BERNIE SANDERS HAS A PLAN TO REINVENT THE POST OFFICE. HILLARY CLINTON SHOULD STEAL IT.

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.campaignforpostalbanking.org/news/bernie-sanders-has-a-plan-to-reinvent-the-post-office-hillary-clinton-should-steal-it/


By Paul Waldman, The Week, November 13, 2015


As a longshot candidate facing off in the primary against an opponent everyone still assumes will be the Democratic nominee, Bernie Sanders hasn’t gotten a lot of endorsements from prominent politicians or large interest groups. But he got one the other day, from the American Postal Workers Union, which represents over 200,000 workers and retirees. There was really only one reason for it: Sanders’ embrace of postal banking. And his position is one Hillary Clinton ought to adopt as her own.

Now before you say, “I am fascinated by postal issues, do tell me more,” just put aside your sarcasm and stick with me for a moment, because this is a question that touches on a lot of important issues in our economic, political, and social lives.

What’s postal banking, and why should we care about it? Consider the recent disaster that occurred with RushCard, when thousands of users of the prepaid debit cards found it impossible to access their money because of a system failure. It was a reminder that millions of Americans are effectively shut out of the banking system, and have to rely on alternative means for paying bills and making purchases. The typical low-income neighborhood in America has no bank branches, but plenty of check-cashing and payday loan stores, which charge their customers unconscionable rates of interest, rising into the hundreds of percentage points in many cases. They’re able to prey on those people because they know the customers have no other options.

But what if you could get some limited financial services — a prepaid debit card, a savings account, a place to pay bills, or even a small loan — from the post office? Post offices in much of the world provide these kinds of services. Our Postal Service already has over 35,000 locations in every corner of the country, so almost no one is too far from one. It already sells money orders. And it can charge reasonable rates to its customers and still turn a profit.

FULL story at link.

[SwampG8r]

1. If it polls well she will nt

[NurseJackie]

2. That would be the only chance it has to become reality ...

... all things considered.

[Scuba]

3. Hey Bernie, please add internet services as a post office function too!

[in_cog_ni_to]

4. Wait long enough

and she WILL STEAL IT and claim it as her own. That's her modus operandi.

Great plan he has! My B-I-L took early retirement from the P.O. a few years ago and thinks the plan is a fantastic, brilliant idea.

PEACE
LOVE
BERNIE

[NurseJackie]

6. It's an interesting idea. I'm surprised that nobody thought of it sooner.

[Doctor_J]

5. I believe shutting down (selling off) the USPS will be one of her first orders of business if she

makes it to the WH. Exactly what a turd way dem would do. She'll do this "in exchange for the republicans dropping their demand to repeal Heritage care". Conservatives in both parties will hail it as a great bipartisan compromise

[NurseJackie]

8. HA! Imaginative, if nothing else.

[dogknob]

10. The US Constitution mandates the USPS, but Congress can keep it in the Stone Age. n/t

[BlueJazz]

7. Oh boy. Payday Loans is not going to like this idea.

"Do you want to trust your money to another government agency?"
"Do you want to burden your already over-worked postal employees?"
"We have the know-how and expertise to fast track YOUR loan"
"Our rates are highly competitive" (with Jimmie the mobster down at Franks pool hall)"
"We're open Saturday to serve your needs!"
"Did you forget that there're FBI POSTERS at the post office?"

[LexVegas]

9. Sell guns as well as stamps? nt