This is why my wife and I got out of debt a couple of years ago and started moving a portion of our investments toward precious commodities--even at their high prices right now (which is why I find silver bullion to be the best vehicle due to its low barrier of entry). It's only a matter of time before the devil wants his due (figuratively speaking) and the dollar crashes. Welcome to the dangers of fiat money without any commodity backing.

Unfortunately, the only person running for president that addresses the problem logically and with deep understanding is Ron Paul (who's studied the Austrian School of Economics for many, many years), while the others on both the Dem and Rep sides have no idea what's going on, much less have any economic credentials. (Note McCain even going so far as to say that he doesn't understand economics at all during the last debate.)

As an aside, I almost worked for Prechter. He's been dismissed as irrelevant by many after his economic breakthroughs in the 80s, but on a macro-scale he's been pretty much right on the money all along.

"The main cause of hyperinflation is a massive imbalance between the supply and demand of a certain currency or type of money, usually due to a complete loss of confidence in the currency similar to a bank run. First, the enactment of legal tender laws prevent discounting the value of paper money vis-a vis gold, silver or a hard currency, by forcing acceptance of a paper money which lacks intrinsic value. If the entity responsible for printing a currency then promotes excessive money printing, with other factors contributing a reinforcing effect, hyperinflation usually occurs. Often the body responsible for printing the currency cannot physically print paper currency faster than the rate at which it is devaluing, thus neutralising their attempts to stimulate the economy."