Asking for clarification on the credit card controversy.

One thing I'm not clear on, is this:

1. Are cardholders who pay only the minimum payment primarily being affected, or penalized, by these recent changes?

2. Are cardholders who pay their balances off, in their entirety, every month, also having their interest rates increased?

3. More generally, who is being affected by these credit card company changes where it is patently unfair, who fall between the two extremes of paying the minimum balance and paying off their entire balance every month?

If there is some gray area, can anyone tell what the tipping point is between "getting screwed" and getting the "go ahead" from your credit card company or, in some weird cases, getting an increase in your credit limit?

EDIT: Spellcheck: Entirety

than anyone who pays on time, minimium balance or not, can be hit by extreme interest rate raises - making it seem like loan sharking

I always pay off and haven't noticed mine increased - yet

1) Nope, but they get reamed the hardest.
2) yes
3) Depends on the card, but the news is not pleasant all around.

more than doubled from 5% to 11%. Haven't paid anything late in over 5 years and always pay the amount of all new charges for the month - which is well over the minimum. I could pay the remaining balance in full but choose not to do so. I carry a balance because credit cards are the only form of credit I have. My small old house is paid for as is my little grandma car. Without carrying a credit card balance I have no recent credit history. I will continue to carry a balance for the same reasons - but that balance is going to be reduced. If I need to finance the purchase of a new car or if I need to relocate and finance the purchase of a home I will need some credit history. My interest rate increase was completely out of line and completely unrelated to my credit risk.....

for all of their corruption, malfeasance and huge financial losses. Solution is to crackdown on these banks including extreme heavy handed regulation of their credit card divisions.

that still care about their credit rating. I pay the balance every month, and they haven't said "Boo" to me. I would guess it is people with large balances who cannot just pay it off that are getting rates jacked. I know other people - who stopped paying and have no assets - that have been given "deals", reduced principle and a payment schedule with no further interest, just to get something out of them. So I think it's #1 mainly.