Reply #12: But they really defanged it in other areas

[jmowreader]

In the old days, servicemembers had a lot of protection against creditors. The theory was, soldiers are generally unsophisticated creatures who come from small towns and who haven't previously been exposed to loansharks of the kind who shoal around army bases. Therefore, to prevent the troops from signing over their paychecks to people who sell them cars with cracked blocks at usury rates, there were protections that made it kinda unprofitable to sell stuff to army guys on credit.

The credit industry finally got the political muscle to push through a lot of relaxations of the restrictions. Now you can go up on Bragg Boulevard, or the road outside any base, and find "Buy Here Pay Here Everybody Rides No Credit Check" car lots, "Easy Credit Car Stereo," and a host of other companies who don't accept cash.

And now half the 82nd Airborne signs their paychecks over to people who sell them cars...but the provost marshal is now very conscientious about putting the ones who furnish cars with cracked blocks on the off-limits list.