Today’s banking rules require repeated debt and a flourishing credit report. I suppose this order is required of everyone regardless of wealth, in case our Federal Congress requires propping-up for more laws and rules similar to the infamous federal housing loans “Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae or in case corporate America requires bailouts.

While in the private sector, assets, hard work and moral character are no longer considered when applying for credit. Everything changed when Wall Street and Congress merged somewhere around 2004. Congress’s decision making history under their own rules, will not qualify for dimes worth of credit. Yet they have public consent to amass $21 trillion of debt.

I have been denied credit recently, (while my personal accounts receivable is near $200,000) I haven’t borrowed any money or exercised charge accounts since selling my last golf course. (Rogers Gardens Golf course was degraded by NAFTA ’93 to a lousy financial situation). I paid the bank debt with my bank and was advised to take steps to repair my CR. I said my borrowing days are over if my credit history is not a consideration and an impersonal credit reporting  service is to decide my financial fate. Then denial for a home loan of $25,000 causes me to say to the bank — and the co-joined Wall-Street/Federal Reserve and U.S. Congress to go to H- – -.

Personal character fails to be honored or recognized — perhaps this explains the mess our country is experiencing. I accept that credit ratings are essential in financial dealings — but not to the exclusion of all else.

Perhaps this story of my relationship with an honorable man — a mentor, Matthew Lawrence Lee, President of Moultrie Banking Co. — will shed some light on my concern of Banking today. Mr. Lee came into my life in 1947 (I was age 9). We fished, we went to baseball games of the major farm league team in Moultrie.

I posed an inquiry to my friend Mr. Lee, I asked how he made loans of the bank’s money, he replied, if a man applies for a loan — let’s say he is a farmer — I go to his home at sunrise the next day, if he has his mules hitched and out in the field plowing, he gets the loan. Mr. Lee remained in my life until his death, we wrote letters while I served in the military. Mr. Lee advised me to buy stock while in the Army with my pay. I had 1,600 shares of Financial Industrial Fund (FIF) on my discharge date. His friendship is a constant reminder to be a friend to others.

Tom Rogers

Moultrie