So if inflation, deflation, recessions and depressions must happen, why switch to a gold or metals standard? What possible advantage could it have? The only advantage I see is to the largest gold producer which is the Chinese and maybe the currency traders like Soros.
That is one major concern I have that goldbugs are in denial of. It is too easily influenced by outside forces. The problem with promotion of the Gold Standard is it attempting to treat a cancer by giving someone a bath. Also, too many people believe that the fundamental issue we have with our economy is the Federal Reserve manipulating prices and are under the false notion that Gold can't be manipulated. You usually see misnomers like 'the price of a suit always cost one gold ounce no matter where the dollar is'. That is actually pretty false. Right now, the price of one ounce of gold could buy a high end bespoke suit while in 1899 it would by an every man Sears suit. For that example to be true, gold would only be $200/ounce now.
(I also believe a LOT of those pushing this are highly invested in Gold and are hoping for investment returns- Ron Paul had to disclose in the last election he had a lot of investments in Gold Mines).
The issue is basic economics, spending more than you produce. It is also Constitutional, with the government going well beyond its authorized purpose. The government is not a revenue producing entity so anything it spends must either have a specific governmental function (like defense) or in limited cases, infrastructure capital purpose. Everything else is like burning money.