Editing 1672: Women on 20s
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
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− | + | This comic portrays a series of press conferences with a {{w|US Treasury}} spokesperson (different from [[Cueball]] in the first panel as he has a bit of hair). The panels after the first 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 {{w|United_States_twenty-dollar_bill#Proposal_for_a_woman.27s_portrait|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 the portrait of {{w|Andrew Jackson}} in the {{w|United States twenty-dollar bill|$20 note}} with a woman, to be chosen by public voting. {{w|Trail of Tears}} is a reference to the {{w|Andrew_Jackson#Indian_removal_policy|forced re-locations}} 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 | + | The voting process selected {{w|Harriet Tubman}}, a 19th century {{w|abolitionist}} and a major figure in the {{w|Underground Railroad}} system which freed {{w|Slavery in the United States|American slaves}}. Cueball is seen to be clearly pleased and excited about this prospect in the first panel, where he votes for her first, among several other options. Cueball's second preference is {{w|Eleanor Roosevelt}}, an influential and well-respected {{w|First Lady of the United States|First Lady}} who was [http://www.womenon20s.org/results the runner-up in the vote]. Cueball's third preference is {{w|Rachel Carson}}, a pioneering environmentalist who is most famous for her book {{w|Silent Spring}}. |
− | The | + | 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 {{w|United States ten-dollar bill|$10 bill}}. The {{w|United_States_ten-dollar_bill#Future_redesign|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. |
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− | + | There is suggestion from "Steve" to put {{w|Martin Shkreli}} on the $5 note. Shkreli is an pharmaceutical executive and hedge fund manager who provoked controversy when he {{w|Martin_Shkreli#Price_hike_controversy|raised the price}} of an anti-parasite drug by over 5000%, making it unaffordable to many poorer people. He became known as "the most hated man in America". This suggestion receives short shrift. | |
− | + | The plan to replace Hamilton 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 the new $20 bill is released. The reporters incorrectly say 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 actuality, the Treasurer cannot make changes to the currency without an act of Congress to support the change. The current rule about changing the $10 next before they can change the $20 comes from Section 16 of the Federal Reserve Act of 1913, and the Treasurer is powerless to work against it. Perhaps this is why the person who makes the false claim is 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. | |
− | In the | + | In the title text [[Randall]] 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. Randall appears frustrated with the artificial constraints that are holding back what should be a simple and straightforward process although he does acknowledge that it takes time to evaluate the security of a redesign's resistance to counterfeiting. He also doesn't understand the Federal Reserve Act of 1913, as mentioned above. |
− | + | The mention of the "[http://google.com/search?q=illuminati+confirmed weird pyramid eye thing]" is a reference to the {{w|Eye of Providence}}, which is an old and [http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Illuminati somewhat arcane symbol] that appears on the US $1 bill. Randall 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, and by replacing all portraits with this image, there would no longer be any gender controversy. | |
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− | The mention of the "[ | ||
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==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
− | :[Cueball is sitting at his laptop. Above him is the text he reads on the screen, then he speaks, and below that text is the list of women from his computer showing | + | :[Cueball is sitting at his laptop. Above him is the text he reads on the screen, then he speaks, and below that text is the list of women from his computer showing the three first options each with a gray "drop-down menu" triangle to the right of the names. Below this is his final spoken line. At the top of the panel is a small frame breaking the top left border with a caption:] |
:2015 | :2015 | ||
:Website: Petition: Replace Andrew "Trail of Tears" Jackson with a woman on the $20 for the 100<sup>th</sup> anniversary of women's suffrage in 2020. | :Website: Petition: Replace Andrew "Trail of Tears" Jackson with a woman on the $20 for the 100<sup>th</sup> anniversary of women's suffrage in 2020. | ||
:Cueball: Hey, good idea! | :Cueball: Hey, good idea! | ||
− | :Website: | + | :Website: |
::Vote for your three picks: | ::Vote for your three picks: | ||
::<font color="gray">1</font> Harriet Tubman | ::<font color="gray">1</font> Harriet Tubman | ||
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:Treasury Executive: We've decided to put Harriet Tubman on the $20. | :Treasury Executive: We've decided to put Harriet Tubman on the $20. | ||
:Offscreen voice 7: Perfect! Happy ending. | :Offscreen voice 7: Perfect! Happy ending. | ||
− | :Treasury Executive: -After we do the new $10. | + | :Treasury Executive: -After we do the new $10. |
:Offscreen voice 7: What? | :Offscreen voice 7: What? | ||
− | :[The executive again from the front behind the lectern. On the front of the lectern | + | :[The executive again from the front behind the lectern. On the front of the lectern only the text and the very top of the circle around the image can be seen.] |
− | :Treasury Executive: We'll put a mural to women on the back of the $10. Hopefully | + | :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 $20? |
:Offscreen voice 8: ''Seriously?'' How is this so complicated? Just say "We're putting Harriet Tubman on the $20," then do it. | :Offscreen voice 8: ''Seriously?'' How is this so complicated? Just say "We're putting Harriet Tubman on the $20," then do it. | ||
:Text above the seal: Treasury | :Text above the seal: Treasury | ||
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:[The executive with hands down behind the lectern is seen from the side.] | :[The executive with hands down behind the lectern is seen from the side.] | ||
:Treasury Executive: We'll do the $20 ASAP, but we can't change the- | :Treasury Executive: We'll do the $20 ASAP, but we can't change the- | ||
− | :Offscreen voice 9: C'mon, your hands aren't tied here. You're the freaking Treasury. This is the '''''one''''' thing you're definitely in charge of. | + | :Offscreen voice 9: C'mon, your hands aren't tied here. You're the freaking Treasury. This is the '''''one''''' thing you're definitely in charge of. |
:[The executive lifting a hand above the lectern is seen from the side.] | :[The executive lifting a hand above the lectern is seen from the side.] | ||
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{{comic discussion}} | {{comic discussion}} | ||
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[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | ||
[[Category:Public speaking]] | [[Category:Public speaking]] | ||
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