We went off the gold standard during FDR I believe, and the creation and status of the Federal Reserve Bank, led to a progressive "system" that slowl y gave us what we have today.
BHO just puts it on the fast track .
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Reserve_SystemWe have always had the Federal reserve board in one form or another except from 1811 till 1816.
But yes, When FDR took the $ off the gold standard it ceased to be a "Hard" currency and became instead a theoretical "Fiat" currency like the Ruble which leaves it ripe for manipulation and dependent on eternal growth for stability.