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Scholars, national leaders write report advocating creation of pro-thrift institutional environment
Published on Sunday, Aug 03, 2008
I don't normally take sides on ''policy'' issues, such as what to do about taxes or Social Security. I find it more useful to write about the way things are, not how we wished they were.
But today I am taking a policy stand after chewing over an illuminating and disturbing report signed by a diverse group of 62 scholars and national leaders.
The 68-page report, For a New Thrift: Confronting the Debt Culture, comes from the Commission on Thrift, a project of the Institute of American Values in partnership with six other think tanks and national groups (see Web site http://www.NewThrift.org). Released at a conference in Washington, D.C., the report has received scattered publicity, but not nearly all it deserves.
Writing about this report doesn't mean I necessarily agree with all of it. I do support, as the authors advocate, the creation of a ''pro-thrift institutional environment'' to encourage ''financial health, regular savings and wealth building for all Americans.''
To that end, the report recommends a ''public-education campaign for thrift'' modeled after those against smoking and drunk driving. Among other things, the report favors increasing support for thrift institutions such as credit unions, developing initiatives to provide low-interest consumer loans, and returning to usury rate caps on small loans.
''In recent decades, new predatory lending institutions have moved into the malls and mains streets of America,'' said David Blankenhorn, president of the Institute for American Values.
In the private sector, he said, they include payday lenders, franchise tax preparers that offer high-interest ''refund-anticipation'' loans, auto title lenders, subprime credit-card issuers, subprime mortgage lenders and private student-loan companies.
The public sector has it own ''anti-thrift institution,'' the report argues: state-owned and operated lotteries. The report recommends ''repurposing the state lottery to include a savings ticket feature.'' (At the same place where you buy a lottery ticket, you could buy an ''every ticket wins'' savings ticket redeemable for a higher amount in the future.) Having never played the lottery (I hate losing my money), I was disturbed by the report's figures that Americans who can least afford it — households making less than $12,400 a year — spend the most on lottery tickets, an average of $53.75 a month.
''Through state-financed advertising, promotions and new product campaigns, lotteries work relentlessly to habituate players to spend their spare cash on gambling and to regard small dollar investments in the lottery as the way to instant wealth — or, as is more often the case, to a fantasy of instant wealth,'' the report states.
My calculator shows that savings of $53.75 a month grow to more than $31,000 in 30 years at a modest 3 percent interest rate. But, the report states, Americans in the ''lottery class'' lack ready access to ''pro-thrift'' institutions, such as employer-sponsored retirement plans that allow workers to regularly set aside a portion of their paycheck.
''Nor are people in the lower half of the income distribution pursued by investment firms, tax accountants, or major banks,'' the report said.
What about personal responsibility, something I've always advocated? ''Some people get over their heads in debt because of their own profligacy and irresponsible choices,'' the report acknowledges. At the same time, ''credit card issuers will gladly provide blank checks to cardholders for any purpose and cheerfully increase the credit line on the card. Payday lenders will advance money until the next week's paycheck. Tax preparers will offer loans in advance of expected federal tax refunds. Auto title lenders will provide loans on the family car . . . '' with costs often the equivalent of 300 percent to 500 percent interest rates.
Send questions or comments to Humberto Cruz at AskHumberto@aol.com or c/o Tribune Media Services, 2225 Kenmore Ave., Buffalo, N.Y. Personal replies are not possible.
I don't normally take sides on ''policy'' issues, such as what to do about taxes or Social Security. I find it more useful to write about the way things are, not how we wished they were.
Get the full article here.
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