Earlier this year, the federal government, in an effort to help consumers through the muddy waters of a declining economy, put into law restrictions on credit card companies and those company's ability to change interest rates.

Unfortunately, it seems the unintended consequences of that reform legislation have been quite painful on the consumers Congress was trying to protect. And the pain may not be over anytime soon.

After months of struggling, the U.S. economy finally seems on the rebound. The stock market surge is continuing and consumer confidence seems to be regaining its lost swagger. The key, however, is keeping the good momentum going. And that will be hard to do with an ever-growing federal deficit.