Financial Literati
The Teller got what we thought was an encouraging email last week.
It said: “The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency recognized Financial Capability Month by participating in the annual Financial Literacy Day on Capitol Hill.”
Well, it’s about time. Those fools in Congress would benefit from some financial literacy.
Wait, what’s that? Congress isn’t getting the financial literacy training? This is for consumers? What a waste.
The OCC had a real opportunity here, and squandered it on consumers. Look, consumers know about money. By and large, they know they don’t have enough money to truly worry about. Direct deposit, automatic bill pay and overdraft penalty would do for vocabulary as part of a financial literacy day intended to get members of the ruling class in closer consort with plebs like the Teller. You see, financial literacy only helps when folks have actual finances.
The Teller is a little hesitant to dismiss financial literacy day as completely foolish or nonsensical. After all, Massachusetts’ own Tom Curry is leading the office these days.
But local allegiances aside, it should be noted that the OCC is a member of the federal Financial Literacy and Education Commission.
Twenty-two federal agencies have membership on the commission, which manages a web site called “MyMoney.gov.”
And wouldn’t you know it, one of those agencies is the General Services Administration (GSA).
Who better to promote “financial capability” than the GSA, which has become just the latest example of abject government waste on news it dropped almost $1 million on its “Western States Conference” in Vegas. Higher-ups at GSA wanted the gathering to be “over the top,” so staff blew money on food, booze, “yearbooks” and commemorative coins.
Capable indeed, but the Teller does that regularly and still managed to get $66 back from the federal government this year. Apparently, the GSA doesn’t party quite hard enough. Lightweights.
On the other hand, we hear the Secret Service budget is a little short. Maybe we can spare a few bucks until payday. Those guys know how to have a good time.
