Institutionalized Immorality: 11 Worst Atrocities Committed by Banks in 2011

Arresting Customers for Closing Accounts, Illegally Harassing Widows Included In List

LOS ANGELES, CA - January 21, 2012 - The banking industry's bad habit of

illegally harassing widows for their deceased spouse's debt has won the top spot on the

CreditCardAssist.com list of the Worst Things Banks Did to Consumers in 2011. The

popular personal finance site declared an incident this summer where a Florida woman

was called by debt collectors constantly throughout her husband's wake to be the most

despicable banking act of the year -- but it was a close call. The article, which details

the most reprehensible actions of the financial industry in 2011, is intended to serve as

a warning to Americans planning on doing business with corporate banks in 2012.

"Despite new regulations that might lead consumers to believe that big banks are safer

than last year, the fact of the matter is that they're more at risk than ever before," says

CreditCardAssist.com founder Bill Hazelton. "The actions of the banking industry last year

were the worst that we've ever seen."

One Wall Street bank had customers arrested for trying to protest unfair policies by

closing out their accounts. Another caused a pregnant woman to miscarry by hounding

her for weeks and destroying her credit rating -- all over a check that the bank had

already cashed. Two major credit card issuers sued a small restaurant for $1.3 million

using data that they allegedly fabricated. In 2011, immorality became institutionalized in

banks across the country.

Hazelton expects continued upheaval in 2012 as more and more consumers look to

move their accounts from the large, national banking conglomerates to smaller locally-

owned credit unions. "The banking industry needs a wake-up call," he says. "Hopefully

the migration of customers will make it listen."

Bill Hazelton, founder of CreditCardAssist.com, has been advising consumers and

business owners on the perils of the credit industry since 2004. Under his guidance,

CreditCardAssist.com has grown into one of the leading credit card information resources on

the Internet and its on-site reports have been cited by the San Francisco Chronicle, the

New York Post, Yahoo! News and more.

To learn more about CreditCardAssist.com or to schedule an interview with Bill Hazelton,

please email Matt Hoff at Matt@contentfac.com. More information and the entire report

can be viewed here.

NH HB1650 'MADE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE' LAW WILL ENSURE CONSUMER FOOD CHOICES

HB 1650 will help protect New Hampshire growers from overreaching federal regulations

CONCORD, N.H.—A bill working its way through the New Hampshire House of Representatives would jumpstart local food production and stimulate small business growth across the state.

This bill, HB 1650-FN, exempts food grown or produced and then sold within the state from federal regulations by establishing a “Made in New Hampshire” brand under state regulations. The brand could be leveraged by small, local businesses to increase sales and promote locally grown products.

“Our state depends on the economic vitality of small businesses, and a one-size-fits-all approach forced on the state from Washington would put New Hampshire out of the farm business,” said Rep. Josh Davenport, R-Newmarket, the prime sponsor of the bill. “The state of New Hampshire is perfectly capable of ensuring the safety of its own small farms and food production businesses. Common sense takes care of problems much more efficiently and effectively than central planning in Washington.”

Ever since its earliest days, New Hampshire has produced agricultural products, such as fresh corn, apples and tomatoes. Some farmers even raise cattle, pigs and chickens. Even as major production moved to wider spaces out west, the state has still held on to its agrarian base. New Hampshire citizens know what they're getting through their local farms and they know their local farmers will always be there for them.

Just last year, the federal Food Safety Modernization Act used the rhetoric of food safety to require growers with more than $500,000 in revenue to register their food businesses or face 10 years in prison. The protectionist law, a gift to large industrial farmers, allows the Food and Drug Administration to force recalls of food and shut down food production facilities. The law also regulates seed cleaning, which may increase the prevalence of genetically modified seeds. If heirloom seeds consequently become more rare, farmers may have to license more genetically modified seeds each year at major expense, and farming already has a small profit margin.

“This federal law is blatant corporate welfare that could damage New Hampshire's ability to produce its own food supply for generations,” Davenport said. "While the federal law appears to have exceptions for small farmers, some of the nuances of the law, such as the requirement for seed-cleaning inspections, will eventually allow powerful corporate farms to weed out their smaller competitors, leaving the population vulnerable and dependent on genetically modified, commercially produced food shipped in from somewhere else.”

HB 1650, the bill introduced by Rep. Davenport to address problems with the federal law, would allow farmers in New Hampshire who sell only to in-state consumers to use a “Made in New Hampshire” label, which would let buyers know that the product falls only under New Hampshire regulations. Local regulators would not be allowed to enact stricter regulations than the state, ensuring that in-state food businesses are lean, productive and safe.

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About Rep. Joshua Davenport

State Rep. Joshua Davenport, a Republican from Newmarket, is focused on legislation to advance the ideals of lower taxes and regulation and limited constitutional government.

AFPNH - Will the new "Consumer Advocate" Keep the Lights on in NH?

Granite State Gatherings  November 9 – Belknap County GOP Meeting at Shang Hai Restaurant at 6:30PM. November 11 – Carroll County Dems Grover Cleveland Dinner at the North Conway Grand Hotel at 5:30PM. Click here for more information. November 12 – Rye Republican Town Committee Meeting at Rye Public Library at 9AM. Click here for more information. November 12 – Ovide Lamontagne at Hillsborough County GOP Meeting at Merrimack Town Hall at 9:30AM. Click here for more information. November 14 – Corey Lewandowski at Contoocook Valley Republican Committee Meeting at Deering Town Hall at 7PM. November 15 – Ron Paul at Primary Patch at The Draft in Concord at 4PM. Click here for more information. November 15 – Corey Lewandowski at Rochester Republican City Committee Meeting at Country Tire on Route 11 in Rochester at 6PM. November 19 – Rockingham County Democrats Fall Summit at Epping Elementary School at 8:30AM. Click here for more information. November 28 – Corey Lewandowski at Merrimack County Republican Committee Meeting at The Draft at 6PM.

