6 ms·

Is the US likely to follow suit?

jsprogrammer 11y ago
Might as well be trading actual petrodollars.
21 11y ago
Plastic money will have a really hard time being pushed to US conservatives. They will treat it like an invasion of their liberty, like some sort of socialist/libertarian push with some sort of a secret agenda. And some more pragmatic reason: the exorbitant cost to replace the high number of vending machines nationwide so that they would take the new polymer notes. And money interests: On the other hand... when the US introduced the new dollar coins, two senators took up the fight to ensure that dollar bills would continue to be printed, and in fact, that promotion of the new coins wouldn't be allowed to disparage paper currency. By astonishing coincidence, one of these senators was Trent Lott, who's constituents sold much of the cotton used to make make paper currency, and the other was Ted Kennedy, whose constituency included the Crane Paper Company, which had a contract to provide the actual sheets on which currency was printed.
- deleted 11y ago
  [deleted]
- protomyth 11y ago
  > Plastic money will have a really hard time being pushed to US conservatives. > They will treat it like an invasion of their liberty, like some sort of socialist/libertarian push with some sort of a secret agenda. What the heck are you talking about? That makes absolutely no sense and I would need to see some sources of that. I'm a conservative and anything that cheapens the cost of currency is good. Heck, I know a lot of conservatives that wouldn't mind getting rid of the $1 and $5 bills for coins since it would save money over the long term.
  - themartorana 11y ago
    It doesn't make sense. Which is why it's infuriating. But it's not at all uncommon from the Far Right. Not a whole lot they stand for (or they or their "leaders" say [0]) makes sense. Further, if the idea is introduced by someone that self identifies as a Democrat - or the Tea Party identifies as "not conservative enough" - it will be opposed to the point of calling for a government shutdown. This isn't new in the US. If you're actually surprised, you haven't been paying attention. Then again, you are probably (assumption warning) a reasonable conservative, and would never identify with the Tea Party. It may not have been fair of GP to say "conservative" so inclusively, but the TP has become the face of the Republican Party, especially to those of us on the outside. [0] http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/matt-taibbi-on-the-tea-party-20100928 http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/matt-taibbi-on-the...
    - protomyth 11y ago
      > Then again, you are probably (assumption warning) a reasonable conservative, and would never identify with the Tea Party. You'd be wrong there, but I get the fact you have no clue what anyone in the Tea Party actually believes. FreedomWorks continues to be spot on about a lot of issues. I don't read Rolling Stone as they seem to make up quite a lot. and once again, where is this Republicans hate plastic money crap?
      - 21 11y ago
        It's not about the plastic money, it's about "change" being dictated by the Federal Government and "imposed" on the states/people. It's a lightning rod and an opportunity for politicians to manufacture outrage, like the other poster said.
        protomyth 11y ago
        Money is a known function of the Federal Government. They change stuff all the time. The state quarters were quite popular. Once again, I don't believe any of this foolishness about Republicans opposing the changing of bills to a different material other that any Senator / Rep of any party that has a special interest in the sourcing.
- beatpanda 11y ago
  You're getting downvotes but I know you're right. People underestimate crazy but it always shows up.
microcolonel 11y ago
Honestly I hope not, we have polymer notes in Canada and they tear horribly. I have lost bills just pulling them out of my wallet, most tellers will not take them unless you mend them first. U.S. bills are excellent, and I would encourage them to continue printing them as-is.
- Aelinsaar 11y ago
  That's my impression too, and I've always been impressed at the longevity of US banknotes. Unless they actually start to rot, or are torn apart, they are shockingly tough.
- protomyth 11y ago
  Darnit, I was hoping the polymer notes would have a much longer life. Is the Canadian notes the same types as the Australian or New Zealand ones?
  - microcolonel 11y ago
    I'm sure there are excellent polymers they could use. The one they do use gets brittle with temperature changes: really bad in Canada. The material tears effortlessly once a tear has started. Honestly, I think it's just a matter of it being amorphous rather than fibrous. If they make fibrous bills, they will likely circulate much longer.
    - kuschku 11y ago
      The new polymer-fibrous Euro bills are really awesome. They survive far more wear and tear than dollar notes or old Euro bills. (Which is why small notes were switched first)
      - protomyth 11y ago
        > (Which is why small notes were switched first) That's good planning although I still wish the $1 coin would catch on. Its good to hear at least one attempt at material advance works. Is it cheaper over the long run than the dollar notes?

