Best choice of woman on the $10 bill

So, beginning in 2020, a woman will appear on the $10 bill, according to the U.S. Treasury.

Typical, isn't it? Women get their face on money just as we become a cashless society. It's like finding out that they're going to put your face on an album cover right when everybody switches to mp3s.

Once again, the chauvinist system slights women. Am I right, ladies?

But really, the plan to add a woman's face to the $10 bill has brought its share of confusing, confounding debate.

In one survey of registered voters (do unregistered voters not use cash? If they do, why weren't they asked?), Eleanor Roosevelt got the most support. Sure, she's much admired, but wouldn't we ultimately be honoring her for who her husband was? I mean, she did a lot of great things, but wasn't her most notable achievement her marriage? Isn't that a rather old-school choice?

In that poll, abolitionist Harriet Tubman was second, American Indian guide Sacagawea was third, Amelia Earhart ("My $10 bill disappeared just like the person on it!") fourth and Susan B. Anthony rounded out the top five.

Anthony's candidacy is particularly significant because the change in the $10 bill is being made to coincide with the 100th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote and Anthony was a key player. But don't people remember the dollar coin mess? We had a Susan B. Anthony dollar coin and it flopped. Putting her on the bill would be like bringing Dennis Miller back to "Monday Night Football."

While I don't have a problem with any of the top five choices, they don't seem particularly inspired.

Whoever gets her face on the bill will replace Alexander Hamilton, which isn't a big loss. Hamilton advocated for a national currency, so having him on a bill is kind of like having George Mikan's signature on the NBA basketball because he was a proponent of the 3-point line.

I suggest a different approach. The woman on the $10 bill should be someone who was successful on her own in her field, not because she's married to someone who was. We appear to be a year away from the first woman major-party candidate for president, so political choices are out for now.

Entertainment is the obvious solution and the choice of an entertainer could make the new bill a collector's item, too. Kind of like the Elvis stamps.

My first thought was someone like Madonna, who is fiercely independent and has been a leader in her field for 30 years. But then I considered her remake of "American Pie" and rejected the idea.

The best choice is obvious – one of America's most beloved stars.

The best candidate virtually invented the situation comedy on television and 60 years later, her iconic role in "I Love Lucy" remains timely. In addition, her business acumen made her one of the most powerful figures in show business long before women could get into most board rooms. She ran a TV studio that produced not only her shows, but "Mission Impossible" and "Star Trek."

That she was portraying a ditsy goofball while rewriting the corporate entertainment handbook, having children on her own timeline and overcoming significant obstacles makes this woman clearly the best choice.

Yes, that's right.

It's time for the Lucille Bill.

Brad Stanhope is a former Daily Republic editor. Reach him at bradstanhope@hotmail.com.