Andrew Jackson hated the idea of paper money, was an opponent of a national economic system, had a habit of shooting anyone who got under his thin skin, and schemed to fatten his own wallet by first buying up Indian lands then making sure there were no Indians. No matter what else the man accomplished, I won’t miss him on my twenty.
On the other hand, Harriet Tubman rescued herself from slavery, despite having suffered abuse that left her prone to seizures, and then returned first to rescue her own family along with many others. Undercover operative. Scout. And an activist who went on to play a role in securing women’s rights. It’s not hard to pick the person who is more deserving of admiration. That is, unless you’re Donald Trump.
"Maybe we do the $2 bill or we do another bill," he said… "I don't like seeing it. Yes, I think it's pure political correctness. Been on the bill for many, many years and really represented—somebody that was really very important to this country. I would love to see another denomination, and that could take place. I think it would be more appropriate."
Or, you know, Ben Carson.
“Andrew Jackson was the last president who actually balanced the federal budget, where we had no national debt,” Carson said. “In honor of that, we kick him off of the money.”
“Are you anti-Harriet Tubman?” Cavuto asked, presumably meaning anti-putting-Tubman-on-the-$20-bill and not anti-Tubman, just, in general.
“No, I love Harriet Tubman,” said Carson. “I love what she did. But we can find another way to honor her. Maybe a $2 bill.”
He’s right about Jackson balancing the budget. Where did the government get money to pay their bills? Selling land. Where did they get the land? Ah … yeah.
Or, Greta Van Susteren.
Fox News host Greta Van Susteren unloaded on the Treasury Department's decision Wednesday night to replace Andrew Jackson with Harriet Tubman on the front of the $20 bill, calling it another example of the White House going "stupid for no reason" and dividing the country. …
Van Susteren then proposed that Tubman receive her own currency, "like a $25 bill."
Sure, because if there’s anything that circulates more than a $2 bill, it’s a $25.
And of course there were people who were bemused by the decision for other reasons.
“I’d imagine the Treasury aren’t masters of irony,” feminist writer Zoe Samudzi told The Washington Post in an email, “but I’m mulling over the irony of a black woman who was bought and sold being ‘commemorated’ on the $20 bill (without also taking steps for economic recompense for black folks who are descendants of enslaved peoples) and I can’t stop shaking my head.”
Which, sure, is understandable. We have no way of knowing what Tubman herself would think about this honor. I’m pretty sure she’d think Trump was an idiot. That’s an idea that spans centuries.