An excerpt from the New York Times:

The credit crisis is no longer just a subprime mortgage problem.

As home prices fall and banks tighten lending standards, people with good, or prime, credit histories are falling behind on their payments for home loans, auto loans and credit cards at a quickening pace, according to industry data and economists.

The rise in prime delinquencies, while less severe than the one in the subprime market, nonetheless poses a threat to the battered housing market and weakening economy, which some specialists say is in a recession or headed for one.

Until recently, people with good credit, who tend to pay their bills on time and manage their finances well, were viewed as a bulwark against the economic strains posed by rising defaults among borrowers with blemished, or subprime, credit.

"This collapse in housing value is sucking in all borrowers," said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Economy.com.

And how are banks handling the crisis in debt? They are raising credit card rates to cover the losses from the mortgage debacle, which they created--even punishing those who have not missed a payment or made a late payment. Nice that the banking industry can screw up and even responsible customers will get screwed, while the Fed lowers interest rates to help out the banks.

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