Silver price much more suppressed than gold. Gold:Silver price ratio confirms.
Price manipulation via paper contracts enables bullion banks to build stocks of physical metals at what they know are below bargain basement levels.
Valid question then and now and one to which I have no robust answer.
Only consider this: if the control files of the dirty Rs are now in the possession of the good guys, their votes will follow.
Ultimately neither blackmail nor $$$$ is any acceptable way to run politics; but for now it might just keep the train on the tracks.