Regarding the Fort Knox discussion

[lgiver@postoffice.pacbell.net]

Yes, it's in the U.S.A. constitution:  "Congress shall have the power to 
coin money and regulate the value thereof."   Of course, the congress is 
made up of politicians, not professional economists, so they are mostly 
not adept in how to use this power, nor particularly interested.  So for 
all practical purposes, they've lost this power to the federal reserve 
and the treasury department.  Interesting how these things evolve.  I 
remember William J. Bryan's "Cross of Gold" speech which launched his 
first of 3 nominations for president.
     This is very relevant to Don Rosa's Scrooge story "His Majesty 
McDuck", my favorite of his stand-alone stories (not a Barks' sequel, 
nor part of Scrooge's Life & Times).  Scrooge is still concerned about 
getting more money---this time as tax refunds from the federal 
government, the Calisota state government, and even the Duckburg city 
government.  But Scrooge should have had bigger thoughts---as king of an 
independent country, he can coin his own money, and fill his money bin 
with coins and currency having pictures of HIMSELF!  The advantages and 
disadvantages of doing that would have been really interesting to 
explore, and that would really get to the issue of the true nature and 
value of money.
           ---Larry Giver.