Virginia Moves Closer to Creating an “Alternative Currency”

There seems to be something in the air in the state of Virginia these days.  First, we heard that Charlottesville, Va., became the first city to formally pass an anti-drone resolution, and now we discover the proposal to study an alternative to the dollar has passed the State House with a two-to-one majority.  It’s really interesting that all of this is happening in a state with such proximity to our very own national cancer, Washington D.C.  From the Washington Post:

The idea that Virginia should consider issuing its own money was dismissed as just another quixotic quest by one of the most conservative members of the state legislature when Marshall introduced it three years ago. But it has since gained traction not only in Virginia, but also in states across the country as Americans have grown increasingly suspicious of the institutions entrusted with safeguarding the economy.

This week, the proposal by the Prince William Republican sailed through the House of Delegates with a two-to-one majority.

But the fact that the debate is happening at all reflects a deep-seated distrust in the very foundation of the country’s economic system — the dollar.

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The Greeks Have Already Dumped the Euro

Really fascinating article about how many cities and communities in Greece have already moved on from the euro to bartering as well as alternative currencies.  The city of Volos, 200 miles north of Athens with a population of 170,000 is highlighted in the article due to the size of its alternative money market centered around a local currency call the Tem.  This sort of behavior will be the wave of the future in all countries, as Central Bank currencies are debased into extinction.  It’s interesting because while I was in Crested Butte over New Year’s I noticed they have a local currency going there called Crested Butte Bucks and I was really surprised to see that you can spend them pretty much anywhere in town.  I also highlighted this trend in my post earlier this year English City of Bristol Launches its Own Local Currency.

Now, from the Guardian:

It’s been a busy day at the market in downtown Volos. Angeliki Ioanitou has sold a decent quantity of olive oil and soap, while her friend Maria has done good business with her fresh pies.

But not a single euro has changed hands.

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English City of Bristol Launches its Own Local Currency

In what is an extremely positive development, the English city of Bristol has created its own local currency.  It is called the Bristol Pound and it came into official existence for trade yesterday at 12:11pm local time.  This just further solidifies what I believe is an irreversible trend toward decentralization of money away from banking … Read more