I think you're right. The Constitution actually requires that our money be gold or silver (Article I, section 10) but that part of the Constitution has been ignored for the better part of a century. Ron Paul is called a kook because he believes we should follow Article I, section 10, which has never been repealed or superseded by an amendment. The relevant clause: "No State shall make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts" I'm sure the advocates of a "living Constitution" will be happy to explain why that clause doesn't mean what it obviously says.
Well the choice between corrupted politicians and an insane one is difficult indeed. Of course I can't blame you for oversimplifying the whole matter, you would not be a Paul fan if you could help it.
Article 1 Section 10 of the Constitution addresses "Powers prohibited of States". These powers are reserved for the federal government. Duh!
"No State shall make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts" I didn't look up the clause but assuming it's posted correctly here the way I read it seems to say the states CAN make coins they just have to be gold or silver.
You are absolutely correct. The main objective of the section is to prevent STATES from making their own currency. This power is granted to the Congress. STATES are still allowed to make Gold and Silver coins. This of course has nothing in common with rew's incorrect interpretation of the section to which I was responding. According to rew 'The Constitution actually requires that our money be gold or silver (Article I, section 10)'. Nothing can be further from the truth.
Actually that same part of the Constitution says that states can not coin money. Article I, section 8 says that Congress shall coin the money. So the clear intent was that the federal government would mint gold and/or silver coins that would then be used as a common currency by all the states.
Actually Article I, section 10 also says that no state shall coin money. Minting the coins is left to the federal government. According to a_person the federal government may produce fiat currency, backed by nothing at all -- MONEY THAT THE STATES CAN"T USE, as states can only use gold and silver coin as a tender in payment of debt. That makes a lot of sense -- to a living Constitutionalist.
LOL, Strict constitutionalist my ass You are now trying to divine the intent of the authors of the Constitution, the sin that Ron Paul and Co accuse everyone else of. When the founding fathers wanted the States to make coins out of Gold and Silver only, they just said it, they did not mince words. When the founding fathers did no want to mandate what material the federal government should use to make money - they did not specify that. What do you think, they forgot, had an Alzheimer epidemic? They did not specify it because they did not want to specify what the money was to be made of. This discussion actually confirms a broader point that I've been trying to make throughout this thread. The Constitution is a complex and complicated legal document subject to interpretation and serious legal debate, we have constitutional lawyers and the Supreme Court judges to settle constitutional issues, Ron Paul and his sheeple are just not competent enough on this matter.
What kind of gibberish is that? The article says States can't make money (other than gold/silver coins), it does not say states can't use money. They can and they must use money produced by the federal government. Right...