Who Needs a Gun, When You Can Get the Vig?

Vigorish (noun) additional payment: any additional payment that somebody is forced to make, e.g. a bribe or interest paid to a usurer

Usury, userer (noun) the act of lending money at an exorbitant rate of interest

Exorbitant (noun) Greatly exceeding bounds of reason or moderation ______________________________________________________ Debating a Ceiling On Credit Card Fees Bankruptcy Bill Would Shield People From Firms' Punitive Interest Rates

By V. Dion Haynes Washington Post Staff Writer Wednesday, March 25, 2009; D01

Seeking a new intervention for financially distressed consumers, a Senate Judiciary subcommittee yesterday heard debate on a measure that would wipe out credit card debt for people in bankruptcy.

Under current law, people filing for chapters 7 and 13 bankruptcy protection are obligated to pay credit card balances along with secured debts, such as house and auto loans. The measure is aimed at punishing credit card companies that raise their interest rates to a high level and …