14 Nov 2012 11:21 AM EST

-by Alex Mangini, Staff Writer

It’s one thing to have lost faith in the U.S. dollar given the swoon of the currency over the last decade, as the country continues to try to pull itself from the ongoing recession; to forego the currency altogether in favor of traditional gold, however, is an entirely different story.

But that is precisely what a recently reelected Montana state lawmaker has asked for in a letter to the state Legislature, as Politico reports that Republican Jerry O’Neil has requested to have his salary paid in gold coins.

O’Neil expressed his belief that the U.S. Constitution originally supported the Gold Standard, which requires the government to back the dollar with gold, should reinforce his request.

“I believe that if you take a look at the Constitution, that’s what it says,” he told Politico. “I think we’ve gotten a tremendously long way from it.”

“It is very likely the bottom will fall out from under the U.S. dollar. Only so many dollars can be printed before they have no value.”

Still, O’Neil has yet to hear back from his state’s higher-ups.

“I believe that if you take a look at the Constitution, that’s what it says. Actually, I think we’ve gotten a tremendously long way from it,” O’Neil said. “If we don’t start paying that debt down, we’re going to lose the country.”