Oh, I got your point, I just disagree with your implications that savings is an "investment."
Most people tend to keep a few grand around for emergencies or whatever, so a high-yield is the best option for that since you can at least earn some interest. Also, I don't believe for a second that you only earned $3 off a 10k deposit (and if you really did, I think that more than invalidates anything you'd have to say on the topic). A high-yield with contemporary interest rates would put you at just around $300 a year on that kind of deposit. ~3% isn't all that uncommon these days; I get that on my HSBC savings.
And some don't, which is why generalizing them is silly.
I can at least agree with you here; my primary checking account is at a small, LA-only CU and the service is amazing.