It might seem a little odd to advise a closer attention to Maoist philosophy to an organization already as left-wing as the Center for Responsible Lending — who would ban payday loans just because they think people shouldn’t get what the people want. Following their response to a column of mine seems necessary.

P.J. O’Rouke’s telling of the tale is slightly rude, so I’ll paraphrase: The way to get people to do something is to make it the best of their available options. The way to stop them from doing something is to offer them a better such option.