That is exactly what I am describing when I say that value flows into and out of bitcoin. There is nothing stopping bitcoin from "expanding and contracting" [I

That is exactly what I am describing when I say that value flows into and out of bitcoin. There is nothing stopping bitcoin from "expanding and contracting" [I think you mean inflating and deflating]. At the very least something like money laundering has such an effect on bitcoin - because pre-laundered money does not have a 1:1 value ratio with clean money. Of course I'm sure there are more legitimate examples, although I wonder what percentage of BTC volume is laundering...