Is this even legal?
"Barron's" (July 2, 2007, page 39) reports the existence of BerkShares, paper money printed and issued in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts. The idea is to boost the local economy by keeping money in the local economy. It is currently accepted at some 280 local businesses.
(I'd like to post a link to the article, but reading the article online requires a subscription, and getting them to post an article that we can link to costs on the order of $500 per month.)
Never mind the questionable benefit this currency will give to the local economy. My copy of the United States Constitution reads, "No State shall... make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts...." (Article I, Section 10)
Now, I realize that the "Berserkshires" are not a state, but several Supreme Court rulings have made it clear that what applies to the states also applies to subdivisions of the states.
Is this the first step to secession?
Categories:
0 TrackBacks
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: Is this even legal?.
TrackBack URL for this entry: http://novatownhall.com/mt/mt-tb.cgi/1251
3 Comments
Leave a comment
Recent Comments
...A pizza chain in the south and west
suburbanite:
...I read the article about this, and
stay puft:
...apparently there are a number of "p
Tag Cloud
- Ahlemann
- america
- amnesty
- bodies
- budget debt
- centreville
- china
- civilian
- Clinton
- creation
- crime
- culture
- Dallas Cowboys
- dead
- Delgaudio
- DREAM
- economics
- economy
- education
- election
- fire
- genetic engineering
- Gerry Connolly
- globalization
- government
- gun-control
- Help Save Hampton Roads
- Help Save Loudoun
- homosexuality
- housekeeping
- hugo chavez
- illegal hiring
- immigrant
- immigration
- immigration enforcement
- iraq
- Jim Bowden
- latin america
- Laura Valle
- LCRC Convention
- legislation
- mexico
- Mike George
- Mukit Hossain
- NAFTA
- nafta
- Obama
- politics
- pro-life
- quisling
- reform
- religion
- revelation
- sanctions
- science
- sin
- social
- Starletta Hairston
- Sterling
- Steve Simpson
- Stolle
- the future
- Tony Romo
- treason
- two-party
- values
- Virginia Senate
- vouchers
- wall
- war
- Webb
Search
Recent Posts
- What is wrong in the republican party in Loudoun County
- Election Results
- Another year, another loss, and a silver lining
- Signs Revisited....And Trespassing!
- Vote!!!! are you voting yet?
- Preliminary Thoughts on Tomorrow's Voting
- From the Northern Virginia Daily
- Vote the Immigration Enforcement Ticket tomorrow
- Great Comment on Oleszek's Inneptitude and Dishonest Campaign
- Tax bill and Waste
Old Dominion Blog Alliance
Categories
- 10th District Convention
- Abortion
- Blogging
- CPAC
- Campaign 2007
- Campaign 2008
- Campaign 2009
- Carnival of What I Just Found
- Commerce
- Crime
- Culture
- Democrat Wrath
- Economics
- Entertainment
- Environment
- General Politics
- Good Causes
- Government and Politics
- Gun Control
- Household Blogging
- Ideology
- Immigration
- Latest from WorldNetDaily
- Marriage and Family
- Media
- News
- Pandemic Watch
- Race
- Religion
- Science
- Site Housekeeping
- Sports
- Taking Back Our Nation
- Taxes
- Transportation
- VA General Assembly
- War
Technorati
Blogroll
American Daughter
Black Velvet Bruce Li
Digital Camel
Dissociation
Equality Loudoun
Just Like The Nut
MonkeyWatch
Not Larry Sabato
Spank That Donkey
Straight White Guy
Too Conservative
Two Conservatives
United Conservatives of Virginia
VB Dems
Virginia political blogs
Virginia Virtucon
Misc. Resources
ALIPAC
American Patrol Report
ANCIR
Center For Immigration Studies
Choose Black America
Citizens For A Constitutional Republic
Coalition for the Future American Worker
Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus
Dan Stein Report
DeportAliens
Diversity Alliance
Dustin Inman Society
FAIR
FIRE Coalition
For The Cause
Frosty Woolridge
Grassfire
Help Save Herndon
Help Save Manassas
Help Save Hampton Roads
Help Save Loudoun
Help Save Loudoun PAC
Immigration Buzz
IllegalAliens.US
Immigration Watchdog
Immigration's Human Cost
Institute For Immigration Policy Review
Lou Dobbs
Mothers Against Illegal Aliens
National Border Patrol Council NumbersUSA
Outsource Outrage
Report Illegals
Save Our State
Save Stafford
Small Town Defenders
State Legislators For Legal Immigration
The Social Contract
Team America
U.S. Border Control
USCIS
U.S. Immigration Reform PAC
VDARE.com
Veterans For Secure Borders
We Hate Gringos
We Hire Aliens
You Don't Speak For Me
ECOSYSTEM
Archives
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- January 2007
- December 2006
- November 2006
- October 2006
- September 2006
- August 2006
- July 2006
- June 2006
- May 2006
- April 2006
- March 2006
- February 2006
- January 2006
- December 2005
- November 2005
- October 2005
- September 2005
apparently there are a number of "private" currencies out there. (see: e-gold)
maybe the fact that it's done privately means that it's within the letter of the law.
A friend of mine once came across some sort of private dollar that had a website address on it that went on about this currency was backed by gold and it was going to bring back the gold standard. It struck me as some sort of crazy right-wing shenanigans. I wish I could remember the site, you'd probably like it! ;)
I read the article about this, and it falls under the definition "scrip", which is legal. They are basically issuing their own sustainable boutique green stamps.
Very interesting in the article were quotes from the local merchants who participate, who say they assume the risk, and do lose some on the deal. They accept the shares, but cannot pay their suppliers in same.
A pizza chain in the south and west accept pesos, also walmarts near the border accept pesos.
The pizza shop say that mexicans have many pesos stored away in socks and they want to give them the opportunity to spend them.
The pizza chain has received threats from around the nation but they said they will continue. Sales are up and they charge extra for the service.