Probably because the state has limited ability to compel business relationships, thank God, and taking card effectively means enforcing a business relationship with a duopoly.
The 10th amendment gives states nearly unlimited right to enact any law. Many states literally have emergency power laws which grant the Governor essentially dictatorial powers (to create and enforce laws himself; by decree), which was used for lockdowns and mask mandates.
It's a common misconception that arises from state legislatures doing nothing for several decades, but the power is there.
I'm referring to "The State" not "the states". But otherwise, emergency powers are exactly that. At least in theory they are something that provides the state powers it would not normally have for a temporary period. Ideally with some checks against perpetual maintenance.
Not necessarily. The State can compel cash because it is the state mandated and controlled medium of exchange. Cards are not controlled by the state and thereby compel a business relationship with a private company. Probably if the state controlled cards, then it would have a mandate to, uh, mandate them.
I realise it begs the question a little, the state can mandate cash because it's the state's mandated and controlled medium of exchange, but state power often begs the question.
I'm not really sure how you could ever realize something like this without inventing prepaid cards which go through a card network anyway and are just ephemeral bank accounts backed by real banks.
Any business that is large enough can get their gift cards in retail stores which would be fine. It would definitely create a moral hazard if Netflix had to provide a cash option like this because retail stores would suddenly have crazy amounts of leverage but w/e. But then naturally there would be market need for "accept cash payments for your online service" as a service for smaller businesses that can't just get partnerships with Target and Kroger and the entity providing that service would just be a bank issuing branded prepaid cards but using their own bespoke card network.
Like you can't fight it, you always invent Visa.
You could probably cut card networks out eventually with $as_of_yet_unlaunced_service backed by FedNow but that's not exactly cash and still requires a bank account.
Well, a lot of bills are payable in cash at places like post-offices, and for some, service stations and convenience stores. You go in with your invoice, hand them cash, and get a receipt.
No attack on you, but I feel like lots of people are suffering from not only a lack of imagination, but a serious lapse in memory for the days when they didn't always have a card and not every subscription was an online direct debit arrangement.
