The Democratic list of priorities should include establishing a post office banking system.

[yortsed snacilbuper]

Postal savings systems provide depositors who do not have access to banks a safe and convenient method to save money. Many nations have operated banking systems involving post offices to promote saving money among the poor.

People are working for it, Sen. Gillibrand and Warren have proposed it, a Postal Banking Act was introduced in the Senate two years ago, and a limited Postal Savings System actually existed in the US from 1911 to 1967.

Introduced in Senate (04/25/2018)
Postal Banking Act

This bill grants the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) the power to provide basic financial services, including:

low-cost, small-dollar loans, in specified amounts;

small checking accounts and interest-bearing savings accounts in specified amounts, alone or in partnership with depository institutions and federal credit unions;

transactional and remittance services; and
other basic financial services in the public interest.

It grants the USPS the power to: (1) set interest rates and fees for the financial instruments and products provided by the USPS that meet specified requirements, and (2) allow capitalization of an amount deemed necessary by the USPS to finance the services provided by this bill.

The USPS: (1) shall not be granted a bank charter, become an insured depository institution, or engage in traditional banking activities such as lending; and (2) shall be subject to the provisions of the Uniform Commercial Code regarding bank deposits and collections.

https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/2755

[scarletwoman]

1. This is an excellent idea!

[liberalla]

2. I remember when this was first reported, and yes! It's a great idea!

[msongs]

3. as if the lines are not long enough already nt

[GoneOffShore]

9. In France and the UK the queues for banking in the post office are separate from

the lines for other services.
Of course, Americans never pay attention to signs directing us to the correct queues, so you possibly have a point.

[yellowdogintexas]

4. I remember when these existed. My dad (a postal worker)

use the savings aspect.

Another heavy supporter is Senator Sanders

[yortsed snacilbuper]

7. Did they have long lines?

Some people are against the post office doing this because they will have to wait in a line?

[GoneOffShore]

10. In France and the UK the queues for banking in the post office are separate from

the queues for other services.

Plus that's a pretty lame objection.

[TrollBuster9090]

5. I'd go further. Post Offices Should Be Used As ELECTION POLLING STATIONS.

Especially for EARLY VOTING!

In theory, everybody in the country is supposed to have a local post office. All post offices should also be used as voter registration centres, and polling places. Especially for a mandated EARLY VOTING PERIOD. In the next session of Congress, hopefully when Democrats take over, they should introduce bills to make the USPS also operate as small thrift banks, and also student loans.

Furthermore, congress should make election day a national holiday, and also mandate ONE MONTH of early voting, where people can register and vote at their local post office.

[crickets]

8. +1!

[c-rational]

6. Yes, yes and yes.

[Volaris]

11. That should have happened after the 08 crash,

only it should have been a citizen funded credit union operated by the treasury (using post offices as 'branch locations').