When we ask ourselves the question, “Can states survive without fiat currency?” the answer is clearly yes. Original Article: “Ending Fiat Money Won’t Destroy the State” This Audio Mises Wire is generously sponsored by Christopher Condon. Narrated by Michael Stack.

Last month, Colorado governor Jared Polis ended statewide mask mandates and social-distancing provisions, stating that “the emergency is over.“ This, of course, does not mean Colorado is now laissez-faire in terms of covid. Public higher education institutions—thanks to Polis’ tacit approval—still have free rein in terms of imposing vaccine and mask mandates, and in forcing classes …

The Chinese regime is doubling down in its “zero covid” strategy. In recent weeks, new covid cases have been detected in several cities. In a world of the more-contagious omicron variant, this is to be expected. But what has been the Chinese state’s response? It’s more of the same. Lockdowns, travel suspensions, and more. NBC …

Money supply growth rose slightly in November, rising above October’s twenty-one-month low. Even with November’s rise, though, money supply growth remains far below the unprecedented highs experienced during much of the past two years. During thirteen months between April 2020 and April 2021, money supply growth in the United States often climbed above 35 percent, well above even the “high” …

According to new data released Wednesday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, price inflation in December rose again to a new multidecade high, rising to the highest level recorded in nearly forty years. According to the Consumer Price Index for December, year-over-year price inflation rose to 7.1 percent. It hasn’t been that high since June 1982, when the growth rate was …

During a confirmation hearing with the US Senate this week, Fed chairman Jerome Powell was asked about whether or not a digital currency issued by a central bank could exist side by side with private cryptocurrencies. Powell responded that there is nothing that would prevent private cryptos from “coexisting” with a “digital dollar.” This, of course, is …

A certain meme has become popular among advocates of both gold and cryptocurrencies. This is the “Fix the money, fix the world” meme. This slogan is based on the idea that by switching to some commodity money—be it crypto or metal—and abandoning fiat currency, the world will improve greatly.  Taken in its moderate form, of …

Among those who support the end of government fiat money, it’s not uncommon to hear and see claims that gold is “the best money” or “natural money” or the only substance that’s really suited to be commodity money. In many of these cases, when they say “gold” they mean gold, and not silver, platinum, or …

The benefits of decentralization don’t stop at the state level. State governments themselves must be broken up into decentralized confederations that allow for local vetoes, local sovereignty, and regional autonomy. Original Article: “State-Level Secession Isn’t Enough. The States Themselves Must Be Radically Decentralized.” This Audio Mises Wire is generously sponsored by Christopher Condon. Narrated by …

California has announced it seeks to become a “sanctuary state” for abortion should the Supreme Court overturn Roe v. Wade. That is, the situation would return much to what it was before 1973. Original Article: “End Roe v. Wade: It’s Time to Defederalize Abortion Policy” This Audio Mises Wire is generously sponsored by Christopher Condon. …

If you did any Fed watching this week, you probably heard all about how Jay Powell has turned (or perhaps returned) to hawkishness, and how the Federal Open Market Committee is all about fighting price inflation now. A particularly cartoonish version of this claim was written by Rex Nutting at MarketWatch, who declared, “Everyone’s a hawk …

Throughout much of the past century, the idea of a gold standard for national currencies has been routinely linked with laissez-faire economics and “classical liberalism”—also known as “libertarianism.” It’s not difficult to see why. During the second half of the nineteenth century—as free-market liberalism was especially influential in much of Western Europe—it was the liberals …

It took many centuries for regimes to secure the sort of prestige and power necessary to claim a monopoly over money. From the state’s perspective, it has been worth it. Original Article: “How Governments Seized Control of Money” This Audio Mises Wire is generously sponsored by Christopher Condon. Narrated by Michael Stack.

