Jacob Hornberger is founder and president of The Future of Freedom Foundation.  In a recent article entitled Gold and Freedom, Hornberger does an excellent job of giving a history of monetary policy in the United States.  He explains the dangers of inflationary power in the hands of the government or its agents, and casts his views against a historical backdrop.  The article will take about ten or fifteen minutes to read, but I would recommend printing it off, going off by yourself to someplace quiet, and giving it the time it deserves.

One of the best points Hornberger makes in the article is the following:

The first thing to keep in mind about the Constitution was its dual purpose: to bring into existence the federal government while, at the same time, protecting the nation from it.  While the Framers understood the need for government, they also understood that that same government constituted the greatest danger to their freedom and well-being.

The creation of the United States was unique, because it produced chains of restraint at the same time it brought its monster of government to life. Today, the danger is that the monster has outgrown his chains, and instead of fearing the monster, many of its citizens now worship it.

(Click on photo to enlarge)