1672: Women on 20s

2016-04-25T15:00:14Z

Epi counts: Completed transcription

{{comic
| number = 1672
| date = April 25, 2016
| title = Women on 20s
| image = women_on_20s.png
| titletext = I get that there are security reasons for the schedule, but this is like the ONE problem we have where the right answer is both easy and straightforward. If we can't figure it out, maybe we should just give up and just replace all the portraits on the bills with that weird pyramid eye thing.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|The transcript needs work.}}

This comic portrays a series or press conferences with a US Treasury spokesperson to summarize and ridicule the recent controversy over the upcoming redesign of US currency. The dialog between the US Treasury and reporters is paraphrased for comedic effect, but the events depicted are otherwise factual.

American currency has never had a woman as the primary portrait on paper currency, which is widely seen as a real problem. Responding to this issue, the Treasury Department initially planned to replace {{w|Andrew Jackson}} with a woman, to be chosen by public voting. {{w|Trail of Tears}} is a reference to the forced relocations of Native American peoples that Andrew Jackson conducted during his presidency. This is now seen as a human rights violation on a massive scale, and is presented as a reason why Andrew Jackson should not be honored on American currency.

The voting process selected {{w|Harriet Tubman}}, a 19th century abolitionist and a major figure in the {{w|Underground Railroad}} system which freed American slaves. Cueball is clearly pleased and excited about this prospect.

At this point, bureaucratic and political complications arise. The Treasury Department announces that, instead of replacing Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill, she would replace {{w|Alexander Hamilton}} on the $10. The reason given is that the $10 bill was scheduled for redesign first. A reporter asks why they can't simply change the schedule, but doesn't get a clear answer.

This plan is complicated when {{w|Hamilton_(musical)|a Broadway musical}} about the life of Alexander Hamilton comes out and becomes massively popular. This creates a flood of interest in Hamilton, and makes replacing his portrait politically complicated. The spokesperson suggests putting both Hamilton and Tubman on the $10 bill, but the reporters clearly think this is an unnecessary compromise.

Finally, the spokesperson announces that they will put Tubman on the $20 bill, but their schedule demands that they do the $10 bill first. They decide to put a "mural to women" on the new $10 bill to try and contain the tension until new $20 bill is released. The reporters point out that the Treasury has total control over the release of currency, so the simpler solution is just to change the schedule, but they're apparently ignored.

In the final panel, the spokesperson mentions that Jackson's portrait will still appear on the new $20 bill, seriously weakening the symbolism of replacing him and adding irony since Jackson was a slave owner. This is likely an effort to head off the complaints of traditionalists, but is seen here as an unfortunate attempt to avoid taking a real stand.

{{w|Martin Shkreli}} is a pharmaceutical executive who has come under a lot of public outrage for drastically increasing the price of a life-saving medication.

The title text reiterates that this is a rare case in politics in which there's a clear and simple solution. The Treasury has the authority to redesign currency and change the release schedule however they like. That makes all the compromises and backtracking unnecessary: they could simply replace Jackson with Tubman and release the new $20 bill whenever they choose. He appears frustrated with the artificial constraints that are holding back what should be a simple and straightforward process. (The title text does acknowledge that it takes time to evaluate a redesign's resistance to counterfeiting.)

The mention of the "weird pyramid eye thing" is a reference to the {{w|Eye of Providence}}, which is an old and somewhat arcane symbol that appears on the US $1 bill. Munroe seems to be using this as an example of the outdated and frankly strange design of American currency, the implication that using that on all our bills would constitute giving up on ever having a design relevant to the modern world.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript}}

:2015
:[Cueball is sitting at a computer.]
:Website: Petition: Replace Andrew "Trail of Tears" Jackson with a woman on the $20 for the 100th anniversary of women's suffrage in 2020.
:Cueball: Hey, good idea!
:Website: Vote for your three picks:
:[Three Drop-Down Menus]
:1: Harritet Tubman
:2: Eleanor Roosevelt
:3: Rachel Carson
:Cueball: Tubman for #1, definitely.

:Soon...
:[Treasury Secretary Executive at a lectern.]
:Treasury Executive: After a flood of public interest, the treasury has decided to feature a woman on our money!
:Offscreen 1: Yay!
:Treasury Executive: She will replace Hamilton on the $10.
:Offscreen 1: Yay-- wait, what? Why not the $20?
:Offscreen 2: ''Are we mad at Hamilton?''

:Treasury Executive: The $10 was scheduled for the next redesign by a board made up of --
:Offscreen 1: Can't you just do the $20 next?
:Treasury Executive: We will review the...
:Offscreen 1: *Sigh*
:Offscreen 2: ''Put Martin Shkreli on the $5!''
:Offscreen 3: Shut up, Steve

:Later in 2015...
:Treasury Executive: Wow, some musical came out, and now suddenly Hamilton has ''tons'' of fans.
:Offscreen 1: So do the $20 next. Problem solved!
:Treasury Executive: Maybe he and a woman can ''share'' the $10!
:Offscreen 1: Are you serious.

:2016:
:Treasury Executive: We've decided to put Harriet Tubman on the $20.
:Offscreen 1: Perfect! Happy Ending.
:Treasury Executive: -- After we do the new $10.
:Offscreen 1: What?

:Treasury Executive: We'll put a mural to women on the back of the $10. Hopefully that will tide you over until we get to the $10?
:Offscreen 1: ''Seriously?'' How is this so complicated? Just say "We're putting Harriet Tubman on the $20," then do it.

:Treasury Executive: We'll do the $20 ASAP, but we can't change the --
:Offscreen 1: C'mon, your hands aren't tied here. You're the freaking treasury. This is the ''one'' thing you're definitely in charge of.

:Treasury Executive: Oh, and we're putting Andrew Jackson on the back.
:Offscreen 1: WHAT.

{{comic discussion}}

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1672: Women on 20s