Broke, USA: From Pawnshops to Poverty, Inc.: How the Working Poor Became Big Business

Formostpeople,theGreatCrashof2008hasmeanttroublingtimes.Notsoforthoseintheflourishingpovertyindustry,forwhomtheeconomicwoesspellanopportunitytoexpandandgrow.Thesemercenaryentrepreneurshavetakenadvantageofaneraofderegulationtodevisehigh-pricedproductstoselltothecredit-hungryworkingpoor,includingtheinstanttaxrefundandthepaydayloan.Intheprocessthey'vecreatedanindustrylargerthanthecasinobusinessandhaveprovedthatpawnbrokersandcheckcashers,iftheydreambigenough,cangrowveryrichoffthosewiththinwallets.Broke,USAisGaryRivlin'srivetingreportfromtheeconomicfringes.FromtheannualmeetingofthenationalcheckcashersassociationinLasVegastoatouroftheforeclosure-riddledneighborhoodsofDayton,Ohio,hereisasubprimeFastFoodNationfeaturinganunforgettablecastofcharactersandmemorablescenes.Rivlinprofilesplayerslikeaformersmall-townTennesseedebtcollectorwhosebusinessofferingcashadvancestotheworkingpoorhasearnedhimanetworthinthehundredsofmillions,andlegendaryWallStreetdealmakerSandyWeill,whorodeasubprimeloanbusinessintocontrolofthenation'slargestbank.Rivlinparallelstheirstorieswiththetaleofthosecommittedsoulsfightingbackagainstthemajorcorporations,chainfranchises,andnewlyhatchedenterprisesthatfleecethecountry'shardworkingwaitresses,warehouseworkers,andmallclerks.Timely,shocking,andpowerful,Broke,USAoffersamuch-neededlookatwhyourcountryisinafinancialmessandgivesavoicetothemillionsofordinaryAmericansleftdevastatedinthewakeoftheeconomiccollapse.