The Intrinsic Value of Money and the Deterioration of the Dollar

On this Wednesday broadcast, Kim Monson explores the fundamental question of what gives money its value with in-studio guest Dave Walden, a fellow Liberty Toastmaster and veteran. The episode also features mortgage expert Lorne Levy on rising interest rates and sixth-generation farmer Trent Loos on CO2 pipelines, election integrity, and the fight for property rights.

CO2 Pipelines, Property Rights, and Election Integrity

Start listening at 69:37 – Hour 2

Trent Loos, sixth-generation farmer and rancher, reports from an election integrity conference in Springfield, Missouri, where he anticipates meeting Tina Peters. He discusses his recent interview with RFK Jr. about CO2 pipelines cutting through the Midwest, noting the irony that Republican governors who publicly reject man-made climate change are simultaneously supporting carbon capture projects that bury CO2 underground.

Loos highlights that former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, who served as Trump’s ambassador to China, now sits on the board of Summit Carbon Solutions, the company behind the 3,300-mile pipeline project. He connects this to Smithfield Foods, owned by China’s WH Group, which controls one-third of American pork production. North Dakota has already denied Summit’s permit, yet the company continues pursuing the project.

The Biden administration announced $1.9 billion for research into vacuuming CO2 from the atmosphere, which Loos calls an assault on plant life itself. He emphasizes that net carbon zero equals death and warns that property rights form the bedrock of liberty. The discussion also covers the federal government’s request for hundreds of San Francisco workers to stay home because their building is unsafe, symbolizing the broader breakdown of government functionality.

“If we continue to bury CO2 and take it out of our atmosphere, we will have death. Net carbon zero is death. There’s no two ways to shake it out.”

Trent Loos, Loos Tales Media

Understanding Why Your Dollar Buys Less Today

Start listening at 02:59 – Hour 1

Dave Walden breaks down the erosion of American currency through a powerful demonstration comparing 1964 and 1965 quarters. Before 1965, quarters contained silver and could purchase a gallon of gas. Today, that same 1964 quarter still buys a gallon of gas because of its silver content, while a post-1965 quarter buys only a few ounces. Walden traces the history from the founding of the Federal Reserve in 1913 through Nixon’s 1971 decision to end gold convertibility for foreign nations.

The discussion reveals how government control of money enables unlimited inflation. Walden explains that between the Constitution’s ratification in 1791 and Nixon’s 1971 announcement, total national debt stood at approximately $400 billion. In the mere 52 years since, that figure has exploded to $32 trillion with no signs of slowing. He warns that as long as global wealth continues flowing to America as a safe haven, the government will continue inflating the money supply.

The conversation also touches on historical context, including the Civil War, the founders’ compromises on slavery, and current debates over the Statue of Reconciliation at Arlington National Cemetery. Walden emphasizes that understanding history requires examining facts within their proper context.

“What we call inflation or the deterioration of the purchasing power of our money is the fact that the money itself is deteriorating in value, not that prices are rising, as we’re so often told.”

Dave Walden, Liberty Toastmaster

Rising Interest Rates and the Housing Market

Start listening at 63:07 – Hour 2

Lorne Levy of Polygon Financial Group reports that mortgage rates have once again eclipsed 7 percent, trading in the low 7.25 range for first mortgages. The 10-year U.S. Treasury recently approached 4.20 percent, the highest level since October 2022. Levy advises prospective homebuyers that if they need to make a move, they should proceed and plan to refinance when rates eventually decline.

Levy explains that the Federal Reserve deliberately targets housing and employment to cool inflation, but everyday people bear the brunt of these policies through layoffs and higher borrowing costs. For homeowners 62 and older, reverse mortgages offer one potential tool to access home equity, though Levy emphasizes these products require careful consideration and should involve family members in the decision-making process.

“It is the everyday person that gets caught because when they cool it down and they try to slow employment down, that usually leads to layoffs.”

Lorne Levy, Polygon Financial Group