Post Office

It's possible this writer was unable to pay a loan that another bank would not grant 
   How in the world could you defend payday loan centers ["Free Market Fury," January]? All they do is prey upon poor people who are so desperate that they are unable to make adequate decisions that will further impair their ability to pay important bills.
   Your judgment is highly questionable. These "business people" are also highly questionable. They do nothing but find loopholes in an industry that should be outlawed.
   Those loopholes should be closed, not further regulated. 
Anonymous
Nevada

Great piece on loan centers; they actually do serve a purpose
   Regarding "Free Market Fury" [January], a month ago, I had two bills overdue. If I did not pay, these utilities would have been shut off due to the fact I had avoided calls and that the bills were, at that point, two months late. The total amounted to 450-plus dollars, which I did not have.
   Fortunately, because I was certain that the money I was owed by employers as a contract worker would arrive within 14 days, I had the opportunity to keep my power on because of a loan I would not have received by a bank. 
   I was able to repay the loan. Also, I have not had the need to revisit the loan center. I'm a contract/freelance worker. I do not have the same consistency that most common workers have. However, I understand the agreements that I go into when entering these so-called "loan-sharks."
   You could argue that I am not the target market for these "loan-shark" businessmen, but I am part of it. Loan sharks? They are anything but. Me? I'm simply a die-hard Libertarian who was down on my luck at that point in time. 
   At least three times in the past two years, I've relied on these "loan sharks" to keep my power on. If that takes an extra $25 of my paycheck, so be it. My children appreciate the warmth.
Jim S.
Las Vegas