Hit and Run

Cromwell: "I have evidence that Sir Thomas [More], while he was a judge, accepted bribes."
Duke of Norfolk: "What! Goddammit, he was the only judge since Cato who didn't accept bribes! When was there last a Chancellor whose possessions after three years in office totaled one hundred pounds and a gold chain?"
--A Man for All Seasons

Leave it to the Washington Post to print a piece raising conflict of interest questions between Ron Paul's congressional assignments and his gold holdings. Like many of these 'drive by' insinuations, the reasoned reader is left to conclude that the writers either don't understand the investment thesis behind gold, or they hope that readers latch onto the superficial soundbite only and not think things thru.

Gold is an insurance policy against government malfeasance. History demonstrates that politicians will ultimately destroy a currency under fiat regimes. Gold helps individuals hedge that risk.

When Ron Paul buys gold or gold mining shares, he is essentially putting his money where is mouth is w.r.t. what he constantly warns against in Washington: excessive government, debt, money printing, etc.

If he truly wanted to 'talk his book' and game the system, then he would be doing what the majority of politicians are doing--enacting policies that are certain to destroy the dollar's purchasing power over time.

As Paul notes toward the end of the piece, the real solution to conflict of interest issues is to reduce the scope of government so that there is less chance of mischief.

Associating Ron Paul with the herd of Washington politicians who are lining their pockets via corrupt behavior is laughable.

position in gold