without giving them a better one. It would revive real loan sharking, where violence is used to collect on streetcorner loans. / Usury laws are both authoritarian and counterproductive. : Posted on October 6 @ 12:15 PM

The Administration is correct: the crisis was caused by regulation; however, the government regulation encouraged and, required financial institutions to act so as to cause the crisis. Housing. The government set universal home ownership as a priority. Regulations encouraged and even mandated policies that loaned money to people who would otherwise not be eligible to borrow money. Then they lowered the required down payment for those loans.Fannie, Freddie and FHA all covered those loans with government (taxpayer) guarantees. The loans were made by banks and other financial institutions but they were guaranteed by the taxpayers (government). The borrowers didn't have any "skin" in the game: no equity in their houses. No wonder that they defaulted on their loans when home values "dropped" rather than trying to protect their investments. When they defaulted on their loans the taxpayers had to cover the guarantees. Mark-to-market. It was a bright idea: adjust the value of assets to reflect their current value. That works fine on things that trade frequently. Stocks, for instance, can be sold at or nearly at today's closing price. However, how do you value things that don't trade very often - like houses. The value on a house is set at the time it changes hands. There can be adjustments for things like major home improvements. When a home is purchased, the bank, seller and owner settle on a value that the bank uses as collateral for the loan. Under normal circumstances that doesn't change until the home is sold again. If the bank has to change the "book valuation" on ALL of its collateral based on the lowest value that "comp" properties sell at, the bank doesn't have any idea how much the "book valuation" is. No one will lend to them because no one can determine the value of the collateral. Inter-bank lending grinds to a halt. Homeowners are told that their property is worth less and that they have to come up with more money. They don't have any equity in the houses anyways, so there's no down side in defaulting. The taxpayers have to cover the loan. The house is the same house. It didn't change. Maybe another house sold for a lot less, so this house is worth a lot less because they're "similar". : Posted on October 1 @ 5:04 PM

I am a consumer and all for the act. So please vote in favor of it.: Posted on October 1 @ 1:36 PM

Rather than address the failures in regulation that contributed to the current financial crisis, this will create a massive new government agency that will deprive consumers of what they want and need: affordability and choice. Even the modified draft bill is overreaching and concerning First, the CFPA will reduce my choices among financial products and result in higher prices for those that are offered. The bill gives the government authority to mandate the types of products I can choose from - replacing my own judgment for those of bureaucrats in Washington. Second, the scope of the bill is still broad and sweeping, encompassing any business that extends credit - broadly defined. The legislation would give the new agency unprecedented authority over millions of businesses across diverse industries that have little to do with consumer finance, and had nothing to do with the financial crisis. And this monumental new agency will be funded on the backs of taxpayers, businesses, and consumers. Third, rather than establish a new national standard to simplify and bring uniformity to consumer protection laws, this legislation does exactly the opposite. It will create conflicts among state and federal law, thereby adding to the complexity and confusion for consumers. In addition, complying with an increasingly inconsistent and conflicting regulatory system will impose new costs on businesses - reducing their ability to lend and increasing the costs of products. Lastly, this legislation raises significant concerns about the privacy of my financial information. By giving the agency broad authority to request and hold information from any financial institution about its customers and their accounts, the legislation will make the security of my information vulnerable at best. Instead, we should improve regulation from the ground-up, ensuring existing regulators have the tools they need to protect consumers. We need legislation that will weed out the bad actors that push predatory consumer products or fraudulently mislead consumers about the products they sell. And we need to simplify disclosures to provide consumers with the information they need in a clear and concise manner that will allow an informed and responsible financial decision. We don't need another government bureaucracy aimed at deciding what is best for me or my family's financial decisions. And we don't need legislation that will further reduce access to credit when our communities can least afford it. Please consider the unintended consequences on consumers and the economy. I urge you to oppose the Consumer Financial Protection Agency Act when it is introduced in the Senate. Sincerely, Tom Sweeney 7153416370 : Posted on October 1 @ 12:10 PM

