Texas board adopts new social studies curriculum

[Gene_SC]

Read the facts here:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100521/ap_on_re_us/us_texas_schools_social_studies

[DoubleDiamond]

Now we will see California and some other states change their curriculum the other way to offset the changes made in Texas.

Pretty soon textbook publishers will have many different versions....United States History Texas version, California version, New York version......

Hell, they may already have several different publications.

Choose your flavor!

[North Pack]

"The standards will refer to the U.S. government as a "constitutional republic," rather than "democratic," and students will be required to study the decline in the value of the U.S. dollar, including the abandonment of the gold standard."
.
Excellent, - something the students REALLY do need to know, more than memorizing someone's birthday. We are a Republic - not a democracy. ... Watch, now the state of California plus a few eastern cities will boycott Texas along with Arizona. What a total bunch of losers.

[RedFeather]

Someone should remind that bozo that the South LOST the war. Sheesh! The world as Texas sees it..... As to the abandonment of the gold standard, many schools DO discuss it. Ever wonder how much gold (including silver) it would take to back the entire paper currency of the US? I doubt there's that much mined gold in the world, hence the switch to currencies tied to economic faith or trust. What's troublesome with the Texas School Board is that publishers make a single text book meeting that state's requirements because they are such a big customer, then MY kids have to use it. I live in Virginia, a state that is a helluva lot more in tune with the Civil War than those weevils in Texas and WE'VE gotten over it. Heck, they wanted to require kids to study Jefferson Davis' inaugural address. More than a little obscure especially in light of how much the poor kids these days have to ingest during an increasingly crowded school day. Time for those boys to get out and visit the rest of the county. Buy I'm starting to sound political now, which, of course, this thread kind of is.

[Big_Bill]

Well it sounds like George Orwell's, Animal House to me !

This week they will tell you what they want you to know, and next week the will be teaching you that Stalin was the GREAT HERO off W.W.II, just like the teach in Russia ! And how he saved America from the Germans !

If you read the Constitution, the original document, not the interpreted version, the Congress is given the right to coin money, yes, to coin money !!!! and out of Gold and Silver !!!! Not the Federal Reserve, private bankers ?

The United States had promissory notes early in her existence, and it didn't work ! No one trusted the currency backed by FAITH ! The people would say that this currency wasn't worth a constitution, as it was printed and distributed by the Government, and backed only buy goodfaith.

Our Founding Fathers knew that if we wanted a strong Government, that the currency would need to be strong also !

And as I am sure that you can see, the Dollar has depreciated quite a bit since 1973, ounce an ounce of GOLD was worth $35.00, now how much is it worth ! over $2000.00 dollars. Is your $35.00 in paper money still worth over $2000.00 today ?

So I'm totally in favor of our schools teaching the Constitution, as it was originally written !

That is what is needed in my opinion, for the children and the people to read the truth ! Before the Pigs in Washington D.C. turn into farmers !

Bill

[Bentong]

This is what happens because we don't have a National Language!

[RedFeather]

Let's talk Gold. In 2008, per the US Treasury, there was about $853.2 billion in paper US currency in circulation. A pretty good estimate of worldwide gold production is about fifty million troy ounces per year. At a spot rate high of about $1250, that's $62.5 billion. To back our entire paper currency in gold would require (at a price of $1250), about 682,560,000 ounces, or more than seven and a half year's worth of production, assuming it was all ours, which it isn't. Fort Knox has about 147,300,000, so we're a bit short.

Here's the rub with gold. Let's assume the US resurrects the gold standard and we have the required amount of gold stored with the Treasury. What happens to the dollar when the price of gold begins to fall from $1250? The dollar, which is now tied to it, goes down unless the US acquires more gold. Check out the five year average gold prices. They started at a little over $400 an ounce, so there can be a significant downside to this metals market. What do we do when the price of gold really increases? Should we sell some off, because we are now over-funded? That would pay off a lot of debt. But the market might swing back down and we would have to reacquire gold. It's just become too volatile a commodity to peg currencies against. Maybe back in the Olden Days of gold coins, but that game played out by the 1930's when the gross national product began to exceed gold inventories.

