I had a "united airlines" visa card for many years, never missing a payment...

I had a "united airlines" visa card for many years, never missing a payment.  I made the mistake of using a cash advance when my old Toyota died on me, and I needed a good car to get to contract jobs in the Bay area.  The credit card company jacked my interest rate up from 12% to 27%.  I'm finding it impossible to get ahead on this now, even though I'm sending in around $300 payments each month.  I had to change careers to remain working steadily (I'm now an EMT), and make about half of what I made in 2007.  These credit card companies are basically legalized loan sharks (and even many loan sharks wouldn't charge the exorbitant fees that credit card companies are allowed to charge.)  Its frankly sickening to live in a nation whose political system is so blatantly owned by the financial industry.

From Pat Villano