$1 coin chances now

"Paul Anderson" wrote in message
news
In article ,
"Bruce Remick" wrote:

Could you convert "a lot" to a percentage of the population?

No. I don't know how many people use dollar coins, but I suspect it's
more than the proponents of the coin on this newsgroup. Most clerks
know what they are and accept them without comment. And I do sometimes
see other dollar coins in the till when I spend mine.

As long as *some* clerks don't recognize them for what they are, there will
continue to be a problem. I'm assuming that these particular clerks do
recognize things like state quarters.


For all I know, there are twelve people in the whole country using
them.

And if "using" them equates to getting rolls from the bank and
spending them, what good is it doing your cause if most banks and
stores don't give them back out unless asked?

It does little good, except to get people used to seeing them.

I'm pretty sure that if the public and commerce thought that
switching to dollar coins would benefit them, they would have jumped
long ago. Just like they did when they apparently realized it would
somehow benefit them to quit using half dollars.

Giving up on using something happens much easier than beginning to use
something. People will use what they are given, so they use dollar
bills. Most people are not aware of the benefits of using dollar coins
and it's not a big deal to them.

Much easier? Cigarette smoking is one thing that comes immediately to mind.
As long as there is nothing to convince people that there's more benefit to
USE dollar coins than bills-- given both to choose from--we will probably
see no change.


People will write editorials about all sorts of things. Editorials
aren't what's needed to encourage people to use dollar coins. First,
they have to start receiving them routinely among their change, if
only to become conditioned that these golden things are real
"spending money".

Agreed.

What can a Congressman or newspaper do to get people to use dollar
coins? Propose eliminating the dollar bill? I haven't heard any
significant constituent outcry lately. And why would a newspaper
care one way or another.

Newspapers can publicize the fact that dollar coins exist and there is
a benefit in using them. I would hope someone in Congress, in favor of
the coin, would be articulate enough to state the case for it.

I recall newspapers and TV publicizing the presidential dollar coin series
until it no longer was news. It's hard to force something on people when
they are perfectly comfortable with the status quo. Note the health care
controversy.


In these economic times, there are a lot of more important things on
everyone's mind, but you'd think saving over $600 million dollars a
year would be important, too.

If it were ME saving a bunch of money, yes, I'd be knocking on doors with a
clipboard. Nowadays, people can't get that excited about a projected few
million dollar government saving, especially given the government's recent
track record for projecting savings.

Here, you're assuming there was a "problem".

The problem is the waste of money printing dollar bills and the extra
handling and time required to deal with them in everyday commerce.

Again, this isn't a cost problem for any individual. In our case,
continuing to mint hundreds of millions of unneeded dollar coins while
printing dollar bills might be the waste or money.


If they ever were to discontinue the dollar coin, I wouldn't be
surprised if the public would be just as quick to accept a dollar
bill again.

I'd be surprised. When a friend had a relative visit from Australia,
they were annoyed to receive so many dollar bills in change. They
found it cumbersome to get bills with such little value, just as if the
US got rid of the quarter and replaced them with bills. I don't think
that would be so popular.

Since this issue apparently isn't being brought up at recent town
hall meetings, perhaps Congress will be busy with a few other things
for the next year or so. Hey, there's always the chance someone
whose district would benefit will quietly sneak it into the next
monstrosity omnibus bill and it will catch everyone napping. Of
course the sponsor's name somehow will have become illegible.

It's too bad that so much legislation is passed by sneaking it onto an
unrelated bill or because it would benefit one person's district or
state.

I agree. There oughta be a law. But then someone would have to sneak it
through.


Congress will always be busy with things that are more important, but
eventually they will have to address the dollar coin issue, assuming
inflation continues. There are certainly _less_ important things to
which they pay attention.

No one could argue with that!

In article ,
"Bruce Remick" wrote:

As long as *some* clerks don't recognize them for what they are,
there will continue to be a problem. I'm assuming that these
particular clerks do recognize things like state quarters.

I've had some clerks closely examine some state quarters, not knowing
what they are. Once they see GW on the front they figure it out.
Happened tonight at Taco Bell with an American Samoa quarter.

Paul

"Paul Anderson" wrote in message
news
In article ,
"Bruce Remick" wrote:

As long as *some* clerks don't recognize them for what they are,
there will continue to be a problem. I'm assuming that these
particular clerks do recognize things like state quarters.

I've had some clerks closely examine some state quarters, not knowing
what they are. Once they see GW on the front they figure it out.
Happened tonight at Taco Bell with an American Samoa quarter.

Paul

Could you imagine how many clerks would be aware of a connection between the
US and Samoa? Glad I didn't have to take that test a few years ago. ; )

In article ,
Mr. Jaggers lugburzman[at]yahoo[dot]com wrote:

Ah yes, that frailty of human nature to distance oneself from that to which
one fears he could most easily fall victim.

I would call that a feature rather than a bug. If someone is struggling
with alcoholism, frex, and decides to hang out only in places where
alcohol is not easily available, socialize mainly with non-drinking
friends, etc., I would say "good idea".

--
Please reply to: | "Any sufficiently advanced incompetence is
pciszek at panix dot com | indistinguishable from malice."
Autoreply is disabled |

Paul Ciszek wrote:
In article ,
Mr. Jaggers lugburzman[at]yahoo[dot]com wrote:

Ah yes, that frailty of human nature to distance oneself from that
to which one fears he could most easily fall victim.

I would call that a feature rather than a bug. If someone is
struggling with alcoholism, frex, and decides to hang out only in
places where alcohol is not easily available, socialize mainly with
non-drinking friends, etc., I would say "good idea".

Since you didn't quote the entire thread (and perhaps reasonably so), I have
to guess what I was responding to. In any event, the evidence indicates
that politicians and preachers who most loudly decry loose morals are also
the most likely to be involved in illicit behavior, those who most loudly
demand an end to wasteful spending the most likely to be the big spenders,
and the ones who most loudly condemn homosexuality the ones who are most
doubtful of their own sexuality.

James the Clarifier