Rather than address the failures in regulation that contributed to the current financial crisis, this will create a massive new government agency that will deprive consumers of what they want and need: affordability and choice. Even the modified draft bill is overreaching and concerning First, the CFPA will reduce my choices among financial products and result in higher prices for those that are offered. The bill gives the government authority to mandate the types of products I can choose from - replacing my own judgment for those of bureaucrats in Washington. Second, the scope of the bill is still broad and sweeping, encompassing any business that extends credit - broadly defined. The legislation would give the new agency unprecedented authority over millions of businesses across diverse industries that have little to do with consumer finance, and had nothing to do with the financial crisis. And this monumental new agency will be funded on the backs of taxpayers, businesses, and consumers. Third, rather than establish a new national standard to simplify and bring uniformity to consumer protection laws, this legislation does exactly the opposite. It will create conflicts among state and federal law, thereby adding to the complexity and confusion for consumers. In addition, complying with an increasingly inconsistent and conflicting regulatory system will impose new costs on businesses - reducing their ability to lend and increasing the costs of products. Lastly, this legislation raises significant concerns about the privacy of my financial information. By giving the agency broad authority to request and hold information from any financial institution about its customers and their accounts, the legislation will make the security of my information vulnerable at best. Instead, we should improve regulation from the ground-up, ensuring existing regulators have the tools they need to protect consumers. We need legislation that will weed out the bad actors that push predatory consumer products or fraudulently mislead consumers about the products they sell. And we need to simplify disclosures to provide consumers with the information they need in a clear and concise manner that will allow an informed and responsible financial decision. We don't need another government bureaucracy aimed at deciding what is best for me or my family's financial decisions. And we don't need legislation that will further reduce access to credit when our communities can least afford it. Tom Sweeney 2601 Forest Dr, #45 Plover, Wi 54467 tom726@charter.net 7153416370: Posted on October 1 @ 11:57 AM

I am a mom of twin sons that are disabled, and i would not be able to have an income if this financial package that Congress is wanting to pass goes thru. Without an income, i will be put on the streets with my sons, and they have medical needs daily that i must be able to provide. I get paid to stay home and take care of my sons, which has been a hard 30 years so far, and if Congress does not take into consideration what wil happen to AMERICAN people, then what will happen to the three of us? The son i get paid for, (which incidentally is really not enough for 3 people to live on) is in severe medical condition, and it is much cheaper to keep me at home taking care of him, than it would be to place him into a nursing home. He is only 30 years old and i will not put him into a nursing facility there becus those people are waiting to die. He has a life time to live still! I have stuck by caring for him for 30 years and WILL NOT give it up now!! : Posted on October 1 @ 7:53 AM

THE ECONOMY AND MY OWN PERSONAL FINANCIAL STATUS DOES NOT NEED ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY ELLING ME WHAT I CAN AND CAN NOT DO AS A CONSUMER! I DEFINITELY PREFER THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE'S APPROACH TO CONSUMER PROTECTION; WEEDING OUT THE "PROVEN" FRAUDULENT AND PREDATORY BUSINESSS THAT DO NOT DISCLOSE CLEAR AND CONCISE INFORMATION BOUT THEIR PRODUCT(S). FREE TRADE IS WHAT THIS NATION WAS BUILT ON, NOT GOVERNMENT REGULATED TRADE! AMERICAN JOB SECURITY DEPENDS ON AMERICANS BEING ABLE TO BUY FROM THE LOCAL AMERICAN OWNED/OPERATED BUSINESSES, THIS BILL WOULD PUT ALL THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES, THEIR OWNERS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES OUT OF BUSINESS! THEN THERE ARE THE CREDIT CARD COMPANIES WHO WERE "FORCED??" TO RAISE THEIR INTEREST RATES DUE TO GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE IN COMPETITIVE FREE TRADE/INTEREST RATES! WHERE WILL IT STOP? CERTAINLY NOT WITH THIS BILL! T. LAND, NJ: Posted on October 1 @ 12:26 AM

I am a one-woman shop. I provide everything from websites to graphics to film. My clients are not rich. They live on the edge, like I do. I allow them to pay me in installments, and I have done so for 10 years! It is NORMAL for someone in my business to ask for a deposit with the balance due at the end of the job. How else can I afford to work on the job for weeks . . . and then deliver?! Your legislation will KILL my business. I can't work with nothing down on the job, but the government will lump me in with the big guns if I continue to do this and make me adhere to some ridiculous protocols, file paperwork, pay extra taxes?? I ask you, "Are you trying to kill America?" What built this nation is FREE trade. "Don't tread on me!" SCRAP CFPA!! Otherwise, I'll be another statistic you won't report and the media will never talk about. Concentrate on the corruption within your own ranks. Leave the small, hard-working business owner OUT of your "reform." Your credit card reform is already killing me! I'm now paying over 30% in interest for NO REASON because of what you've done. I pay my bills on time, and Bank of America is one of the worst thieves. I bailed them out and now they're cutting my credit and charging me a fortune in interest while they pay 6%. I've already paid back what I owed three times in interest, but do you care? You're all living in a fantasy land in Washington. Get back to AMERICAN values, instead of the world's values. We're dying out here. And you are the murderers. : Posted on September 23 @ 10:07 PM

