Tuesday, March 04, 2008

Who Reads Money Anyway?

I was thrilled when I read that all three proposed designs for the DC quarter (now that we finally get one) included the phrase, "Taxation Without Representation". Yes, I was aware that the mint frowned on political slogans, but as the lovely folks over at DC Vote pointed out, taxation without representation is a statement of fact for DC residents. Certainly there are people working to change that, but that is the reality that DC residents live under.
Well, the mint rejected all three proposals, on the basis of potential for controversy. I will refrain from harping on my feelings about how people in fact ought to find such disenfranchisement controversial and should perhaps, change that. And I also won't spend to long on that fact that most people would have assumed it referred to the American Revolution and not to any contemporary issues.
Well, the new proposals (two of which are essentially similar although with less controversial text) now suggest the DC motto of Justicia Omnibus (justice for all, which yes, similar idea but apparently fifty percent less controversial.)
The comments over on DCist are pretty funny, along with other suggestions for text and images that could be submitted. I never expected that a quarter would change my life, or anyone else's, which is why I find the whole ease of capitulation saddening. Perhaps it really isn't worth fighting the mint. And I recognize there is a tight deadline with all the waffling about letting us even have a quarter. Thank god Puerto Rico really wanted one, or we wouldn't even be able to have this discussion.
At least we have our health.