Imagine someone going on the radio and using Scripture to give you advice on your finances. To ABC's "World News," following this advice involves "radical" action.
The February 3 "World News Sunday" featured the financial advice of Howard Dayton. Dayton incorporates the Bible into his advice and says it's Biblical to get out of debt as soon as possible. But "World News" anchor Dan Harris portrayed the followers of this advice as a fringe element.
"Dayton urges families to pay them [debts, including home mortgages] off as quickly as possible, even if it involves radical belt tightening - advice the Pruitt family is following," Harris said.
"When the money's gone, you know, we just wait for payday," Dayton follower Kristin Pruitt said. "Eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches," her husband added.
But for many Americans with credit cards, waiting for payday isn't the norm, and ABC depicted those who do wait for payday as the radical ones.
"World News" told viewers debt wasn't a bad thing, as long as it is manageable.
"You can be financially responsible and still have a significant amount of debt," financial planner Lewis Altfest said. "As long as you can deal with it on a monthly basis, you're gonna be okay."
Though Dayton said you should pay down your debt, Harris clarified that he doesn't say being in debt is a sin. "No, it's not a sin," Dayton said, "but it's a principle of life that we should seek to get out of debt as quickly as we can."
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Just ask yourself...what would Dave do?
February 4, 2008 - 17:46 ET by tnculpI'd like to hear Dave Ramsey tear these people a new one.
And people wonder why we're in the middle of a credit crunch!
Dave Ramsey is RIGHT
February 4, 2008 - 21:13 ET by pbdmillerCall me radical, but Dave Ramsey is RIGHT! I'm paying off all my debt and peanut butter never tasted so good!
"World News" told viewers debt wasn't a bad thing, as long as it is manageable.
And "manageable" is such a relative term.
Just do what the government would do
February 4, 2008 - 18:03 ET by ironchefofmunchiesTell the credit card companies that you aren't going to pay down the principal, but instead have increased your credit limit by a Trillion dollars to make up the difference.
The companion piece on
February 4, 2008 - 19:00 ET by stratmanThe companion piece on interest rates is following soon I'm sure. In that story, Dan Harris will be singing the praises of Islam's "No Interest Charged" principle.
On second thought, I'd rather not be charged interest either!
Killing them with kindness isn't working. Time to get scrappy with the Donkeys.
... not a bad thing
February 4, 2008 - 19:57 ET by David N MOMoney is not a bad thing as long as it is manageable.
Alcohol is not a bad thing as long as it is manageable.
Drugs are not a bad thing as long as they are manageable.
Gambling is not a bad thing as long as it is manageable.
Sex is not a bad thing as long as it is manageable.
Life is not a bad thing as long as it is manageable.
And finally...
The "news" is not a bad thing as long as it is managed.
If you're stupid with any of these I bet you are stupid with all. (David's Law)
Of course "stupid is as stupid does" (Gump's Law)... I still feel awful about a stupid reply I made to a post that I had skimmed, but had not really read.
Typical of the irresponsible left.
February 4, 2008 - 22:33 ET by R D HelmPeople who think it is okay (in fact, the left actually encourages it) for the government to act in this fashion are certainly going to okay it on the part of individuals.
Of course, when it hits the fan and these people are about to lose everything, these same irresponsible libs will be the first to call for a government bailout of some kind.
They are already doing this concerning the "mortgage crises," despite the fact that the government essentially mandated banks loaning money to high-risk borrowers, as well the fact that approximately seventy-percent of those sub-prime loan applicants lied on their loan applications.
None are so hopelessly enslaved as those who falsely believe they are free. -J.W. von Goethe