It's easy to say that the dollar has not kept pace with gold. The 1974 NY market price for gold was $160, ending at $950 in 2009, almost a 600% gain. How about that 1974 dollar? It took $4.35 in 2009 to equal its purchasing power. So, a 2009 dollar was worth about a quarter of what it was in 1974. (Per the CPI.) BUT, there are lots and lots of those inflated dollars, competing with lots and lots of inflated Euros, Rubles, Yen, etc. The playing field is not as uneven as you might think.  Believe me, it's much easier using paper-only currencies. Think about one country deciding to cash in all of its US dollars? All of that gold has to be shipped, etc. That's done on a small scale now, with one country literally transferring bullion to another country's vault (all within the same building). But it would be a nightmare on a macro scale.

Now, about "those guys in DC". Who's guys do you think they are? DC doesn't manufacture politicians. YOU guys send them there. So, don't go ragging the home team (native Washingtonian here - a rare bird around these here parts.)

[jay morgan]

As some one on here remind's us "He who does not understand History is doomed to repeat the mistake's of the past"!!!! I myself think it is a good thing. I'm tired of our history being watered down so that a few can feel good about them self's & this sad a$$ way of no kid left behind,come on bend the gradeing curve so a 90I.Q. kid is the same as a 150 student,keep petting them & that is what you end up with PET's!!! I've seen my grandboy's school work load ,they can darn sure use more ED. & less feel good bull*_*_*_*_*_* that's mainly lie's or at best bent half true tell's.

[Big_Bill]

I fail to catch your meaning Red !

The Constitution says that the Congress has the right to "COIN" money, in Gold and Silver.

Those with that responsibility have given it to private bankers that are not responsible to the Congress.

In 1934, a $20.00 Gold Piece was worth $20.00, today, acommon, in fair condition$20.00 Gold Piece is worth $1,195.00, a 6000% increase in value by today's currency. That means that your currency has devalued approximately 6000% since the dollar has been released from its Constitutional mandate making the COINAGE of The United States of America be minted in Silver and/ or Gold !

If the Gold and Silver Standard had been kept in place, we would not have needed additional silver and/ or gold, because our currency would have kept value with the silver and gold in our Treasuries !

In 1774 or dollar was worth $1.00, in 1860 our dollar was worth $0.97, in 1950 our dollar was worth $0.33, and in 2009 our dollar was only worth in buying power $0.04 cents !

So if you are proud to be a native born Washington D.C. person, don't smile to loudly !

The value of $1 over time, in 1776 dollars.^[40]

Buying power of one U.S. dollar compared to 1774 USD

Bill

Buying power of one U.S. dollar compared to 1774 USD

Year	Equivalent buying power	Year	Equivalent buying power	Year	Equivalent buying power
1774	$1.00	1860	$0.97	1950	$0.33
1780	$0.59	1870	$0.62	1960	$0.26
1790	$0.89	1880	$0.79	1970	$0.20
1800	$0.64	1890	$0.89	1980	$0.10
1810	$0.66	1900	$0.96	1990	$0.06
1820	$0.69	1910	$0.85	2000	$0.05
1830	$0.88	1920	$0.39	2007	$0.04
1840	$0.94	1930	$0.47	2008	$0.04
1850	$1.03	1940	$0.56	2009	$0.04

Buying power of one U.S. dollar compared to 1774 USD

Year	Equivalent buying power	Year	Equivalent buying power	Year	Equivalent buying power
1774	$1.00	1860	$0.97	1950	$0.33
1780	$0.59	1870	$0.62	1960	$0.26
1790	$0.89	1880	$0.79	1970	$0.20
1800	$0.64	1890	$0.89	1980	$0.10
1810	$0.66	1900	$0.96	1990	$0.06
1820	$0.69	1910	$0.85	2000	$0.05
1830	$0.88	1920	$0.39	2007	$0.04
1840	$0.94	1930	$0.47	2008	$0.04
1850	$1.03	1940	$0.56	2009	$0.04

Buying power of one U.S. dollar compared to 1774 USD

Year	Equivalent buying power	Year	Equivalent buying power	Year	Equivalent buying power
1774	$1.00	1860	$0.97	1950	$0.33
1780	$0.59	1870	$0.62	1960	$0.26
1790	$0.89	1880	$0.79	1970	$0.20
1800	$0.64	1890	$0.89	1980	$0.10
1810	$0.66	1900	$0.96	1990	$0.06
1820	$0.69	1910	$0.85	2000	$0.05
1830	$0.88	1920	$0.39	2007	$0.04
1840	$0.94	1930	$0.47	2008	$0.04
1850	$1.03	1940	$0.56	2009	$0.04

[North Pack]

