Expanding the field of progressive ideas is never easy. We are a mixed bunch with many causes and sometimes it can be tough to figure out which ones are worth going for. Here is one suggestion I will pose to my fellow Texans.
I am working with a group called the Merchants Payments Coalition, a collection of retailers from restaurants, convenience stores, grocery stores. They don't have a lot in common -- their markets are diverse and sometimes competitive, but one thing they agree on happens to be something U.S. PIRG and other progressive groups have been talking about.
The issue is Interchange Fees, a very complex (this is on purpose) fee imposed by the banks that issue credit cards for MasterCard and Visa. The fee is charged directly to merchants -- so their interest should come as no surprise -- but it is important to remember that ultimately this fee gets passed along to consumers in the form of higher prices on all products.
