Thread: Ole Fred Shecter is at it again ($1 Bill Vs Dollar Coin) How many times will he...

...predict the elimination of the $1 bill.

Here is one of the main laetest things he posted on the Where's George? Main Forum in the Dollar Coins and Halves..." thread:

"Legislation is still there in the House and Senate. When the budget nightmare occurs later this year ("Sequestration"), the dollar bill will be terminated."

Now, is he onto something, or is this just getting old? He has been telling me since 2008 or earlier, that the $1 bill would begin to be phased out in 2010. Instead, it seems like the dollar COIN is being phased out, with the decission made by Congress not to mint anymore of the Presidential (and Native American?) dollar coins for general circulation, and just for collectors for a premium, which I do not think will attract too many people to buy coins over face value, that are only worth a dollar, and will probably only be worth a dollar for hundreds of years to come.

And Fred also said while its okay to use halves on unmanned road toll booths, do not to give "human" cashiers halves. He clains that the "anti-dollar coin people" are the only reason halves are still being minted.

While I applaud Fred's efforts to get the dollar coin, and the $2 bill circulating, I STILL say that the half should not yet be kicked out of circulation. NOT with the penny still around. Why not eliminate the penny, and reduce the size of the half to the size of the penny, but thicker, polygon shaped, made out of solid copper, and thicker and heavier than a penny, so that all vending machines that take pennies (if any vending machines out there actually take pennies) and possibly, self checkouts, if stores no longer want to deal with pennies, can be programmed to reject pennies and accept the new halves. Times are getting tougher, things are getting more expensive, so it is time to being back BOTH larger denomination coins AND bills. NOT eliminate them.

Also, Fred said, to me before, a few times "Redesigning the $2 bill will kill the $2's circulation" So, what is he going to do in 2014, when the Treasury runs out of the current style $2 bill, and starts printing the new (Series 2014?) "Meaningful Access" redesigned $2 bill comes out? Will he encourage vendors to reprogram their machines to accept the new design $2 bills? Or will he try to push for U.S. $2 coins, similar to Canada's bimetallic $2 coin? Or will he simply just "give up" on the $2 denomination, like he seems to have given up on the unjustly treated 50 cent coin just because halves do not work in vending machines? There is a remedy for that, Fred. The same remedy that the DOLLAR coin got (even though that remedy is currently STILL not working) a size reduction.

Oh well, I am just one person, and Fred is just one person, and as many people have said here, I doubt either of us as one person, or even, as a team, would make a difference. (But it sure is fun to try )

Fred has some, shall we say, odd ideas.
At any rate, the people have spoken on the half dollar and have rejected it.

The only way that people will start using $1 coins is if $1 bills are removed from circulation. If it is an economically beneficial thing to do, then the government should just do it. People, change resistant as they are, will quickly adapt once change is forced upon them. That's one of the problems with this country, the government is expected to cater to the people on every matter. Unfortunately, as a whole the American people have no idea what is good for themselves.

Kill the cent, nickel and $1 note!

Originally Posted by Cherd

The only way that people will start using $1 coins is if $1 bills are removed from circulation. If it is an economically beneficial thing to do, then the government should just do it. People, change resistant as they are, will quickly adapt once change is forced upon them. That's one of the problems with this country, the government is expected to cater to the people on every matter. Unfortunately, as a whole the American people have no idea what is good for themselves.

The government is (supposedly) by the people and FOR the people.
We don't need big brother to tell us what to do.
People know what's good for them.
Government has its place but legislating everything is an overreach.
People like the dollar bill and that's the bottom line.

Originally Posted by TheCoinGeezer

The government is (supposedly) by the people and FOR the people.

This makes for a good slogan, but it doesn't work well in literal practice. The simple truth of the matter is that "the people" are too ignorant, self serving, and gullible to be relied upon for making important decisions.

Originally Posted by TheCoinGeezer

We don't need big brother to tell us what to do.

When we lived in small hunter/gatherer groups this may have been the case. And it was under these conditions that we developed our instinctive desire for independence and freedom. But, if we are going to live together in large population societies, then we do in fact need a governing structure. And, for the purpose of maintaining order and sanity, that governing structure has to tell us what to do and enforce what we do under some circumstances.

Originally Posted by TheCoinGeezer

People know what's good for them.

Have you watched Youtube videos lately? Do you think that some of those people know whats good for them?
Are you familiar with the motivated ends of hate groups and religious extremists? Are their ideas good for us?
You are making reference to the opinions of sane, reasonable, peaceful individuals (much like yourself I would assume). But again, we are individuals within a large society. The ideas and motivations of some of those people need to be governed, and you can't govern one without governing all.

Originally Posted by TheCoinGeezer

People like the dollar bill and that's the bottom line.

So the government should continue to lose money just because Americans like the $1 bill? You ever wonder why we are 16 Trillion in debt? It's because the government has to cater to the people, and that is expensive!!

Originally Posted by Cherd

This makes for a good slogan, but it doesn't work well in literal practice. The simple truth of the matter is that "the people" are too ignorant, self serving, and gullible to be relied upon for making important decisions.



When we lived in small hunter/gatherer groups this may have been the case. And it was under these conditions that we developed our instinctive desire for independence and freedom. But, if we are going to live together in large population societies, then we do in fact need a governing structure. And, for the purpose of maintaining order and sanity, that governing structure has to tell us what to do and enforce what we do under some circumstances.



