Posted on 02/10/2011 3:53:05 PM PST by neal1960
COLUMBIA, S.C. --
A bill in the South Carolina Senate would set up a committee to study whether South Carolina should create its own currency of gold and silver coins as an alternative to the U.S. dollar.
Sen. Lee Bright, R-Spartanburg, introduced the bill after seeing that Georgia, Virginia and Missouri are also looking at the same thing.
(Excerpt) Read more at 2.wspa.com ...
I was trying to point out that the key word is ‘BUT’. No state shall....BUT....gold or silver COIN.” So I take it to mean a state CAN make gold or silver coins.
That makes sense only if you completely ignore the bulk of Article I, Section 10. Section 10 says that no state shall coin money. Period. It's right after the part that says no state shall grant letters of marque or reprisal and right before the part that says no state shall emit bills of credit. The clause you're talking about does not stop at "make anything but gold and silver coin". It continues on to say "make anything but gold and silver coin a tender in payment of debt." That states can't pay their debts in anything but money. They can't barter it away or pay it off with IOUs.
The problem is that under the Constitution states cannot coin money, period. Regardless of whether it's gold, silver, or lead. "No state shall...coin money;" Says so right there in Article 10.
When did they take the part that says "No state shall...coin money" out of Article I, Section 10?
“make anything but gold and silver coin a tender in payment of debt.”
Maybe I’m stupid but the way I read it, it says the states cannot make anything a tender in payment of debt BUT (EXCEPT) silver or gold coin. To me that’s saying states can’t make paper money or bills.
No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit; make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts; pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post facto Law, or Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts, or grant any Title of Nobility.
This amendment, in fact, says that States must pay back their debts in “gold and silver coin.” How have states been paying back their debts since 1971 (when the nation wnet off the gold standard)? US Dollars? That’s unconstitutional. While you are technically correct, that coining actual currency is not Constitutional, States paying back our debts in silver and gold IS. If States choose to do that, they are merely following the Constitution.
“make any Thing BUT gold and silver Coin a Tender
Looks like an “out” to me.”
That was my thought also.
But what part of cannot coin money is so hard to follow?
Only the Constitution. But it has been made irrevelent,so,they are probably none.
What part of ‘BUT’ do you not understand. It says the state cannot make anything a “tender” BUT-BUT-BUT-BUT silver or gold. But means “except”. They CAN make tender of silver and gold.
Again, read Article 10. "No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit; make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts; pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post facto Law, or Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts, or grant any Title of Nobility." You ignore the first emboldened part of Article 10 completely and you stop reading before the second. I guess that since in your view Article 10 ends with "make any Thing but gold and silver Coin" then states can pass ex post facto laws and grant titles of nobility.
I’m going to say this one more time then I’m giving up.
It says “no state shall.....make anything BUT gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts”. It is specific that it’s not talking about gold or silver. That means the states CAN make gold and silver into money. Again, it says “anything BUT” silver or gold. That means the states CAN make gold and silver into money.
Okay, I said it twice.
Help me out here.
You can say it a hundred times or two hundred and it won't make it correct. States must use money to pay their debts. That is what Article 10 is saying. They may not use IOUs or some sort of swap and barter system. Debts are payable in cold, hard cash only. Move ahead a few words in the clause and you have the provision that states cannot coin money, period. What you want us to believe is that Article 10 says that states cannot coin money except when they coin money, and that is flat out ridiculous.
No, I’m saying states can’t make anything into money “BUT gold or silver coin”. Reads very simple to me. And I’m not alone. I believe the part that says not “make money” means paper dollars. Nor can they make coins or of stuff like copper, lead, tin, etc.
“any Thing BUT gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts;” What do you think the word “but” means?
Finally, who cares about the constitution? Certainly not the current crop of politicians....OR BOTH SIDES.
Then what does this read like to you? "States may not...coin money;..."
The founders were not idiots. They saw the mess that was made of money under the Articles of Confederation with states making their own currency and some states refusing to accept the currency of others. They knew that if our economy was to flourish then there would have to be one currency for the country.
States can not coin money BUT gold or silver coin. I’ll ask you again. What is the meaning of the word “but”? And if you don’t know the meaning of the word “but” please don’t reply. I don’t have time. I’m about to to SC and buy me some krill.
I think SC and all the other states mentioned should do it. Bird piss on the Feds. They have proven they have no clue about how to handle the country’s finances. Let the states do it. There will always be trade in precious metals.
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