S.C. pol wants to ban U.S. currency

COLUMBIA, S.C., Feb. 17 (UPI) -- A lawmaker who introduced a bill to ban the use of Federal Reserve Notes in South Carolina says he doubts colleagues have the "intestinal fortitude" to pass it.

The measure, introduced this month by Republican state Rep. Mike Pitts, would ban what Pitts called "the unconstitutional substitution of Federal Reserve Notes for silver and gold coin" in his state, The Palmetto Scoop reported Wednesday. Pitts said the idea is to allow South Carolina to "function through gold and silver coinage" and allow the state to have a "base of currency" if the U.S. economy collapses.

Legal experts doubt the measure would pass constitutional muster, The Scoop said. One expert, whose name was not reported, said gold and silver coins cannot be used as currency anyway.

"You can say a gold coin is worth $50 but it would actually be worth whatever the market says it's worth, based on supply and demand," the expert said.

Pitts doubts the measure will pass.

"I don't see the intestinal fortitude of this legislative body to test the federal government on constitutional issues," he said.