Judge rules paper money unfair to blind

[Capitalist Pig]

Judge rules paper money unfair to blind - Nov. 28, 2006

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- A federal judge has ruled that the U.S. Treasury Department is violating the law by failing to design and issue currency that is readily distinguishable to blind and visually impaired people. Judge James Robertson, in a ruling on a suit by the American Council of the Blind, ordered the Treasury to devise a method to tell bills apart. The judge wrote that the current configuration of paper money violates the Rehabilitation Act's guarantee of "meaningful access."

[Zeebadee]

Not only is it unfair to the blind, but it's blatantly unfair to those of us that don't have as much of it as some people do. To be entirely fair, ALL current bills should be withdrawn, new bills designed that are user-friendly to all people, and then distributed in equal amounts to all citizens. Why should I suffer unfairly simply because others have more currency than I do??

[JohnMK]

An interesting development. Looks like there's a grace period, old paper money is grandfathered in, and proposed alternatives are not expensive:

He further ruled that finding a solution to the problem would not be an "undue burden" on the government and ordered the Treasury Department to begin working on a solution within 30 days. The American Council for the Blind has submitted several alternatives, including embossing, holes punched in the paper or using different-sized bills for different denominations.

[tinybear]

Wonders never cease in this country.

[Jack]

This situation has irritated me for years, and I'm glad to see the Treasury is finally being forced to address it. We managed to understand our coins should be different sizes, but it never dawned on the designers to extend that thinking to bills. Even with most of the world's currency different sizes, it takes this to get our government on the same page.

[Aequo]

Why do blind people need money? It's not as if they can see what they're buying.

[Osborn F Enready]

Now if we could just coin money with tangible value, instead of faith based value.....

[Jack]

Why do blind people need money? It's not as if they can see what they're buying.

Profound.

[Scribbler1]

That is the kind of change I predict will be resisted by most people.

[JohnMK]

Maybe old geezers with too much nostalgia on their hands.

[tinybear]

Why stop at currency bills? All government publications, application forms, name cards of government employees, government directories..etc, should be available in braille and all government websites should have a "sound" option for the blind.

But wait...what about the deaf?

[leftcider]

Quote by: Isherwood This situation has irritated me for years, and I'm glad to see the Treasury is finally being forced to address it. We managed to understand our coins should be different sizes, but it never dawned on the designers to extend that thinking to bills. Even with most of the world's currency different sizes, it takes this to get our government on the same page.

Such different bill sizes would help eliminate confusion and fumbling even for the optically-enabled individual, and eliminate unfortunate accidents such as accidentally handing a stripper a trillion dollar bill.

[Compugasm]

Just pay blind people in coins. Problem solved, you're welcome.

[tinybear]

Q. What happens when they're paying?

A. Pass a law exempting blind people from paying for anything.

Problem solved.

[Milton Bradley]

An interesting development.


I have a personal friend who is blind, and this decision seems like a real no brainer to many of us. As Isherwood pointed out, the same great minds that differentiated between coins by size never thought to try the same approach to paper money? Seems a bit odd.


I can attests that poor Chuck has many issues with cash, including the fact that food stamps are also made of the same paper, and are issued in vouchers which feel exaclty like any other denomination of paper money.


My one warning to the Feds would be not to include holes in paper currency because it would just increase he rate at which bills are taken out of circulation. The holes would simply make tearing the bills much to easy.


I must say, I like the thought of redesigned money far batter then the aboilshment of paper cuurrency.

[CoffeeSaint]

Quote by: leftcider Such different bill sizes would help eliminate confusion and fumbling even for the optically-enabled individual, and eliminate unfortunate accidents such as accidentally handing a stripper a trillion dollar bill.

Just pay strippers in coins. G-strings that jingle? Hot.

[CoffeeSaint]

Quote by: tinybear Why stop at currency bills? All government publications, application forms, name cards of government employees, government directories..etc, should be available in braille and all government websites should have a "sound" option for the blind. But wait...what about the deaf?

Uh . . . yes, all of those things should be available in Braille or an audio version, if there is enough of a demand for it from people that cannot make their own accomodations. And the deaf can generally see the forms themselves. Is there a reason why this is bad? Is this like the illegal immigrant thing, and we're afraid that blind people are going to take over the country and make everything bumpy and dark?

[RickSp]

Quote by: CoffeeSaint Uh . . . yes, all of those things should be available in Braille or an audio version...

Audio version? Do we really need money that talks or sings? I already know that I am broke without being told so by the few remaining bills in my wallet.

The Treasury has spent a fortune making the bills counterfeit proof. It would be nice to see a redesign that makes them more user friendly. The ruling doesn't seem unreasonable or overly expensive.

[JohnMK]

Indeed Rick, but tinybear has invoked the slippery slope argument, and you just know that trumps all.

[tinybear]

Quote by: CoffeeSaint Uh . . . yes, all of those things should be available in Braille or an audio version, if there is enough of a demand for it from people that cannot make their own accomodations. And the deaf can generally see the forms themselves.

Yeah, but what about deaf people who can't read?