April 1, 2023

The scene is as old as history.  An individual fleeing persecution wants to cross a border. His or her life depends on being able to bribe a border guard, with some fungible valuable item: whether gold, cash, silver, diamonds, etc. Life depends on it.

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If the trade is prevented, then all hope is lost.

From the dawn of time, currency was the one thing that governments had difficulty tracking.  I am not considering checks, bills of credit, something written. Those are easy to trace. I am  talking about real currency. Currency in one’s hand, cash pressed in the flesh.

Bribery was always the province of the dishonest, but it often became the last resort of the honest: a war refugee wanted to cross a border before an invading army swoops in, a Jew wanted to evade a Nazi patrol, an Irishman wanted to get out of Ireland one step ahead of the Crown’s authorities.

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Cash became the vehicle of freedom.

So what happens when that option is removed… by digital currency? What happens when fungible cash is made null and void?

Long-awaited Fed digital payment system to launch in July — CNBC

Yes, the Fed is finally converting to digital currency with the FedNow Service. We are told it is only for banks… now. But how soon after that will America go totally cashless?

And we are told that this is long awaited, as if there was a public clamor for it — didn’t you know — so it must be good. No need to worry, right?!

Of course, we are told that crime will cease; and to be sure, a lot of crime will cease.