Red-state bills push gold and silver as usable currency

Some red-state lawmakers are proposing laws to let people pay with gold and silver and to set up gold stockpiles, arguing it could hedge inflation; Georgia drafted such a bill, Utah already allows some gold-related measures, and similar efforts have surfaced in Arizona, Oklahoma, and Iowa. Proponents say it simply adds payment options, not a replacement for dollars, while critics note gold’s price volatility and that it is not true money.