PlasticPatrol.com

Check out this relatively new credit card site that makes credit card hunting easy.

The site provides most of the information needed for the consumer to make a conscious decision about their next credit card.  I must say, when I am searching for credit card information, I look for sites that have their act together.  Many credit card sites look very questionable; disorganized, purple backgrounds, images not lined up, inconsistent fonts, you name it.  Plasticpatrol.com has their act together.

I have been browsing for a more rewards based credit card and this site made searching a lot easier.  The best part is, plasticpatrol.com does not collect your private information.  All of the offers take you to a secured site hosted by the card issuer!

For those of you looking to consolidate credit card debt, I would check out the no interest credit card section and the balance transfer credit cards.  The balance transfer options make it easier to get out of the high 21% interest rates if you have accumulated credit card debt.

If your like me, you may want to look for rewards credit cards or airline credit cards.  These are great, if you pay the balance off every month.  I love these because I can pay my normal expenses on it and only write one check a month and get rewarded for it.  There’s nothing like flying to Vegas for $57, free if you have earned enough points.

The site owners are updating the site pretty often, so if you don’t find what you want today, check again in a few days.

* The Conservativist does not promote consumers to enter into risky financial situations.  This is simple technical article with information about what we feel is well designed site, with a hint of opinion.

SC State House Votes to Take Stimulus Monies

That’s right, $350M Budget Stabilization Fund passed the house today on a 108-8 vote.

It was decided via amendment that federal stimulus money be used to fund the stabilization fund.

So, again, we have 108 House members deciding to go with the status quo and not take the perfect opportunity to reduce state government spending appropriately.

What happened to all they campaign hype of zero-based budgeting and responsible spending?

We’ll get more details on this bill when it is published to the journal, but here’s who voted against the bill.

Joey Millwood	Eric Bedingfield	Dan Hamilton
Garry Smith	Wendy Nanney	Thad Viers
Nathan Ballentine	James Stewart

Ron Paul Makes Too Much Sense

Listen to what CNN Reporter D.L. Hughley has to say about Ron Paul in an interview on March 8, 2009.

Restauranters Weigh In

We just received an email from restauranter extravagant, Carl Sobocinski, to the economic tune.

For those of you who don’t know, Carl is the owner of Table 301, a group of restaurants in downtown Greenville, SC that truly enjoy food and providing the best hospitality.  His restaurants include the fabulous Soby’s (new southern cuisine), Soby’s on the Side, The Loft at Soby’s, Devereaux’s (new age and southern cuisine), The Lazy Goat (Mediterannean, International), Table 301 Catering and opening this spring, a new restaurant in the former Restaurant O.

For the promo piece, great food and awesome service.  My wife and I visit Soby’s, Devereaux’s, or the Goat at least once a month. We ate at Devereaux’s for the first time about 2 weeks ago and loved it.  Chef Green (Devereaux is his middle name) never left the floor while we were there.  He plated every dish and added his special touch each time.  We took our kids with us, sans Burger King, and were treated like kings.  The waitstaff was very helpful and Chef Green acknowledged the kids and treated them to his special Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.  The kids loved it.

Carl got political though in January.  Fortunately for my family and I, we were able to cash in on the Table 301 “stimulus package” before the end of January.  Playing on the catchy phrase, Table 301 began offering $25 off coupons for parties of 2 during the evening dining hours.  By going by the end of January, you received another coupon for February for $25 off.  As long as you go every month, the coupon continues.  Needless to say, I believe this plan was very successful.

Today though, Sobocinski decided he was going to take on the machine and posted an editorial in which he challenges Oprah Winfrey and Suze Orman.

For those of you who don’t know what Winfrey said, she stressed the need to live simply during these challenging economic times and cited three steps from Orman’s money pledge.

• Don’t spend any money for a day
• Don’t use your credit card for a week
• Don’t eat out in restaurants for a month

This all sounds well and good if your the casual diner looking to save a dime or two for the house payment.  But just like Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, when a businessman or city is attacked by an individual / federal government, you have to stand up and fight back.

Sobocinski shares several methods that Winfrey could have counseled her audience with instead of trying to kill another industry.

You’ll have to read Carl’s editorial to see his argument though.  In the mean time, head out to Soby’s, Devereaux’s, The Lazy Goat or your other favorite local restaurants and enjoy a peaceful evening and some of the best food in the world.

Where is Ron’s Army Now

Ron Paul proved to be an influential figure in some GOP Party politics across the nation.  He even got some recognition here in Spartanburg after GOP Chairman Rick Beltram shunned him after the May 2007 debates in Columbia, SC.

Since Congressman Ron Paul has dropped out of the race, his supporters in Spartanburg, SC have seemed to disappear and we haven’t heard much about his workings.  In most political circles, many just laugh at the mere mention of his name.  We won’t name names today.

Congressman Paul proved to be one of the few presidential candidates that knew what was going on in the economy.  He was harshly criticized for his stances on the economy and has since become a regular guest on CNN, FOXNews, etc after the meltdown in September.  A quick search  on YouTube (we know that Ron Paul supporters love YouTube) and you find a variety of interviews on the news outlets.  Here are a few.

• 10/23/2008 – FOX Business
• 10/24/2008 – CNN American Morning
• 11/04/2008 – CNN American Morning
• 11/18/2008 – FOX Business
• 01/21/2009 – CNN Glen Beck
• 01/27/2009 – CNN American Morning

So what is Congressman Paul up to?  As many of you may know, he has formed the Campaign For Liberty (C4L).  This organization’s mission:

to promote and defend the great American principles of individual liberty, constitutional government, sound money, free markets, and a noninterventionist foreign policy, by means of educational and political activity.

As for the C4L in South Carolina.  It seems to be sparsely organized.  I have found reports where Rep. Nikki Haley spoke to a group in Lexington concerning the Roll Call Voting rules changes that she has been promoting and that Spartanburg County’s very own, Hal Grogan has been named interim coordinator of the state.

We know that several Ron Paul supporters were ousted from the Greenville County Executive Committee for supporting Democratic Senate Challenger Bob Conley, who was running as a Conservative Democrat.  He had little support from the state Democratic Party and claims to have been a Ron Paul ally.

All in all, it appears many of the army went different ways, supporting different candidates and getting involved in local parties.  Some have said “screw the GOP” and is afraid to touch them with a 10 foot pole.

To be absolutely honest, I am kind of disappointed that they have disappeared.  They tended to make the meetings around here, well, interesting and some would even say thought provoking.

My question to the boisterous army is…where are you now?

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