> It’s a great coup of US credit card companies to convince credit card users that they are getting “free money” when it’s the exact same money they paid in transaction fees.

The transaction fees aren't explicitly added to only credit card transactions - they are baked into the price so people who pay cash and debit are also paying a fee. Credit card rewards therefore reallocate money from people who use cash/debit cards to people who use "reward (credit) cards".