“They don’t have to confiscate gold. They can just make sure the banking system, which they now control, refuses to accept gold as a currency...or to regulate it so much that it’s diseconomic....”
True. As this depression continues to worsen, you’ll see a black market economy start to grow with lots of bartering and Gold will only be part of it. People will trade even if its just at the local levle in order to survive....regardless of what the Obambi says or does.
Local scrip is already emerging here and in Europe. And some int’l trade is going through as barter.
I wonder how they will try to tax barter?
“...People will trade...”
Stock up on toilet paper and razor blades: they make super bartering merchandise.
And don’t expect paper money and non-valuable metal coins (sandwich-quarters) to be accepted as currency at some point (it will have $0 value as the govt. is bankrupt). Small denomination gold coins and Morgan silver dollars will come out into circulation, is my prediction.