Keep in mind that there are massive incentives for ... well, everyone, or at least every company ... to mislead these rating agencies, as lending to companies is also completely dependent on those ratings.<p>And next we ... insist on having competition by these rating agencies. They&#x27;re being paid by companies selling debt, so effectively they&#x27;re being paid to get a good rating (and for the attention in the press their ratings get).<p>This can&#x27;t be fixed.