A Democratic state lawmaker in Illinois has introduced legislation requiring unvaccinated residents to pay out-of-pocket for healthcare services. It’s all part of an effort to come up with new and creative ways to punish people who refuse to get the covid jab. WBBM Radio in Chicago reports: [Jonathan] Carroll’s legislation would amend the state’s insurance …

According to new data released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, price inflation in November rose to the highest level recorded in nearly 40 years. According to the consumer price index for November, year-over-year price inflation rose to 6.8 percent. It hasn’t been that high since June 1982 when the growth rate was at …

Florida governor Ron DeSantis last month signed new legislation largely banning the use of vaccine mandates by either private entities or local governments. The new legislation also reinforces the DeSantis administration’s overall efforts to prevent local governments from imposing mask mandates as well. Most notably, the administration has intervened to prevent school districts from imposing mandates. …

The US Supreme Court is now in the midst of ruling on whether or not US member states have the legal prerogative to significantly limit legal abortion within each state’s borders. With the Roe v. Wade ruling in 1973, the US Supreme Court “discovered” that the US Constitution prohibited state and local governments from enforcing …

Not all of America’s young men of the North bought into the federal propaganda. When the federal government was forced to resort to a military draft, many Americans resisted. Original Article: “The Heroic Draft Dodgers of the American Civil War” This Audio Mises Wire is generously sponsored by Christopher Condon. Narrated by Michael Stack.

In discussions surrounding of the world’s monetary systems today there is usually one thing almost everyone can agree on: that money should be controlled by the organizations we call “states” or “sovereign states.” Nowadays when we say “the US dollar” we mean the currency issued by the US government. When we say “the British pound” we …

Combined with the US military’s turn toward “woke” politics, this latest episode around vaccine mandates will further help to undermine support for military institutions among conservatives and Republicans. Original Article: “The Oklahoma National Guard Refused the Vax Mandate. The Pentagon Is Not Pleased.” This Audio Mises Wire is generously sponsored by Christopher Condon. Narrated by …

In the wake of the American Civil War, one’s status as a veteran could bring significant social and economic benefits. Indeed, the Grand Army of the Republic would become an extremely influential interest group and helped fuel the early creation of an American welfare state for veterans. “Do it for the veterans” became a common …

Homicide rose at a remarkably fast rate in 2020. This may be a sign that the public is losing faith in the legitimacy of the regime. We see this from doubts about elections to outrage over riots and police abuse. Original Article: “Homicide Rates in 2020 Surged to a 24-Year High. It’s Another Sign of …

The ongoing success of the cannabis nullification effort has shown the uselessness of those who repeatedly chant slogans about “federal supremacy” and “If you don’t like the (federal) law, change it.” Original Article: “Nullification Works: Republicans Look to Legalize Marijuana as States Ignore Federal Drug War” This Audio Mises Wire is generously sponsored by Christopher …

Since the very beginning of the covid panic, the narrative has been this: implement severe lockdowns or your population will experience a bloodbath. Morgues will be overwhelmed, the death total toll will be astounding. On the other hand, we were assured those jurisdictions that do lock down would see only a fraction of the death …

The US military’s turn to “wokeness” is a result of decades of high military spending and public deference toward military “experts.” That gave us a military that is overfunded and highly political. Original Article: “A Fat, Comfortable Military Is a “Woke” Military” This Audio Mises Wire is generously sponsored by Christopher Condon. Narrated by Michael …

Support for federal conscription is contrary to principles of decentralization or a “limited republic.” Early Americans would have viewed this Jacobin-inspired scheme with dismay and fear. Original Article: “Military Conscription Is a Tool for Centralization, State Building, and Despotism” This Audio Mises Wire is generously sponsored by Christopher Condon. Narrated by Michael Stack.

Both Bloomberg and the cannabis industry publication Marijuana Moment now report that Republican congresswoman Nancy Mace is preparing to introduce new legislation ending the federal prohibition on marijuana. According to Bloomberg: A Republican bill to legalize marijuana at the federal level in the U.S., expected to be unveiled soon, would have a lighter regulatory touch …

Vaccine mandates are much easier to enforce thanks to the spread of government spending, government contracting, and monopolized government services. Original Article: “Employer Vaccine Mandates: When the Feds Pay the Piper, They Call the Tune​” This Audio Mises Wire is generously sponsored by Christopher Condon. Narrated by Michael Stack.

The US Senate continues to debate legislation potentially adding women to the military draft in the United States. This week, for instance, Senator Josh Hawley attempted to remove from the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act provisions requiring that “all Americans” (aged 18-25) register for the draft. We shouldn’t be surprised to find that Washington politicians are …

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Wednesday morning that prices rose 6.2% on a year-over-year basis in October. That’s the highest YOY rate since December 1990 when the CPI was also up 6.2 percent. October’s rate was up from 5.3 percent in September, and remains part of a surge in the index since February 2021 when year-over-year …