(CNN) – If Congress passes the COINS Act replacing the $1 paper bill for a coin, the U.S. government may be able to save billions in printing costs at the expense of a little more jangle in the average consumers' pockets. But what about the strippers?
That's what The Hill newspaper asked one of the bill's co-sponsors, Sen. John McCain, in a piece published Thursday. The question came from a separate 2011 story where the publication suggested strippers could suffer in a bill-less economy, with G-strings and garter belts far less accommodating of cold metal.
For his part, the Arizona Republican responded in stride in a Capitol Hill hallway.
"Then I hope that they could obtain larger denominations," McCain reportedly told The Hill.
According to The Hill, the 76 year-old McCain started answering questions from another reporter before a smile spread across his face and he shouted down the hallway to The Hill, "Fives, tens, one hundreds!"
McCain's office did not respond to a request for comment.
Officially called the Currency Optimization, Innovation, and National Savings Act, the COINS Act has been put before Congress multiple times in recent years. In the Senate it was most recently introduced in June as S.1105 by Tom Harkin, D-Iowa. McCain's fellow co-sponsors in the Senate are Michael Enzi, R-Wyoming, and Mark Udall, D-Colorado.
If passed, the bill would require Federal Reserve banks to stop circulating paper $1 bills within five years of the COIN Act going into effect.
My kinda man! I like him more today than yesterday. Big> =)
Wow. The Guns Over People Shutdown Government tea potty wanted McDoofus to be President. They still love Snooki Palin.
Wow. Just wow on this one.
That's just what we need , more change !
Here we go again. Now only the wealthiest 1% will be able to go to strip joints.
"McCain's office did not respond to a request for comment."
End of story, er, I mean controversy ... or not.
McCain should have totally ignored the question.
Strippers? That's what he thinks about? His wife must be proud. It explains why he picked what's her name for vp. She turned to be one of the biggest one of that kind after all was said and done.
My first thought was how do you keep $20 or more in your wallet or pocket if it's coins. Heavy and cumbersome to say the least.
McCain has truly lost it.
Change jar out the door. You can't do away with $1 coins because you need the money with you.
This needs to be stopped NOW!,,
We already knew that the old man liked that type of women. Look at his vp choice.
That's the first thing McCain has said in a long time that I actually liked!
ummm. he didn't ask the question.. He only answered it.. And might I say brilliantly answered it !
What is wrong with this guy?
Republicans should be all for it.. cheaper to have dollar coins, after all they want small government.. make two and five dollar coins as well..
God, I hate this guy. So glad he wasn't president.
Marie, he was asked the question, he didn't come up with it on his own. The U.S. has tried dollar coins at least twice in the last few years, the Susan B Anthony dollar and the one with the eagle. Neither one was accepted by the population, why will it be any different now? Well it will be force feed since there will be no more dollar bills printed.
I don't want dollar coins...they're too heavy!
It's always easier to put a coin in the slot than paper currency.
Finally, something sensible from Mr. "I never flew a plane I didn't crash" McCain.
Its pretty easy to fix this so called issue. European strip clubs all have their own "currency" that you trade your cash in for their bar dollars but you can only use them there. To me its a win win for strip clubs because they have to go back to taht same strip club to spend the "cash" there.
You're already supposed to take two dollar bills to strip clubs. They look like fives, well, they used to. And they're still bigger than ones. So you get more attention.
amiright, guys?
I've worked in that business. Many clubs use $2 bills in my experience. I could just see it now, though...making it hail with "gold doubloons"....
to Marie (god help us) MD?? read the story again. he was asked the question and he gave an answer.
I see that guy has not spent as much time in a strip club as he probably should have. The whole idea of tipping with dollar bills is so you can tuck them in the skimpy outfit. Duh. McCain is so out of touch.
Good idea, but one thing needs to be done:
Vending machines need to accept $20 bills. (and give quarters & $1 coins in change)
Only reason I *ever* carry singles on me is because that's the only denomination vending machines around here accept.
('Course, Vending machines are ALSO pretty much the only reason I ever carry cash on me at all, so I guess simply changing the vending machines to accept credit/debit cards would be a step past accepting $20's.)