June 23^rd

Mona Charen should have a discussion with Pat Buchanan about money. As you know there is a move afoot to put a woman’s picture on some denomination of our paper money. There are two really important issues here: the first is which of our forefathers photos should be removed and the second is which deserving woman will be the first to appear on United States paper money. Keep in mind that a woman, several women in fact, have already appeared on United States coinage. Sacajawea and Susan B. Anthony have each appeared on the dollar coin. That doesn’t really count because dollar coins were never very popular.

Mona and Pat are not in agreement about which piece of paper currency should lose its personal picture. Pat has insisted that it not be Andrew Jackson who graces the twenty-dollar bill and Mona disagrees, she has no trouble dumping President Jackson. Mona makes a very good case for getting rid of Jackson. She points out that he was behind the forced removal of peaceful and law-abiding Indians from their homes and the forced march of them west to new homes. Many died in the process. They were supposed to be compensated for the loss of their possessions but of course they weren’t. The Supreme Court had ruled against the move but Jackson simply ignored the Supreme Court. Apparently he really, really, hated Indians.

Mona makes a very good case for keeping Alexander Hamilton on the ten-dollar bill. Hamilton was Washington’s deputy commander during the revolution and he was also responsible for re-jiggering the early government’s financing so that the government could remain solvent. He might well have achieved the Presidency, if he had wanted it, but he was killed in a duel with Arron Burr in 1804. I would guess that a dump Jackson move would have more support than a dump Hamilton move.

Next comes a decision on the lucky lady: With the current concern about racism in South Carolina someone like Rosa Parks might be an acceptable candidate. I’d like to nominate Eleanor Roosevelt but that would never fly in this political atmosphere. I’ll bet we wind up with Dolly Madison; hardly anyone’s political nose would be out of joint if she were selected.

Amazing the trivia one can get involved with.