[hn_throwaway_99]

> It takes control of the money supply out of government's hands - which on balance, I believe is probably a bad thing in a democratic country.

Of course, no country, democratic or otherwise, will allow this to happen. The idea that you can have monetary policy exist outside of government control is a bit ludicrous. Government does still control the guns after all, and they can make anything they want illegal, as the US has done with gold in the past.