In signing the Gold Standard Act of 1900, President William McKinley declared that gold, not silver, would underlie the U.S. monetary system. That Act didnโ€™t last long, predictions to the contrary notwithstanding, and today, our nationโ€™s economy is based on only two things expected from Washington, D.C.: promises and trust. The former is found in great quantities, while the latter is definitely a dissipating asset!