Since the de-pegging of gold to the dollar in the seventies, there's been an "inverse relationship" most of the time. The last time gold truly "ran-up" was in the late seventies and early eighties, - VERY strong inflation based concerns were responsible. - Fast forward to today, and the run-up isn't "inflation based" - it's economic & currency based. The Euro is under tremendous and totally self-inflicted pressure - check Greece for starters. More problems are not far behind in Portugal, Spain & Ireland = equals A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY..... Paper money worldwide today has almost NO REAL VALUE, except that "we" accept it as a means of trade, - kinda a "faith based approach". .... Money based on a commodity, say gold - has REAL VALUE, something tangible. ... Politicians/governments being what they are, will "most likely" try and restore some value to their currencies - using gold or a "basket of commodities". .... Gold DOES NOT have to trade at one dollar or fifty dollars to an ounce. - A return to a government set "controlled price" is not out of the question - it's happened before. - It could easily be 1/8 or 1/16 or 1/32 ounce equals $50.00 - who knows??? ... Take the gold reserves and divide each ounce into a zillion pieces, - and your currency is back on the "gold standard" - to a point. ... All you have to do is figure out the "easiest way to do it politically" - and that's the path that will be used.

[RedFeather]

Did you see the estimate of US paper currency in circulation? We don't have enough gold to back the face value of that money. International trade is in the trillions of dollars. How much refined gold do you think exists in the world? It wouldn't cover a fraction of one year's trading. You simply can't run modern, large scale economies on a commodities-based currency. Same with stocks. They don't come close to the net assets of a corporation. Call it "faith" or "goodwill" or whatever, that is the risk you must take if you want to operate large scale.

Here's the take on "coining money":

"The framers of the Constitution considered the establishment  of a single national currency an important function of government.   Initially, only gold coins were issued.  The charter of the First Bank  of the United States (1791) gave it the right to issue bank notes, but  the bank notes were not legal tender.  In 1863, they were made legal  tender, and were called "greenbacks."  At first, the Supreme Court  stated that the issuing of greenbacks was unconstitutional (Hepurn v.  Griswold),  since the Constitution spoke only of coining money.  In two  subsequent cases, Legal Tender of 1871 and Julliar v. Greenman, the  Court changed its mind and declared greenbacks constitutional. "

Coins were safer forms of currency back when counterfeiting was fairly easy. Thanks to Archimedes, gold coinage could be easily verified. The big downside is, as things become more and more expensive, it's hard to lug around that much gold. Hence notes backed by gold. And remember, those bills said "Payable to the bearer on demand". You could, supposedly, trade them in for gold. Bet the Chinese would like that option.

[Big_Bill]

As I had pointed out Red,

If the dollar had remained on the Gold Standard, it would have increased 6000% ! Or increased $6000.00 dollars per $1 Bill. So the price of GOLD and the value of the dollar would have remained in parody of one another. This would have caused concern with countries that did not have a currency that was backed by something other that faith !

As for the :In 1863, they were made legal tender, and were called "greenbacks." At first, the Supreme Court stated that the issuing of greenbacks was unconstitutional (Hepurn v. Griswold), since the Constitution spoke only of coining money. In two subsequent cases, Legal Tender of 1871 and Julliar v. Greenman, the Court changed its mind and declared greenbacks constitutional. "

These were backed by GOLD !!!! And that is what made them legal tender.

Gold is still used for purposes of Inter-National Banking today ! Bars of Gold are just moved from one bank cage to another,, by the Federal Reserve Bank ! It seems the transfer of fund between Nations is still conducted with GOLD ! I wonder why ?

I guess that there word or paper are as worthless as ours ?

Bill

[North Pack]

A dollar really tied to gold, - would prevent the government from printing any amount it wanted to. With "no limit" on the amount of greenbacks, - crank up the presses. Only problem with that approach is, like anything else, the more you have of something, - the less it's worth. ... Interested in seeing what effect than has??? ... Plug in some amount, and go back 10-20-30 years. .... http://www.westegg.com/inflation/

[bodiej]

History's history right?  Who thinks they should have the right to change it to better suit their culture's individual ideals?  Hey didn't they do that with the Bible too!?

[Big_Bill]

History is in the eye of the beholder !

Every man, town, city, state, nation and continent sees what happened in their own eyes.

Every victor and conqueror writes it as they want it to be read.

And all peoples andevery future civilization will adapt it to their liking.

History is "HIS STORY" nothing more, everyone picks the story of their choice, and claims it as truth, but whose truth ?

History is only the truth that makes You Happy !

Bill