In this episode of Evergreen Perspective - Behind the Credit Curtain: Debt, Discrimination, and the Fight for Fairness - host Ben Christly pulls back the curtain on the American credit system, revealing the hidden history, the rigged rules, and the real-world impact on millions of people’s lives.

Why does avoiding debt hurt your credit score?
Why can a single hard inquiry drop your number?
Why are entire communities locked out of financial opportunity before they even begin?

We trace the system’s roots from biased, handwritten credit files in the 1900s… to the creation of FICO in 1989… to today’s secretive, profit-driven scoring models that punish the poor and reward the already wealthy.

You’ll learn:
The racist and sexist origins of credit scoring
How the Big Three credit bureaus came to dominate the system
Why good behavior—like paying off debt—can actually lower your score
What reforms could create a fairer, more transparent system
And why you are more than your credit score.

This isn’t just about numbers. It’s about access, dignity, and the kind of financial future we want to build.

Hit play, and let’s break it down together.

Like & Subscribe : If this episode resonated with you, hit that like button and subscribe for more deep dives into the policies shaping our world.

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Find Us On:
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Instagram: @evergreenperspective1
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Evergreen Perspective is about cutting through the noise, staying grounded in facts, and fostering real conversations. This isn’t about left vs. right , it’s about people vs. power. Let’s reclaim the conversation.

Share : Knowledge is power. Send this episode to a friend, co-worker, or family member who’s ever questioned the system.

Vancouver Pride Block Party - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/vancouver-pride-block-party-tickets-1358105844139

Young Dems of Clark County - https://ydclarkco.org/events/

Clark County Food Bank - https://www.clarkcountyfoodbank.org/volunteer

In Part 2 of Why Are We Broke? | Part 2: Housing, Inflation, and the Price of Survival, we dives into the everyday costs that make life unaffordable, even for Americans working full-time.

We move beyond wages and into the real, grinding pressure of trying to afford housing, groceries, gas, healthcare, and childcare in today’s economy.

We unpack:

Why rent and home prices exploded after COVID and why they’re staying high

How grocery chains and big corporations used inflation as an excuse to raise prices and pad profits (“greedflation”)

How Wall Street and corporate landlords turned housing into an investment game

Why basic human needs like food and shelter should never be driven by shareholder profit

If you’ve ever wondered why your paycheck disappears by the first of the month, why rent is swallowing half your income, or why corporate profits are setting records while you struggle to keep up this episode breaks it all down.

This isn’t just an economic issue, it’s a survival issue.

This is Evergreen Perspective.
Let’s talk about it.

Like & Subscribe : If this episode resonated with you, hit that like button and subscribe for more deep dives into the policies shaping our world.

Follow Evergreen Perspective on Social Media: Stay up to date with behind-the-scenes content, upcoming topics, and ways to take action.

Find Us On:
Spotify, Apple Podcasts, & Google Podcasts
Instagram: @evergreenperspective1
Facebook: Evergreen Perspective
Bluesky: @evergreenpodcast.bsky.social

Evergreen Perspective is about cutting through the noise, staying grounded in facts, and fostering real conversations. This isn’t about left vs. right , it’s about people vs. power. Let’s reclaim the conversation.
Share : Knowledge is power. Send this episode to a friend, co-worker, or family member who’s ever questioned the system.

Clark County Republicans - https://clarkrepublicans.org/ccrp-meetings/volunteer-meet-greet-open-house


Battleground School Board Meeting - https://www.battlegroundps.org/events?start_date=2025-06-01&end_date=2025-06-30&view=cal-month


Ogden Dinner - https://clarkcountydems.com/2025/03/ogden-dinner-tickets-on-sale/



Martha’s Pantry - https://marthaspantry.org

In Part 1 of “Why Are We Broke?”, we break down the real reasons why so many Americans even those working full-time are living paycheck to paycheck.

This isn’t about laziness. It’s not about bad budgeting.
It’s about a system that stopped rewarding work and started hoarding wealth at the top.

From the history of the federal minimum wage to the rise of corporate profiteering, this episode walks through how the rules were rewritten over the last 40 years to benefit billionaires, freeze wages, and blame the working class for struggling.

We’ll talk about:

• What the minimum wage was actually created for
• Why it hasn’t kept pace with inflation or productivity
• How corporations offload labor costs onto taxpayers
• And why defending billionaires is hurting the very people doing the work

This is the story of how the American economy got rigged from the top down and what it will take to fix it.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing everything right and still falling behind you’re not alone.

This is Evergreen Perspective.
Let’s talk about it.

17th LD Democrats General Meeting - https://www.17thdems.org

Washougal City Council Meeting - https://www.cityofwashougal.us/382/Mayor-City-Council

Cowlitz County Republican Central Committee Meeting - https://www.cowlitzgop.com/events

Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership - https://www.estuarypartnership.org/get-involved/volunteering