We'd probably all agree the best time for the US economy in the past 70 years was the 50's-60's...expanding middle class, solid economic growth and a high standard of living...Right about the time we entered Vietnam, Nixon took us off the gold standard and crude oil prices exploded higher (cue 70's crime, sky high inflation and Volcker jacking rates up to 20% to tame the beast)...Since then look at the volatility of crude oil...