After a reading a few of your posts, I see there is a big problem here.
And that problem started before the question of xx% credit card debt and xx% car loan interest.
And even with the statement that a credit card can help soften the blow if you lose your job.
The problem that needs addressed is the one that got these people into debt in the first place, and even got them the approval for a credit card.
The best insurance against going hungry after the loss of a job is to never set yourself to lose a job. After years of lay-offs and firings, I myself realised that a “permanent” job was a gateway to disaster. Open your own business. Have a bunch of small incomes instead of one big one. This way when bad things happen, the carpet isn’t totally yanked out from under you.
But the car loan thing - Cars cost a LOT of money. They cost too much, in my opinion. The need for a new car dives people into crushing debt for years that isn’t made up for by the perceived “Better reliability” or “convertible top” or what-have-you.
And the credit card, when appropriated during good times, is only a gateway to disaster as well. Now a 50 inch LCD tv can be purchased instead of a 19” tube. I’m not saying you or anyone else doesn’t deserve such an item - But to jeopardize yourself and your family for it is just silly.
My wife gets me on to buy a TV . Even a $900 46inch blah blah TV that we can “Put half down on, this store is offering an approved credit”. First off, $900 buys a lot of ammo - Second, even if the TV is the best thing to ever happen to my eyes, nothing is worth taking that money out of our pockets in place of food, heat, and shelter. Nothing.
I realize that no one can save up for months (Or even years) of unemployment. I can’t either. In fact, I can do about 2 weeks of unemployment before things slip off the edge. But if you (Any of us) are setup in such a way that the edge is so close then it’s time - right now - to get out of the situation.
Talking to a car salesman before buying my new car, he told me that most of the customers he sells to are "under water" on their new cars and have to buy "gap insurance". Lenders will not allow you to owe more than the car is worth, sometimes many thousands more, I avoided the problem by not having a trade in and paying cash for the lowest price I could get on the car I wanted.