During the aftermath of the saving & loan debockel their was a investigation with new laws perposed and made into law so this would not happen again. The laws were ignored by congress and the last few administrations. Where is the investigation for this new crisis? Who are the partisipants who said that " all people deserve to have a home " but did not add "and pay for it themselves". We do not need a new regulatory body, just do not interfere with laws that have been voted in and why not try to support them instaid of bypassing them. Investigate, perpose new laws, vote on them, then support them and moniter the situations that come up, make a few changes to make things work smother. do not stop work for 30k workers because of a minnow, Rethink some of the restrictive laws that are aginst people. Let PETA buy (at the proper price) habitat for endangered species and let them take care of it. (The proper price would be the agreed upon price agreed upon between the buyer and the seller) not the FEDERAL GOVERMENT!!!! IF THE FEDERAL THEIVES KNEW HALF AS MUCH AS THEY THINK THEY DO WE WOULD BE FINE if they were not so greedy l koons il. P S We have the best politions money can buy, but we end up paying even more to keep them incarcerated while still paying their retirement bennies, go figure : Posted on September 17 @ 5:25 PM

First: The economic downfall was created by Mortgage failure. Second: why? The federal goverment decided the mortgage companies had to give loans to virtually everyone even though the banks knew they would default. giving the banks no choice whom they lent to. Third: When the morgages started to default due to high gas prices ( mostly the poor whom had no way to pay there mortgage in the first place) the goverment pointed the finger at them. Why? to point the blame at them before it got out that the Goverment was to blame. Fourth: We have seen the stupidity of the car rebate, that will cause a shortage of used cars for the poor, and will creat also a gap in those who can drive to do cheap labor jobs...And the real question is still...Why were foregn cars included and not just american made cars? can you say special interests..... Fifth: The insurance bill... I am a small buisness, I cannot afford insurance for myself, and i'll be.....id ill pay for illegal people to have more benifits than me. Opps! they already do! Sixth: I am sure a few of you may be aware of Obamas Childhood dream of making America a communist ruled country...Hello? it's time for everyone to wake up and see what is really going on here..Has anyone seen a president try to change so much in so little time and besides his ideas being borderline stupid, how can he honestly come up with a new bill almost every day? Its like he has a plan that he has had for a very long time and is now implementing it.. Seventh: Need i say more? I support America and freedom, the constitution, but not this crazed man....: Posted on September 16 @ 9:17 PM

I have been a financial advisor for 15 years. I have a Principal's License. I have seen the forms, paper work, regulations tripple and we still do not catch people before the crime or any corporate fraud all we do is cover our rears for law suits. Suggest we drop all the regulations designed to "legally protect people and company executives" and do business in an honest manner. Start by making transactions simple and do away with complex financial "bundled" products designed to make the financial houses rich and not the customer. If we took the attitude of serve the customer first, we would be a much better country. Let market competition work without bail outs. The weak (slightly illegal) will fail; the true good companies will succeed legally without additional regulation.: Posted on September 14 @ 11:21 AM

I have the same credit card debt as the rest of America and I knew when i acquired that debt what I was doing. Let's start taking responsibility and quit blaming others for our problems. When was the last time you offered to help out a family member or neighbor in need? What happened to the PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE THAT THIS COUNTRY WAS FOUNDED ON. I'LL TELL YOU WHAT GREED. We all want more and want to pay less. Well guess what America your payback has come. Your neighbors, friends and family are losing jobs by the Thousands because we want to pay less and get paid more. As a business owner I can't pay more because to be competitive I have to sell for less. Look at the large Discount stores they pay the lowest wages in the country just for us to save pennies on an item. Is it worth it? If you want American job security start buying from your local small businesses which employ more people than the large corporations do. Large Corporations want to buy in bulk and manipulate the Manufacturers to lower their prices so they can do so just for us to save a penny. All in All they really are only lining their pockets with fat profits. Look at the true value of these Corporations and the money they pay or should we say overpay their Top Bosses. The Government regulations are not what we need in this country. COMMON SENSE IS, IF YOU CAN'T AFFORD IT DON'T BUY IT AND IF THE GOVERNMENT GETS INVOLVED YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD ANYTHING. LOOK AT CHINA AND HOW THEY LIVE DO YOU WANT TO BE TOLD WHAT TO DO, WHEN, AND WHERE, AND HAVE 100 YEAR MORTGAGES? BE SERIOUS WITH YOUR OWN FINANCES AND FOCUS YOUR ENERGY ON WHAT YOU CAN DO TO CUT BACK. WE MADE OUR BEDS NOW ITS TIME TO LIE IN THEM. WAKE UP AMERICA: Posted on September 12 @ 6:13 PM

