The Battle Over Money for the Blind

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- It seems that there is something odd circulating in the news media -- and it's not your normal campaign issue. But it seems like it's certainly going to make a big difference for whoever comes into power. The next administration, regardless of conservative or liberal, will have to deal with the issue of the greenback, and why it must change.

What is the wrong with the trusty greenback one might ask?

It's outdated. Even with the recent slight changes to many of the denominations, notes have stayed pretty much the same in terms of tactile feel. And furthermore, a federal appeals court ruled in favour of The American Council on the Blind, plaintiffs in a trial against the US Treasury for not providing varied sizes of the paper notes issued by the US Government. Such an outcome was realized as a result of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 which prevents discrimination in federally operated programs such as the US Mint. This is big news for America since there hasn't been a significant change in the size of paper bills since the turn of the 20th century, around a century ago. The court held that the US Treasury had not successfully argued that it would be financially infeasible to change the size of the notes, as it had argued in response.

The courts (both the appeals and lower courts) ruling is right, both legally and on principle. There is no doubt that a district court Judge Robertson's note that "Of the 180 countries that issue paper currency...only the United States prints bills that are identical in size and color in all denominations" is a startling statistic. This reality for the US Treasury Department should precipitate a radical change in the way the United States mints money. However, thanks to the current administration's choice of pursuing further litigation on the issue, any potential for change in the way we see our paper currency is being pushed back as the US Treasury Department, led by Henry Paulson as its Secretary, attempts to invalidate any claim that similar bills discriminate against those who are legally blind or visually impaired.