U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.) has promised to pardon Ross Ulbricht if elected. Like former U.S. President Donald Trump, Kennedy advocates for Ulbricht’s release. Both candidates vow to stop President Joe Biden’s anti-crypto policies and oppose the creation of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). RFK Jr. Advocates for Ross Ulbricht’s Pardon […]
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RFK Jr. and Donald Trump Both Vow to Stop the Fed From Issuing US Central Bank Digital Currency if Elected
U.S. presidential candidates Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.) and Donald Trump have independently promised the American people to stop the creation of a central bank digital currency (CBDC) in the U.S. if elected President. “I will protect Americans from government tyranny,” Trump said, adding that a CBDC “would be a dangerous threat to freedom.” Kennedy similarly warned that a digital dollar “will allow the government to surveil all our private financial affairs.”
Donald Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Both Vow to Stop CBDC Creation if Elected
U.S. presidential candidates Donald Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.) have independently voiced strong opposition to the creation of a central bank digital currency (CBDC) in the U.S.
Kennedy posted on social media platform X last week that he has been discussing financial freedom in the 21st century with Dr. Joseph Mercola, an osteopathic physician and best-selling author. The presidential hopeful promised: “As president, I will end the efforts to move toward a CBDC.”
Dr. Joseph @Mercola and I discuss financial freedom in the 21st century. As president, I will end the efforts to move toward a CBDC. #Kennedy24 pic.twitter.com/gao3D1HAeM
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) January 24, 2024
In October last year, Kennedy promised that if he is elected President of the United States, he will “make sure that bitcoin is protected, that people can keep their own wallets, that the current White House war on bitcoin will be over, that transactions will be protected and encouraged.”
RFK Jr. also previously stated that “Cryptocurrencies like bitcoin give the public an escape route from the splatter zone when this bubble invariably bursts,” emphasizing: “We should be wary since CBDCs are the ultimate mechanisms for social surveillance and control.” He cautioned: “While cash transactions are anonymous, a CBDC will allow the government to surveil all our private financial affairs. The central bank will have the power to enforce dollar limits on our transactions restricting where you can send money, where you can spend it, and when money expires.”
Similarly, former U.S. President Donald Trump made a promise to the American people during a recent rally that as President, he will never allow the creation of a digital dollar. “I will protect Americans from government tyranny,” he exclaimed, adding that a central bank digital currency would give the federal government “absolute control over your money.” Trump stressed:
This would be a dangerous threat to freedom, and I will stop it from coming to America.
The former U.S. president credited Vivek Ramaswamy for bringing the danger of CBDCs to his attention. Ramaswamy, a former presidential candidate, recently exited the race and threw his support behind Trump. Following Trump’s CBDC statement, Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN) said he looks forward to working with Trump to stop the Fed from creating a CBDC.
Despite the buzz surrounding central bank digital currencies, the Federal Reserve remains far from launching its own CBDC. Fed Chair Jerome Powell stated in September last year that no decision has been reached on a digital dollar, and it won’t come for “at least a couple of years.”
What do you think about Donald Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. vowing to stop the creation of a central bank digital currency in the U.S.? Let us know in the comments section below.
US Presidential Candidate Outlines Plan to Shut Down FBI if Elected — ‘This Is Much More Practical Than It Sounds’
Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has outlined his plan to shut down the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) if he is elected President of the United States. “56% of the bureau that are professional bureaucrats should be fired immediately,” he stressed, adding that 44% of FBI employees are special agents and intelligence analysts who “should be reassigned to serve under the narrow focus of other federal law enforcement agencies doing the same specialist work.”
’This Is Much More Practical Than It Sounds’
U.S. presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy outlined how he would shut down the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) if he is elected President of the United States in several posts on social media platform X.
“We need to cure the cancer that is the administrative-police state,” the presidential hopeful explained, adding that the FBI is among the “toxic” government agencies that he will shut down. Emphasizing that the bureau cannot be reformed, he wrote on X Saturday:
Shut down the FBI. And yes, this is much more practical than it sounds.
