Bringing new meaning to the old adage, “it takes money to make money,” the federal government is spending $33 million on an advertising campaign to teach Americans about the latest redesign of the $20 bill. We find it bizarre that they would spend so much money to promote money when the only education most debt-stricken Americans need about the $20 bill is how to spend less of them.

To date, $19 billion worth of the new bills have gone into circulation, representing 20% of the $20 bills out there. The enhancements to the bill include a new watermark, more colors, a security stripe and a new picture of Andrew Jackson. The facelift that was given to our nation's 7th President would even make Joan Rivers blush.

The government defends the ad costs, claiming that they are spending less than 4 cents a person to protect us against counterfeiting. But, upon closer examination there are a few interests who stand to get quite a bit more than their share of the benefits.

The first in line is Burson-Marsteller, who will be overseeing the whole campaign for the Department of the Treasury and is in charge of spending $12 million for paid advertising. The “Color of Money” ad blitz rolling out the new 20-spot is so luxurious and sophisticated it would make any Hollywood actor jealous. Especially considering that the William Morris Agency, which represents boatloads of Hollywood stars, has been paid a flat fee to do publicity.

You are guaranteed to see the image of the new bill everywhere, including your friendly neighborhood ATM, college football games and “Monday Night Football.” It will be profiled on “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” featured in episodes of “West Wing” and “Law and Order,” and appear on the “Wheel of Fortune” and “Pepsi Billion Dollar Sweepstakes” show. If that's not enough to get the message to the public, Leno and Letterman's jokes about the bill are sure to spread the word a little further.

Then there will be banners on Amtrak's Acela high-speed trains, posters in subway stations, and a massive billboard in Times Square. Finally, the government is sending out 37 million pieces of instructional information to businesses and organizations to teach them how to properly identify authentic bills.

However, the most ridiculous of all the ad locations is the deal that's been struck with Goldfish Crackers. Not only will the bills appear on the side of special bags of the tasty treats, the crackers themselves will be colored to match the new bills.

The feds need to realize that they are not selling soap and this campaign has gone way too far. The government can accomplish the job — and get a lot more bang for the buck — if they target their efforts more effectively at the first line of defense against counterfeiting — retailers and bankers. All the advertising may seem sexy, but in reality it is a grade A money pit.