December 28, 2023 | States to Deem Silver and Gold Legal Tender
Several US states are considering legislation to reclassify gold and silver as money rather than commodities. Bills filed in Oklahoma and Missouri aim to eliminate state capital gains taxes on the sale of gold and silver, and to treat these metals as currency. Other states like Arkansas and Utah are also considering introducing similar legislation. The proposed laws also include provisions to authorize the state to invest in gold or silver and to prevent state entities from seizing gold or silver bullion.
These measures are seen as steps toward reducing barriers to using gold and silver as money and lowering the investment cost of precious metals. On the plus, gold and silver may be used in transactions without an additional fee. If I purchase something for $100, I am not charged an additional fee for using USD – but let’s not give the government any ideas. Proponents of the bill say the Federal Reserve has a monopoly on our banking system, and deeming precious metals legal tender would prevent the central bank from having total control over fiat currency.
Not so fast – the government will not relinquish their control over the monetary system. They have told us their plan for digital currencies and deeming gold and silver currency will only make it easier for the government to confiscate. The entire problem that people do not grasp with regard to any return to a gold standard is that if the money supply is FIXED in any way, that necessitates the collapse of SOCIALISM. The two are directly linked. Politicians only know how to run with deficits. “Vote for me and I will give you everything!”
The Bretton Woods gold standard collapsed because they FIXED the price of gold at $35, but they continued to print money far beyond the supply of gold at that fixed price. Then there is the largely ignored business cycle. No matter what the money might be, there will be boom times when the value of money declines and the asset values rise. There is a natural course of a business cycle to the economy you cannot flatline or eliminate no matter how many schemes you invent from central banks, Keynesianism, Monetarism, Socialism, or Communism. It just cannot be accomplished.
The problem is not the physical money we use. The problem is that governments continually abuse their power and recklessly dive deeper into debt with each new spending package. Bretton Woods collapsed, as did every attempt to create any monetary system of some fixed value. Yes, they are not considering a gold-backed system here, but deeming gold and silver legal tender misses the mark. Gold and silver were hedges AGAINST government. The people have been able to use commodities to trade amongst themselves since the dawn of civilization. This legislation permits the government to intervene and naturally impose regulations.
The year 2025 will bring a turning point in Marxism as we reach the midpoint of the 224-year cycle (1913-2025).
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Martin Armstrong December 28th, 2023
Posted In: Armstrong Economics