The campaign to find one remarkable (and deceased) American woman to honor on the redesigned $10 bill kicked off last summer, when Treasury Secretary Jack Lew asked for the public’s help in nominating a replacement for dead white cisgender male Alexander Hamilton. Lew received plenty of suggestions (sorry, Beyoncé is still alive and therefore doesn’t qualify) as well as complaints from legislators and citizens who wanted the $20 bill redesigned instead: who uses tens anymore?
For reasons we don’t understand, the Treasury Department has revived the campaign and flooded YouTube with cabinet secretaries promoting the redesign effort in a series of hostage videos.
"It's a wonderful chance to highlight the contributions women have made to our country"— @JohnKerry on #TheNew10. https://t.co/rqH2L6bACg
— Treasury Department (@USTreasury) October 8, 2015
Moments from a clean getaway, Common Core devotee Arne Duncan was tapped to record this:
.@usedgov Sec. @arneduncan: This redesign of our currency is just the beginning. https://t.co/lJmAQ1Gg64 #TheNew10 pic.twitter.com/nFLd4KjAdD
— Treasury Department (@USTreasury) October 8, 2015
Just the beginning? Lew explains that “the next generation of currency will revolve around the theme of democracy” and adds that currency “has long been a way to honor our past and express our values” — which we’re pretty sure means “In God We Trust” is history.
There are plenty of other videos out there, but we’d rather stick to the theme of democracy and go straight to the people.
.@NPRinskeep quizes @USTreasury Lew on #thenew10 and doesn't even mention #womenon20s or ask about removing Jackson. Why? @MorningEdition
— Women On 20s (@WomenOn20s) October 8, 2015
@WomenOn20s @NPRinskeep @USTreasury @MorningEdition: Actually an attempt was made. lew is lame lacks credibility. He is an evasive stooge.
— Richard R. Schultz (@RichardRSchult1) October 8, 2015
@SecBurwell #TheNew10 should be #TheNew20 – Jackson was a war criminal who violated our constitution. Hamilton helped found @USTreasury
— Andrew Fox (@A_FantasticFox) October 8, 2015
Keep Hamilton where he is. Take Jackson off the $20 & replace him with a woman (pref a woman of color lmao suck it Jackson) #thenew10
— Meredith Goff (@meredithragan) October 8, 2015
Tough crowd. No one said a woman can’t be on the $20 bill too; all the denominations are being redone.
Harriet Tubman#TheNew10
— john cramer (@SkyenceMatter) October 8, 2015
Harriet Tubman for #TheNew10, please. Although, she should really be on the $20.
— Simona Combi (@combione) October 8, 2015
Rosa Parks, obviously. #TheNew10 https://t.co/bdV9pZihd6
— r subramanian (@randomsubu) October 8, 2015
@USTreasury MERCY OTIS WARREN -the most sensible choice! #TheNew10
— Shawn Stephens (@scStephens13) October 8, 2015
.@LorettaLynch My vote for #TheNew10 is @DrMayaAngelou maybe with her reminder to “try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud.” 🙂
— kristen berry (@kristen_berry) October 8, 2015
Maya Angelou for #TheNew10 #AllTheWay The $10 bill has always been my favorite small bill.
— Leah B (@leah_bateman) October 8, 2015
Eleanor Roosevelt for #TheNew10 Women's, Civil, and HUMAN rights, how can you top that?
— Joanna Wozniak-Brown (@OnGardenPath) October 8, 2015
@USTreasury @WHLive #EleanorRoosevelt. She covers many bases, women, #LGBT, political activism, and hope. #TheNew10
— DrewInDetroit (@bridgespeaks) October 8, 2015
put Eleanor motherfucking Roosevelt on #TheNew10 $ bill @FDRLibrary
— ☠SUPRME CAT NOMINEE☠ (@_catWillDoomYou) October 8, 2015
I think Sojourner Truth should be #TheNew10
— Emily Legel (@ealegel) October 8, 2015
#TheNew10
Amelia Earhart pic.twitter.com/s9PjwT2JeN— Cindy Lewis (@cmlewis321) October 8, 2015
Ideas for #TheNew10 ? How about Grace Hopper, one of the most influential people in early computing (& who coined the term "computer bug"!)
— Keith Ott (@ducttape1212) October 8, 2015
Beyoncé. #TheNew10
— Erin (@erin_ville) October 8, 2015
She’s still alive, but we hear she slays.
Did America learn nothing from the #NZFlag submission process? The $10 note is going to end up featuring Miley Cyrus or Miss Piggy #TheNew10
— Alessandra Rachael (@AlessandraRach) October 8, 2015