Wednesday, April 27, 2005

I've got your Johnson and Johnson right here

The US Mint has a new plan to get money from us by selling us money: Presidential dollar coins. As more coins are put into circulation and then taken out of circulation by collectors, the US Mint actually makes money. Laurence Simon puts it well:,
From the same government that pays farmers not to plant crops, that's right, let's mint something with the hope that people don't use it.
A new president every year. We'll get to revisit the fond memory of some many greats from America's past. James Buchanan, who saw the start of the Civil War and did nothing. Andrew Johnson, first president to get impeached. Lyndon Johnson, who's insecurities and desire for power led to an inept handling of the Vietnam War.

Maybe the coins could be valued based upon how the President's time in office went. Jimmy Carter, a dollar coin inflation-riddled to a value of four cents (on the back a picture of the killer rabbit). Woodrow Wilson, you get paid the dollar but then they take back 40 cents for creating the federal income tax. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, you get the dollar coin, but you have to give back 15 cents so the US Mint can "invest it" for you by giving it to someone else and then they promise to give it back to you when you're 65 - if you're lucky.