Why doesn't your credit score come from the government?

It's fair to say that most Americans live in quiet fear of their credit score. That little number often decides whether you can buy a home, purchase a car, or even get a job. Landlords, banks, utilities, hospitals, and employers can all see your credit score, or at least the credit report and history from which your score is derived. Making this rather Big-Brother-ish dynamic even worse, Americans' credit histories are often capricious, irrational, and error-ridden. Thanks to the massive...