This is one of those companies that is the financial equivalent of a cigarette manufacturer. My inside contacts there tell me it is one of the strangest organizations out there. As a pawn lender, I think they are no worse than any other company that is in that ancient profession.

However, their foray into payday lending is truly loathsome. A great deal of time and money is spent trying to allow them to circumvent government regulations designed to curtail their payday lending operations. Apparently they shake down their executives for PAC (political action committee) money and then use those funds to gain access to state legislators where they operate. Its not unusual for a Cash America representative to write a check for $5000 when visiting legislators up in Austin Texas.

As a one-time investor, I was disturbed to hear that some of their field VP's doesn't even hold a college degree. But it would seem that nepotism and cronyism is the basis for many of their hiring decisions.

What's really funny though, is that on any given day during the lunch hour, you'll find bible studies going on. I suppose the topic is "who would Jesus rob?"