[StBernard] We're from the government and we'er here to help

[Westley Annis]

I guess I'm just not understanding, but I've never done retail before
either.

I know that for merchants they'll pay the money for the credit card scanner
and things to go  with it plus the trans. fee and
you say 2.5% of the value (didn't know that) so I would think anything that
reduces cost would be good for all.


>With a tank of gas for even small fuel-efficient cars topping $50, this

could hurt the economy even more.

That's the reason I like the debit card...I don't like carrying that much
cash on me.

Oh and definitely agree about no dollar coins, they're too similar to the
quarter.  I'd guess
they'd have to reconfigure vending machines to take them also.  And
definitely yes to 
doing away with at least pennies; it costs more to make them than they're
worth.

JY





	-----------------------------------------------------
	
	Most merchants have this factored into their prices already.
Remember, any
	fees or taxes collected by a business are not really paid by the
business
	but are simply passed-thru from the customer.
	
	In a more detailed look, but still simple terms, a credit/debit card
	transaction will cost typically cost 30 cents per transaction plus
2.5% of
	the value of the transaction. The merchant also pays a monthly fee
that
	starts at $12.00 month and can go much higher depending on equipment
rental
	fees.
	
	Where this will really hurt is with retail stores that rely on
impulse
	purchases and gas stations. With a tank of gas for even small
fuel-efficient
	cars topping $50, this could hurt the economy even more.
	
	The GAO, as it has for a couple of decades now, is trying to get rid
of
	dollar bills in favor of dollar coins. If people start switching to
cash,
	they will want more dollar bills because coins are too heavy (no one
will
	ever agree with those who suggest we should even drop pennies and
nickels by
	just rounding everything to a quarter).
	
	This is one of those changes in the law that a bureaucrat dreams up
with no
	idea of how it will impact the common man on the street. If you walk
around
	with a black label American Express for those few times that you
actually
	have to pay for something yourself, as opposed to having a lobbyist
pay it
	for you, how can you begin to know the real struggles of Joe the
Plumber?
	
	Westley