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D.C.'s ban on cashless businesses takes effect

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171–180 of 508 posts

Re: D.C.'s ban on cashless businesses takes effect

#171

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>> It's a real problem that some people cannot afford the fees on a bank account, but I would prefer that we find some way to provide everyone with minimum banking services. Like a no-fee government-provided debit card. The government shouldn’t even need to get involved here. In the UK accounts have no standard charge and come with free debit card. There’s no reason banks in the US can’t offer this other than the fac…

> The government shouldn’t even need to get involved here. In the UK accounts have no standard charge and come with free debit card. Well, in the UK, fee-free basic bank accounts are the result of government regulation(1). It was part of the UK's implementation of Directive 2014/92/EU (2), which mandated access to basic bank accounts across the EU (of which the UK was then a part). (1) https://www.gov.uk/government/n…

'Fee-free' accounts existed way before this regulation. If you actually read the link it talk about fee-free in the sense of no charges for failed transactions.

Re: D.C.'s ban on cashless businesses takes effect

#172
post #170

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Face mask, fedora, and sunglasses.

This. Masks are a lot more acceptable in public than they were 5 years ago. Given the mass surveillance going around, I'm surprised more people aren't in favour of regular mask wearing in public.

I think there’s too much overlap here between the people concerned about surveillance enough to wear a mask, and the people who don’t want to wear masks because it was the government who told them to do so in the first place.

At least in the US.

Re: D.C.'s ban on cashless businesses takes effect

#173

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>> It's a real problem that some people cannot afford the fees on a bank account, but I would prefer that we find some way to provide everyone with minimum banking services. Like a no-fee government-provided debit card. The government shouldn’t even need to get involved here. In the UK accounts have no standard charge and come with free debit card. There’s no reason banks in the US can’t offer this other than the fac…

> The government shouldn’t even need to get involved here. In the UK accounts have no standard charge and come with free debit card. Well, in the UK, fee-free basic bank accounts are the result of government regulation(1). It was part of the UK's implementation of Directive 2014/92/EU (2), which mandated access to basic bank accounts across the EU (of which the UK was then a part). (1) https://www.gov.uk/government/n…

There is some nuance here in that accounts without a standard charge and a free debit card were common before 2016.

The 2016 change seems to be about fully fee-free accounts, i.e. no overdraft charges or similar fees.

Re: D.C.'s ban on cashless businesses takes effect

#174

Almost every comment is about politics, choice, privacy, rights, markets and percentages. There's a completely different take; Civic resilience From an operational and strategic security POV, cash is a vastly superior technology. It doesn't need electricity, a network of cables, satellites and routers. Therefore cash in circulation acts as a buffer that provides economic stability and continuity of operations. Also,…

Cash improves operational security? Pull the other one.

Re: D.C.'s ban on cashless businesses takes effect

#175

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The government shouldn’t even need to get involved here. In the UK accounts have no standard charge and come with free debit card. Well, in the UK, fee-free basic bank accounts are the result of government regulation(1). It was part of the UK's implementation of Directive 2014/92/EU (2), which mandated access to basic bank accounts across the EU (of which the UK was then a part). (1) https://www.gov.uk/government/n…

'Fee-free' accounts existed way before this regulation. If you actually read the link it talk about fee-free in the sense of no charges for failed transactions.

No, the relevant part of the article is basic bank accounts.

The change (and the Directive) was the result of banks withdrawing fee-free basic banks across the bloc as a cost-cutting measure in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis.

Re: D.C.'s ban on cashless businesses takes effect

#176

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The government shouldn’t even need to get involved here. In the UK accounts have no standard charge and come with free debit card. Well, in the UK, fee-free basic bank accounts are the result of government regulation(1). It was part of the UK's implementation of Directive 2014/92/EU (2), which mandated access to basic bank accounts across the EU (of which the UK was then a part). (1) https://www.gov.uk/government/n…

There is some nuance here in that accounts without a standard charge and a free debit card were common before 2016. The 2016 change seems to be about fully fee-free accounts, i.e. no overdraft charges or similar fees.

The change (and the Directive) was the result of banks withdrawing fee-free basic banks across the bloc as a cost-cutting measure in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. The Directive reverse that and made basic bank accounts universally available across the bloc.

Re: D.C.'s ban on cashless businesses takes effect

#177

Almost every comment is about politics, choice, privacy, rights, markets and percentages. There's a completely different take; Civic resilience From an operational and strategic security POV, cash is a vastly superior technology. It doesn't need electricity, a network of cables, satellites and routers. Therefore cash in circulation acts as a buffer that provides economic stability and continuity of operations. Also,…

If the scenario plays out as you describe the fiat currency won't be worth the fancy material it's printed on.

Re: D.C.'s ban on cashless businesses takes effect

#178

Almost every comment is about politics, choice, privacy, rights, markets and percentages. There's a completely different take; Civic resilience From an operational and strategic security POV, cash is a vastly superior technology. It doesn't need electricity, a network of cables, satellites and routers. Therefore cash in circulation acts as a buffer that provides economic stability and continuity of operations. Also,…

> It doesn't need electricity, a network of cables, satellites and routers.

But most businesses do. The main issue is there: why should a business be forced by law to accept cash if they absolutely need electricty and cables to work as a business ?

It's one step below forcing them to accept hand written checks. Those are also extremely resilient, you just need a pen and paper. But god no I wouldn't want to deal with them at a car rental desk.

Sure cash should be accepted in shops selling essential goods. But other shops should have the choice.

Re: D.C.'s ban on cashless businesses takes effect

#179
post #19

I live in DC and support this law not just from an accessibility standpoint but also from a privacy standpoint. I am tired of every retail/restaurant establishment building a profile of me.

The new "meta" seems to be charging you a tax for not using their loyalty card. Items at Tesco are now significantly more expensive if you don't scan a Clubcard. I suppose it is easier to rotate those than bank cards though

Re: D.C.'s ban on cashless businesses takes effect

#180

Almost every comment is about politics, choice, privacy, rights, markets and percentages. There's a completely different take; Civic resilience From an operational and strategic security POV, cash is a vastly superior technology. It doesn't need electricity, a network of cables, satellites and routers. Therefore cash in circulation acts as a buffer that provides economic stability and continuity of operations. Also,…

Cash is a superior technology for security -> Huh? The bullet proof glass cage protecting the cashiers is the “technology”.
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