"People who routinely pay off their credit card balances have been enjoying the equivalent of a free ride..."

You need to see it that way, so you'll understand why you should pay interest from the time you pay for something with a credit card. I'm one of those people that pay the entire balance every month to avoid paying any interest, and being told I've been taking a free ride all these years does not soften me up to pay my supposed fair share to support the credit card system. I just won't use the card if that's the deal. I'll switch to a debit card or pay cash.

IN THE COMMENTS: rhhardin said:

The reason not to ever use a debit card is that in case of fraudulent charges, you're the one out the money, so help is hard to find.

With a credit card, they're the ones out the money because you simply don't pay the contested charges, and everybody is really motivated to help you clear the thing up.

Don't give up that protection easily.

I'm instantly convinced not to use a debit card!

AND: I'm instantly unconvinced as John Lynch said:

I protect my debit card by simply not keeping much money in the account its drawn from. If I'm making more than a trivial purchase, I transfer the money from another checking account, which costs nothing at my bank. So, if someone gets my number it's no big deal because all they can steal is lunch money. There's no overdraft allowed on that account, either.

And TMink said:

I was recently charged $810 on my debit card to the WalMart in Seneca, South Carolina. This occured while I was home in Nashville. Seems I was part of the Heartland Compromise.

My bank refunded the $810 quickly and kindly.