Might as well be trading actual petrodollars.

21 11y ago

Plastic money will have a really hard time being pushed to US conservatives. They will treat it like an invasion of their liberty, like some sort of socialist/libertarian push with some sort of a secret agenda. And some more pragmatic reason: the exorbitant cost to replace the high number of vending machines nationwide so that they would take the new polymer notes. And money interests: On the other hand... when the US introduced the new dollar coins, two senators took up the fight to ensure that dollar bills would continue to be printed, and in fact, that promotion of the new coins wouldn't be allowed to disparage paper currency. By astonishing coincidence, one of these senators was Trent Lott, who's constituents sold much of the cotton used to make make paper currency, and the other was Ted Kennedy, whose constituency included the Crane Paper Company, which had a contract to provide the actual sheets on which currency was printed.

deleted 11y ago
[deleted]
protomyth 11y ago
> Plastic money will have a really hard time being pushed to US conservatives. > They will treat it like an invasion of their liberty, like some sort of socialist/libertarian push with some sort of a secret agenda. What the heck are you talking about? That makes absolutely no sense and I would need to see some sources of that. I'm a conservative and anything that cheapens the cost of currency is good. Heck, I know a lot of conservatives that wouldn't mind getting rid of the $1 and $5 bills for coins since it would save money over the long term.
- themartorana 11y ago
  It doesn't make sense. Which is why it's infuriating. But it's not at all uncommon from the Far Right. Not a whole lot they stand for (or they or their "leaders" say [0]) makes sense. Further, if the idea is introduced by someone that self identifies as a Democrat - or the Tea Party identifies as "not conservative enough" - it will be opposed to the point of calling for a government shutdown. This isn't new in the US. If you're actually surprised, you haven't been paying attention. Then again, you are probably (assumption warning) a reasonable conservative, and would never identify with the Tea Party. It may not have been fair of GP to say "conservative" so inclusively, but the TP has become the face of the Republican Party, especially to those of us on the outside. [0] http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/matt-taibbi-on-the-tea-party-20100928 http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/matt-taibbi-on-the...
  - protomyth 11y ago
    > Then again, you are probably (assumption warning) a reasonable conservative, and would never identify with the Tea Party. You'd be wrong there, but I get the fact you have no clue what anyone in the Tea Party actually believes. FreedomWorks continues to be spot on about a lot of issues. I don't read Rolling Stone as they seem to make up quite a lot. and once again, where is this Republicans hate plastic money crap?
    - 21 11y ago
      It's not about the plastic money, it's about "change" being dictated by the Federal Government and "imposed" on the states/people. It's a lightning rod and an opportunity for politicians to manufacture outrage, like the other poster said.
      - protomyth 11y ago
        Money is a known function of the Federal Government. They change stuff all the time. The state quarters were quite popular. Once again, I don't believe any of this foolishness about Republicans opposing the changing of bills to a different material other that any Senator / Rep of any party that has a special interest in the sourcing.
beatpanda 11y ago
You're getting downvotes but I know you're right. People underestimate crazy but it always shows up.

microcolonel 11y ago

Honestly I hope not, we have polymer notes in Canada and they tear horribly. I have lost bills just pulling them out of my wallet, most tellers will not take them unless you mend them first. U.S. bills are excellent, and I would encourage them to continue printing them as-is.

Aelinsaar 11y ago
That's my impression too, and I've always been impressed at the longevity of US banknotes. Unless they actually start to rot, or are torn apart, they are shockingly tough.
protomyth 11y ago
Darnit, I was hoping the polymer notes would have a much longer life. Is the Canadian notes the same types as the Australian or New Zealand ones?
- microcolonel 11y ago
  I'm sure there are excellent polymers they could use. The one they do use gets brittle with temperature changes: really bad in Canada. The material tears effortlessly once a tear has started. Honestly, I think it's just a matter of it being amorphous rather than fibrous. If they make fibrous bills, they will likely circulate much longer.
  - kuschku 11y ago
    The new polymer-fibrous Euro bills are really awesome. They survive far more wear and tear than dollar notes or old Euro bills. (Which is why small notes were switched first)
    - protomyth 11y ago
      > (Which is why small notes were switched first) That's good planning although I still wish the $1 coin would catch on. Its good to hear at least one attempt at material advance works. Is it cheaper over the long run than the dollar notes?