Yup, there are alternatives to paypal in the US, like paymate, moneybookers etc.
I also use moneybookers and it treats its users like human beings. Problem is that paypal has a huge foothold. Most US banks won't allow people to pay with master/visa debit cards using facilities other than something so recognized like paypal.
Also, for some reason, most of Europe (incl. UK) are paypal only on eBay.
The other problem is that paypal only fucks with sellers. If a change is going to come about, then you are going to have to see buyers change their preferences. That is unlikely to happen.