Sens. John Fetterman and Kevin Cramer just dropped a bombshell bill to keep cash king in America. The Payment Choice Act, unveiled Thursday, demands that businesses accept U.S. dollars or face fines, as NewsNation reports. In a world obsessed with digital wallets, this move feels like a patriotic gut punch to Big Tech’s cashless dreams.
The bipartisan duo from Pennsylvania and North Dakota wants businesses to either take cash directly or offer free cash-to-card conversion devices. This legislation, backed by the National ATM Council, ensures Americans can still use their hard-earned greenbacks. It’s a refreshing stand against the progressive push to make physical currency obsolete.
Fetterman declared, “It’s simple, if you’re open for business in America, you should take the U.S. dollar.” Nice sentiment, but it sidesteps how many businesses dodge cash to avoid robbery risks or costly handling. Still, forcing companies to honor legal tender feels like a win for individual freedom.
The bill allows businesses to refuse $50 bills or larger, a practical nod to concerns about counterfeiting. But smaller denominations? Those must be accepted, no questions asked. This carve-out shows the senators know businesses aren’t flush with change for hundred-dollar bills.
Non-compliance comes with a sting: a $500 fine for the first offense. Repeat offenders could face up to $1,500 per violation. That’s enough to make any woke corporation think twice before shunning cash-paying patriots.
The Pew Research Center notes 41% of Americans didn’t use cash for any purchases in 2022. That’s a double-digit jump in cashless behavior in under a decade. Yet, Fetterman’s right: “Cash still make up 20% of all payments in the country.”
That 20% figure proves cash isn’t dead, despite what Silicon Valley wants you to believe. Forcing businesses to accept it protects the little guy -- those without credit cards or fancy apps. The cashless craze often leaves rural folks and the underbanked in the dust.
Fetterman’s quote about businesses taking U.S. dollars sounds like a battle cry for common sense. But let’s be real: some companies will whine about the cost of compliance. Too bad -- honoring legal tender shouldn’t be optional in the land of the free.
The National ATM Council’s support adds weight to the bill. ATM owners know cash fuels their industry, and they’re not wrong to back a law keeping it relevant. This isn’t just about nostalgia; it’s about economic access for all.
The bill’s penalties are a bold move to enforce compliance. A $500 first-time fine isn’t pocket change for small businesses, but it’s a fair warning shot. Repeat offenders facing $1,500 hits will feel the heat to get in line.
Businesses can opt for fee-free cash-to-card devices instead of direct cash acceptance. It’s a clever workaround, but one wonders if it’s just a half-step toward the same cashless future conservatives distrust. Still, it keeps options open for cash users.
The cashless trend, as Pew’s data shows, is accelerating. Nearly half of Americans are ditching cash entirely, seduced by the convenience of digital payments. But convenience shouldn’t trump the right to use legal tender.
Fetterman and Cramer’s bill is a rare bipartisan gem in a polarized Senate. It’s not about left or right -- it’s about ensuring Americans aren’t forced into a one-size-fits-all digital economy. The progressive push for cashless systems often ignores how they exclude the vulnerable.
The Payment Choice Act doesn’t ban digital payments; it just ensures cash remains a viable option. That balance is key: freedom means choice, not being herded into Big Tech’s cashless utopia. This bill could be a firewall against that dystopian slide.
With 20% of transactions still in cash, the senators are fighting for a fifth of the economy. That’s no small potatoes in a nation where digital overreach feels like a creeping threat. Fetterman and Cramer deserve credit for keeping the dollar’s legacy alive.