The Government acts like a bunch of spoiled children. They spend their parents money and have no regard for the fact that there will be no inheritance because they are pissing it all away. The government is run by a bunch of Want to Be's not businessmen with proven track records. The taxes are for providing services not enabling broke minded money grubbing people to milk the system. It would be one thing to REQUIRE THAT ANYONE DRAWING GOVERNMENT FUNDS FOR ANY REASON TAKE AND PASS A DRUG TEST FOR ALL ILLEGAL DRUGS but to regulate the very people that are working their butts off to offer employment to the people and taking their hard earned money to pay wages and keep people out of the unemployment and welfare lines is not the governments place. ALSO LETS REQUIRE TREE HUGGERS AND ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS TO PAY FOR THEIR OWN LOVES NOT THOSE OF US THAT DON'T SUPPORT THEIR CAUSES. Our tax dollars are not supposed to be spent on frivolous items, just as our household budgets are not privy to this type of spending neither should the government troughs be privy to this type of spending. C. B. K.: Posted on September 12 @ 5:53 PM

To Chrysler executives, editors for the Oregonian, concerned consumers, congressmen and the president of the United States of America: I would like to tell yet another tale of a failed American corporation. My name is Travis Paugh. I bought a top of the line jeep wrangler called a Rubicon. I bought a ten year bumper to bumper extended service warranty with this vehicle in 2004. The last straw dealing with Chrysler occurred at Ron Tonkin dodge in Oregon city when after the second visit to clear an engine code I picked up my jeep on Friday September 11th 2009 at 3:00 and drove off to hear a strange new rattle. When I investigated, I had found a part dragging from the cross member, and a new leak from the transmission. When I returned to the service dept. another mechanic was dispatched who knew nothing of the work done went and retrieved some parts he was unsure of and reinstalled them. When I asked about the oil leak I was told that nothing they did could have caused it, but no one from Ron Tonkin dodge would even take a look. I was forced to do my own repairs in their parking lot (luckily I always carry tools). Once again an example of terrible service since our federal mandated bailout for a company many of us (the consumers) would never buy from again but our representatives our forcing us to spend or money on. we consumers only have one power, it is the power of the dollar and yet our congressmen tell us we do not know what is good for us and spend our tax dollars on corporations who continue to rip us off. We our not a democracy that is communism, something many of our relatives have died for to prevent. the time before when I had a problem with Chrysler was at town and country in oak grove just down the street from Ron Tonkin and this is the reason I quit using them I had a lineup issue with the jeep and the mention of it that it might be a warranty issue they would not even admit the jeep in to look at the problem. This time I took the jeep to john?s frame shop and they found frame damage and repaired. The time before ( remember my 10 year contract ) I had a clutch go out because the bell housing bolts were not torque to specs and had come loose causing the throw out bearing to permanently engage the clutch, this was the third denial of a warranty claim. Some corporations that have such poor products and services do deserve to fail and let a new and improved company take there place. : Posted on September 12 @ 2:54 AM

Please stop the growth of our government bureaucracy. I realize that unemployment is a current problem, but an even bigger problem is the growth (spending) of our federal government. We do not need this protection. We had done very well until your friends in the federal government encouraged the outrageous loans that were made to people who were unable to make their mortgage payments. If you want to encourage people to work, help them to find real jobs, and not within the federal government.: Posted on September 11 @ 4:30 PM

Appreciate the update, but what good does it do to write my senator or congressman? We're from Massachusetts! F.P. Jackson: Posted on September 6 @ 11:51 AM

I keep my credit card balances much lower than most folks. I don,t need the government fouling up my finances. Besides, they will probably want some more tax money for their unwanted/lousy services. I,m just an average working guy who pays his bills on time and pays his taxes. A few of the government types don,t pay on time and cheat on their taxes.---Tell them to mind their own business, thanks.--Randy,----Lake Worth, Florida.: Posted on September 5 @ 11:22 AM

