If this claim was right, there would be lots of locations in which card readers are not available, but checks are accepted. In fact, you seem to be totally wrong about this bizarre claim.
It’s a good thing I never said that because it is indeed bizarre. Of course individuals may move closer to the better European optima, but the system as a whole remains in the optima. You may be able to use your debit card in plenty of places, but where’s the rest of the European style system? Can you trivially send money from account to account? Receive deposits in minutes or hours rather than multiple days? etc.
The same argument could be used to claim that Los Angeles’ transportation infrastructure is more advanced than San Francisco’s.
Would pass the reversal test. There are plenty of LAers who would welcome a light rail system, and googling I see there are active light rail projects.
It’s a good thing I never said that because it is indeed bizarre. Of course individuals may move closer to the better European optima, but the system as a whole remains in the optima. You may be able to use your debit card in plenty of places, but where’s the rest of the European style system? Can you trivially send money from account to account? Receive deposits in minutes or hours rather than multiple days? etc.
Would pass the reversal test. There are plenty of LAers who would welcome a light rail system, and googling I see there are active light rail projects.