the credit crunch - looking at it from the bottom

One thing I still don't understand, and I realize I'm looking at this from the little guy's perspective, and not having the big picture, or a frame to keep it in if I did.

I keep hearing about the credit crunch, and how nobody's lending anyone money, and banks need to be bailed out, and all that. Dubya talked about it on TV. Both Presidential candidates are making a huge deal out of it.

If that's the case, why is my mailbox still swimming in junk mail from banks (including WaMu yesterday, and they just went nipples up) trying to give me a credit card? Why do I still turn on the TV and hear people on car and furniture commercials screaming "GOOD CREDIT, BAD CREDIT, NO CREDIT, WE DON'T CARE!" ?

Granted, I haven't actually tried to get credit lately, but it sure seems like people are still trying to give it away.