The intense lobbying by the credit card and banking industry over the last decade, with the blessing and protection of Bush the Lesser and his coterie of Goldman Sachs cronies, has lead us to the current situation of predatory lending, usurious credit card interest rates and bogus charges levied without recourse on consumers, and has left the consumer "free" to be at the mercy of these well funded lobbyist's clients. It's about time the government stepped in. Industry sure hasn't been doing a good job of protecting the consumer and I wouldn't trust them as far as I could spit. It's about time the government stepped up and started getting tough with these fascists. -Gary M, Washington: Posted on September 5 @ 9:41 AM

If they proceed with their 36% cap on all consumer loans it will close all pawnshops, The APR cap works for anual loans but we make monthly loans and if passed for $100 we would get $1.80 , the ticket we write the loan on cost $2.00, not to mention the employee writing the ticket and the building and security to storde the items. We make loans to thousands of people who will have no place to turn for money to survive. They will end up borrowing money from some guy in a garage and paying 3 times what they pay now while the Democrats pat each other on the back saying what a greatr job they did. It would also close all the Rent to Own stores. To the people who use them it is the only way they will ever have a Flat Screen TV, or new washer & dryer. They know what the interest is but are willing to pay it because they can't qualify for bank loans. We don't need a Nanny in Washington to tell us how to handle our finances, and with their track record on money how could they think for a moment they know what we need. Reed Hadley Mission Jewelry & Loan Ontario, CA: Posted on September 4 @ 2:48 PM

Good Day: I have been in the mortgage industry for over 25 years and have always found it to be an honorable profession. Sure, there were people who abused the system, but they were actually few and far between. As I type this letter I am completing the documentation for an FHA 30 yr fixed rate loan. There are currently 37 pages of disclosures the customer must sign. When I started, there were 7 FHA specific documents. The pending legislation will actually increase the total number of disclosure items as most appear to be written by attorney's. A mortgage is the responsibility of the homeowner. They state they will make a certain number of payments on time in order to keep their home. Government must not become involved in every aspect of our economy, thus I strongly urge defeat of this legislation. The new HVCC act enacted in July 2009 has done nothing other than to add to the expense of a customer getting a quality appraisal at a fair price. When you eliminate competition and make lenders only go to a small specific group, ie the 3rd party appraisal companies, RELS, LSI, etc., you allow them to set the terms and price. Where before the client could shop around for his/ her appraiser to secure the best price, this is no longer possible. Before an appraisal cost about $325., it now costs $400-450. There is no option other than to pay this high cost and why, because the Federal Government has dictated this nonsense! Please, do not enact this type of legislation. Let the people make up their minds as to the type of loans they want. The mortgage industry has already removed many of the most risky loans, people make up their decisions, not the government! Thank you! Tague Moehn 1904 East 123rd Street Burnsville, MN 55337 952-894-7137 Tmoehn@aol.com: Posted on September 4 @ 11:30 AM

The financial NEEDS strict regulation. If you think that it does not then maybe you are part of the problem.: Posted on September 4 @ 11:23 AM

This will protect me from the credit card companies. This is great. Some balance is needed for uncontrolled greed. I guess friends of the us chamber are being paid by the banks. They should be ashamed of themselves.: Posted on September 4 @ 9:11 AM

The credit card companies all raised my interest rate to beat this law. Thanks government, once again you came through just in not the nick of time and I can no longer pay more than my minimum payment because it jacked my monthly min. up so high!!! Not to mention it w/now take longer to pay off. I am a small business who when an emergency arrives and I need equipment I need to use my cards. If I can't pay extra to keep more monies available to me in these instances, my business w/not be able to use them anymore. When people get tired of it and pay them all off then what're you gonna do to make more money off of us!!! You're gonna make people turn to their mattresses again. Remember when?! We're there again!!! What is ours w/stay ours and not the banks and not the governments! Tax that again and again, oh yeah right, you won't be able to!!! Government seems to think we don't have a choice or a right-Guess what you are very wrong! When you mess w/people's money you know what happens. Are you ready for that? Hope to see you in the food line too! There most certainly is a way to stop this new regime - quit paying taxes- then maybe they won't want to go to work each day to figure out how to rape us some more!!!: Posted on September 3 @ 8:53 PM

It will limit the ability of credit card companies and others from unilaterally taking advantage of me and others. Hope it passes in the strictest possible form and puts an end to the idiocy of the big dominating the small.: Posted on September 3 @ 7:22 PM