I hope that everyone's electricity has been restored following the recent snow storm. If the experience left you feeling a little powerless, I encourage you to contact Governor Lynch at 271-2121 and urge him to make sure the Public Utilities Commission looks into how PSNH mishandled this storm and were caught unprepared to restore power to their customers. On a related note with regard to power, this Wednesday the NH Executive Council will hold a vote on the nomination of Meredith Hatfield to continue in her role as NH Consumer Advocate. The website for the NH Consumer Advocate’s office displays their charge as, “Working on behalf of NH’s utility ratepayers.” Unfortunately, I believe Ms. Hatfield is not up to the task outlined on the website due to her support of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). As you know, RGGI is nothing more than a failed cap-and-trade scheme that has led to INCREASES for NH’s ratepayers.  Ms. Hatfield cannot be an advocate for NH ratepayers AND an advocate for RGGI. Call or email your Executive Councilor today, and tell them to stand up for NH families and electric customers by OPPOSING the nomination of Meredith Hatfield as NH Consumer Advocate. Raymond S. Burton (District 1) - Phone: 603/481-0863 - Email: ray.burton@myfairpoint.net Daniel St. Hilaire (District 2) - Phone: 603/568-5515 - Email: dst.hilaire@nh.gov Christopher Sununu (District 3) - Phone: 603/658-1187 - Email: csununu@nh.gov Ray Wieczorek (District 4) - Phone: 603/624-1655 - Email: rwieczorek@nh.gov David Wheeler (District 5) - Phone: 603/672-6062 - Email: dwheeler@nh.gov Did you miss the Americans for Prosperity Foundation Defending the American Dream Summit in Washington, D.C. last weekend? Our friends at GraniteGrok and AFPF have got all the coverage you need. See the links below: GRANITEGROK: AFP's Defending the Dream Summit - Complete Opening Session AFP BLOG: Herman Cain and Mitt Romney at the Defending the American Dream Summit Additionally, as you may have heard, things took a turn toward the ugly as some of the activists who traveled to D.C. to attend the Summit and hear from many of our nation’s leading conservative voices and receive grassroots training were met with violence from members of the "Occupy DC" movement.  Finally, please review our Granite Gatherings Section for details on events around the state including my latest upcoming speaking engagements. I am pleased to have been asked to attend the Contoocook Valley Republican Committee Meeting on November 14, the Rochester Republican City Committee Meeting on November 15 and the Merrimack County Republican Committee Meeting on November 28. Please remember that I would be delighted to speak at any of your upcoming meetings. If you would like me to do so, you can always contact Joy King or myself. Sincerely, Corey R. Lewandowski State Director Americans for Prosperity New Hampshire P.S. Your support is always greatly appreciated. Please click here to make an online donation to our efforts.

Shea-Porter Votes for Wall Street Reform & Consumer Protection Act

Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter voted in favor of the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.  This legislation, which passed the House 237 to 192, will protect consumers by enacting common-sense measures that hold Wall Street accountable and will help prevent another economic collapse.   

“People on Main Street are still suffering because Wall Street acted like a financial Wild West,” said Congresswoman Shea-Porter. “This legislation will help protect consumers by reining in big Wall Street banks, creating a new consumer financial protection agency, and ending taxpayer-funded bailouts.  These changes are long overdue.”

The Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act will: 

• Create a new Consumer Financial Protection Agency that will ensure that bank loans, mortgages, and credit cards are fair, affordable, understandable, and transparent;

• End abusive predatory lending practices such as those that occurred during the subprime lending frenzy;

• Shut down “too big to fail” financial firms before their risky and irresponsible behavior threatens to bring down the entire economy;

• End costly taxpayer bailouts with new procedures to unwind the failing companies that pose the greatest risk – paid for by the financial industry and not the taxpayers;

• Enhance oversight and transparency for credit-rating agencies;

• Rein in egregious executive compensation;

• Enact new protections for grocers, retailers, and other small businesses facing excessive swipe fees; and

• Audit the Federal Reserve's emergency lending programs used during the financial crisis and limit the Fed's emergency lending authority.

The Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act has been endorsed by a wide-range of organizations including the AARP, the Consumer Federation of America, Consumers Union, the National Restaurant Association, the National Credit Union Association, and the Center for Responsible Lending.

Shea-Porter Statement on Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights

Provisions in Law Take Effect This Week 

WASHINGTON, DC — Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter released the following statement regarding provisions of the Credit Card Holders’ Bill of Rights taking effect this week:

“I was an original cosponsor of the Credit Cardholders’ Bill of Rights, and I am pleased that its provisions are taking effect this week.  This law provides new protections that will help guard consumers from unfair credit card agreements, abusive practices, and deceptive gimmicks. New Hampshire families have been getting hit with exorbitant fees caused by tricky lending practices for far too long.  This is a powerful step that Congress took to protect consumers.”

The new law bans most interest rate increases on existing balances.  Consumers will get an increased notice of interest rate hikes. The new law requires that bills be sent 21 days before the due date. It also prohibits charging fees just to pay a bill by phone, bans over-the-limit fees unless a consumer opts-in in advance, bans due-date tricks, and requires payments to be applied fairly to the highest interest rate balance first.  It also protects young people under the age of 21 from getting into debt by preventing companies from giving them credit cards unless someone co-signs or they can prove steady income.