ITunes won't download pre-paid purchases without a valid credit card

Question

I have a season pass to a TV show (The Big Bang Theory) that I've bought and paid for.  I should be able to download the latest episode of this program regardless of the status of my credit card, should I not?  I've paid for it... why can't I download it?
The short story is that my work had an unfortunate scheduling mishap with our paychecks because of the holidays and now I'm overdrawn, so iTunes can't verify my credit card.  Why does it need to verify my credit card on a purchase I made months ago and have paid for in full?

Answer 1

We may be getting into more of a ideologic discussion here, but it's not a matter of simple security.  If it were "simple security" there are many other ways to validate that I am who I say I am.
Validate by my username and password.  (duh?)
Validate by my billing address.
Validate by my credit card information without actually having to attempt to charge the card.
Validate by the fact that this computer is authorized to play iTunes purchases from this account.
Validate by sending a text message to one of my other trusted devices using two-step verification.
My credit card information is all correct.  The information I am putting in is all valid.  Apple is trying to run an actual authorization on my card.  Why?  Why do you need to validate that my credit card is current and has funds available when all I am trying to do is download something I already paid for?  Using a valid username and password?  On a device that has been authorized?
I understand your point that it's a security issue, but it makes no sense that it needs to be.  All I want to do is download something I paid for months ago.