[flagrant_taco]

> And despite those drawbacks, it's still better than the VISA/MC duopoly on online payments

I'm always torn on this one. I really dislike monopolies (or duopolies in this case) and functionally the government has enough power today to compel Visa/MC to do whatever they want. Though as long as they are technically not part of the government we have a chance to rip apart that government power and remove their control of the financial institutions.

I have no real hope that those in charge would actually let it happen, but that small chance is gone if the government is running things directly.