Hacker News Reader

Comment by calvinmorrison | Hacker News Reader

> If you need the government to behave against the best interest of the people in order for your industry to exist maybe your industry shouldn't exist.

There was a "check cashing" store next to our DMV that solely existed to service people who visited the DMV. Our own government was unable to accept US tender.

This exists all over the place. The amount of servicing and companies that exist basically because of the government is insane.

View on HN

There seems to be some misunderstanding about what checks are, because this is absolutely not a matter of the government "not accepting legal tender". Checks are not issued by the government, nor are they backed by a guarantee of cash. They are issued by private companies, and are merely backed by a private company's promise of cash.

And sure: it feels ridiculous that checks aren't accepted, but the reason they're not accepted is because they're not legal tender. Nor are they even cash-equivalent. They're only cash-equivalent by the (sure, contractually regulated but still entirely the) grace of the private issuer, and only for as long as that private issuer remains in business.

Sorry, the DMV does not accept cash, only certified checks / money orders.

So not check cashing but cash-check'ing?

I've always heard them called 'check cashing' places. They essentially provide banking services for the unbanked populace. Pay your bills, get checks cashed, get checks made, etc.

My DMV in MA didn’t accept cash.

>Sorry, the DMV does not accept cash, only certified checks / money orders.

And credit/debit cards. At least where I live.

IIRC, the US Coast Guard cannot provide gas to stranded boats that simply ran out of fuel because they were sued by companies that provide that service.

That’s basically the answer to all of these issues. Tax preparers bribed Congress to ban the IRS from doing it for the majority of Americans as well.

Do you have a reference or citation for this? I looked for the case, but couldn't turn anything up. It seems extraordinary, especially because the federal government would seemingly have sovereign immunity from such a lawsuit, unless it was somehow a taking.

It was told to me by a coast guard helicopter pilot that I grew up with. Not one prone to exaggeration. I've also heard from boaters that it is kind of general knowledge to say that you are having an emergency vs out of gas if find yourself stranded.

Edit: Here is the best I can find. It sounds like it was a congressional mandate from 1983:

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-02-22-mn-587-st...