Have you watched Youtube videos lately? Do you think that some of those people know whats good for them?
Are you familiar with the motivated ends of hate groups and religious extremists? Are their ideas good for us?
You are making reference to the opinions of sane, reasonable, peaceful individuals (much like yourself I would assume). But again, we are individuals within a large society. The ideas and motivations of some of those people need to be governed, and you can't govern one without governing all.



So the government should continue to lose money just because Americans like the $1 bill? You ever wonder why we are 16 Trillion in debt? It's because the government has to cater to the people, and that is expensive!!

Well, apparently you want to live in a big-government nanny state and have no faith in your fellow man.
You are entitled to your opinion, of course, but I couldn't disagree with you more.
But I fear this is getting too political and must bow out before it gets out of hand.

Originally Posted by Cherd

This makes for a good slogan, but it doesn't work well in literal practice. The simple truth of the matter is that "the people" are too ignorant, self serving, and gullible to be relied upon for making important decisions.



When we lived in small hunter/gatherer groups this may have been the case. And it was under these conditions that we developed our instinctive desire for independence and freedom. But, if we are going to live together in large population societies, then we do in fact need a governing structure. And, for the purpose of maintaining order and sanity, that governing structure has to tell us what to do and enforce what we do under some circumstances.



Have you watched Youtube videos lately? Do you think that some of those people know whats good for them?
Are you familiar with the motivated ends of hate groups and religious extremists? Are their ideas good for us?
You are making reference to the opinions of sane, reasonable, peaceful individuals (much like yourself I would assume). But again, we are individuals within a large society. The ideas and motivations of some of those people need to be governed, and you can't govern one without governing all.



So the government should continue to lose money just because Americans like the $1 bill? You ever wonder why we are 16 Trillion in debt? It's because the government has to cater to the people, and that is expensive!!

I believe the governments are hearing yours and numerous other arguments for the elimination of the paper dollar, in fact the elimination of currency as currently utilized. Robert Reich and many throughout the world believe in the necessary trends thus: http://www.mint.com/blog/trends/cash...ents-07062010/

The mechanisms for Universal monetary change are already in motion, some of the changes for which you argue may be implemented even more rapidly than desired. Both the people and governments agree on an expedient economical solution. The general population and government seemingly abhor the dilemma of using paper currency, and despise coin utilization. The mechanisms for modern monetary exchange are already available. Welcome to the present/future?

After all is said, people don't recognize what is best for their interests, but have chosen a mechanism that is compatible with governmental agendas for economical monetary control. LOL

Your voice may have been heard.

They should just kill the dollar coin and the 2 dollar note.
Keep the rest and stop monkeying with the money.

Originally Posted by TheCoinGeezer

Fred has some, shall we say, odd ideas.
At any rate, the people have spoken on the half dollar and have rejected it.

People are not being given the option and haven't in at least half a century. The banks foist on us whatever they please and the FED is fully complicit. The mint dances to the FED's tune.

The FED and banks don't care what makes sense and what doesn't because they have other priorities.

Originally Posted by cladking

People are not being given the option and haven't in at least half a century. The banks foist on us whatever they please and the FED is fully complicit. The mint dances to the FED's tune.

The FED and banks don't care what makes sense and what doesn't because they have other priorities.

That's a gross distortion of history and facts.
Half dollars aren't used anymore because the public doesn't want them, probably due to their large size.
Any bank can get you all the half dollars you want - you just have to ask.
If people actually wanted half dollars, banks would order them from the Fed and the Fed would put in an order to the Mint.
That just isn't happening but not because the Fed doesn't want to.
Judging by the circulated examples I've seen, half dollars circulated freely in this country until the late 60s when silver was finally removed from them all together.
Even early 70s clad halves turn up heavily circulated in the rolls I search.

Originally Posted by TheCoinGeezer

Well, apparently you want to live in a big-government nanny state and have no faith in your fellow man.
You are entitled to your opinion, of course, but I couldn't disagree with you more.
.

I would agree with this statement 99.99% of the time, because usually the big government nanny state entails adding to the budget (more taxes) or passing inane regulations that anybody with a lick of sense would do anyway. However, in the case of getting rid of the paper dollar the people need to be led by the nose to do the right thing because the bottom line is it saves money.

Originally Posted by TheCoinGeezer

People like the dollar bill and that's the bottom line.

I hate the dollar bill. If I had any say we would do away with paper money all together and live in a cashless society simply using electronic forms of payment for each and every transaction. However no one wants to pass this notion because too many people get cash under the table. It would also tremendously cut down on drug trade.

http://www.slate.com/articles/busine...er_money_.html

Originally Posted by Detecto

I hate the dollar bill. If I had any say we would do away with paper money all together and live in a cashless society simply using electronic forms of payment for each and every transaction. However no one wants to pass this notion because too many people get cash under the table. It would also tremendously cut down on drug trade.

http://www.slate.com/articles/busine...er_money_.html

Thank heaven our government isn't taking its guidance from you.
I can't recall when you've expounded one reasoned, mature opinion.
It's no sin to be young and be naive to the ways of the world but you certainly do try the patience of your elders, young man.

The government is (supposedly) by the people and FOR the people.

But sometimes to be FOR the people you have to do something the people don't want. I'm sure in 1964/65 the people would much rather have had the government just continue with the silver coins and not foist that junk clad stuff onto them. By by forcing on them something they didn't want, they prevented a much worse problem, namely NO COINS. With silver prices continuing to rise the coins in circulation would get pulled, any new ones made and put into circulation would have also disappeared, and within three years the entire Treasury stockpile of silver would have been depleted and there wouldn't have been anything to make the coins out of. I don't like the idea of a nanny state either but sometimes something does have to be done "For your own good".