article by: Craig Hasten
Yesterday we posted an article about a 67 year old man by the name of Bernard von NotHaus who was arrested in 2007 for minting "Liberty Dollar" gold and silver coins. NotHaus made no attempt to "counterfeit" legal US tender, as his goal was to offer Americans an alternative form of currency, not reproduce what is fast becoming a worthless fiat. NotHaus, like many Americans, was simply tired of the US Dollar (which has been devalued by over 95% since the creation of the Federal Reserve System in 1913).
What I find disturbing was the outlandish accusation by the US Attorney Anne M. Tompkins regarding NotHaus. In her statement she proclaimed that "attempts to undermine the legitimate currency of this country are simply a unique form of domestic terrorism"
In this one sentence Tompkins labeled anyone who looks at gold and silver as a means of wealth preservation a terrorists. For you see this case was not about a man who was attempting to counterfeit US currency as the government suggested, but about the minting of private gold and silver bullion coins. The "Liberty Dollar" coins that NotHaus minted were sold as bullion coins that Americans could purchase either with the intent to use the coins to barter with, or to use as a means of preserving their wealth against inflation and a corrupt system.
Another piece of the puzzle that I find interesting is that the government also raided the Sunshine Mint who was contracted to produce the gold and silver "Liberty Dollar" coins. In all, five tons of gold and silver was confiscated in the raid and is still being held by the government.
Or is it?
You see the Sunshine Mint is the primary supplier of silver blanks for the US Mint which are used to make the US Silver Eagle bullion coins.
Maybe it is the conspiracy theory lover in me but I smell something rotten with this one.
There are lots of private producers of bullion coins as well as various other alternative currencies in the United States, all which trade freely everyday. So why did the government decide to target the "Liberty Dollar"?
Could it be that since the government had such a good relationship with the Sunshine Mint it knew of the vast amount of gold and silver bullion sitting in their vaults, ripe for the taking?
It is no secret that the US government has ran out of stored silver and as many speculate, the gold vaults are probably looking a little bare as well. Could it be possible that the Liberty Dollar raid was simply a way for the government to get its hands on some much needed gold and silver?
Over the past year the US Mint has halted production of the Silver Eagle bullion coins several times on the grounds of a supply shortages of silver. I don't find it out of the realm of possibility that they could have had their friends at the Sunshine Mint use the confiscated silver "Liberty Dollars" to produce silver blanks for the production of Silver Eagles.
The forfeiture trial for the five tons of gold and silver seized by the government started at the beginning of the month but in my opinion this is just a formality. I say this because I guarantee that the government has no intention of returning 5 tons of gold and silver when all they have to due (thanks to the Patriot Act) is declare Bernard von NotHaus a "domestic terrorist".
Game, Set, Match......
2 comments:
What a silly law.
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