The FBI can’t be “reformed.”
The right answer is: Shut It Down.
Yes, the President can do it.
I will.
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) December 31, 2023
Noting that the FBI has about 35,842 employees, the presidential hopeful stated that “56% of the bureau that are professional bureaucrats should be fired immediately.” He added: “Just 44% of FBI employees are special agents and intelligence analysts — these 15,770 specialists should be reassigned to serve under the narrow focus of other federal law enforcement agencies doing the same specialist work.”
Ramaswamy then highlighted where some FBI specialists and analysts should be transferred to. Firstly, he said 821 should be reassigned to the U.S. Marshals Service to fight crimes against children, and 4,159 should be transferred to work at the Department of Defense’s Intelligence Agency.
Moreover, 4,663 should be transferred to the Department of Homeland Security to focus on national security and terrorism while 856 should be reassigned to the U.S. Secret Service to fight “political corruption,” the presidential candidate stated.
Furthermore, 2,555 FBI specialists and analysts should be transferred to the Department of Justice, “within a specialized sub-agency rather than a sprawling investigative bureaucracy,” the presidential candidate emphasized. They should be reassigned to focus on “civil rights, organized crime, violent crime, science and technology, including crime laboratory analysis across agencies,” Ramaswamy described. Lastly, 856 should join the Department of the Treasury and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) to fight “white collar crime,” he noted.
Ramaswamy recently unveiled his crypto policy. He has promised that if he is elected President of the U.S., he will ensure that innovative sectors, including crypto, are “liberated from the shackles of the unconstitutional shadow government.” He expects to rescind most, if not all, of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulations that apply to cryptocurrencies.
Do you think the FBI should be shut down? Let us know in the comments section below.
Former US President Donald Trump Warns of Economic Depression if He’s Not Elected
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that the U.S. economy will face “more than a recession” if he is not elected president. Trump also made several other promises, including getting Russia’s President Vladimir Putin to make a deal with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “very quickly.”
Donald Trump’s Warnings
Former U.S. President Donald Trump made several promises and predictions during an interview with Fox News Sunday. He was asked about his plan to get the U.S. economy growing again and whether he thinks the U.S. is going into a recession. “If people think Trump is going to be elected, you’ll never have a recession … because people will start investing,” the former president claimed, adding:
If people think I’m not, you’ll have more than a recession. You’re going to have a depression.
“But, what I would do is very simple. I’ve got to get interest rates down. We have to get rid of inflation because inflation is a country killer,” he stressed, noting that the Biden administration is “putting the interest rates at a point nobody can borrow.”
Trump also made a number of other promises. For example, he said: “We’ll close up the border. We’ll become energy independent, then we’re going to be energy dominant. We’ll be taking care of Europe. Energy prices are going to come down. I will get [Russian President] Putin to make a deal with [Ukrainian President] Zelenskyy very quickly. We’re going to have a great world again.” Moreover, Trump opined: “If we don’t win in ’24, this country is finished. I really believe that.”
In April, the former president warned that the U.S. dollar is crashing and soon will “no longer be the world standard.” In addition, he cautioned that “we are very close” to a third world war.
What do you think about the warnings by former U.S. President Donald Trump regarding the U.S. economy and the dollar? Let us know in the comments section below.
Pheu Thai Candidate Promises Digital Currency Airdrop of $300 to Every Citizen in Thailand if Elected
A Pheu Thai candidate running for prime minister of Thailand position, Srettha Thavisin, has promised that every citizen in the country will receive 10,000 Thai baht (0) in digital currency if he wins the general election in May. However, a minister within the prime minister’s office in Thailand is concerned and has explained that the proposed airdrop could pose major challenges with specific implications.
Thailand Prime Minister Candidate’s 0 Airdrop Promise Raises Concerns
On Wednesday, Srettha Thavisin, a Pheu Thai candidate for prime minister of Thailand, declared that if his party wins the general election, the government will airdrop 10,000 baht in digital currency to every citizen in the country who is 16 years old or older. The Bangkok Post was the first to report on the story after it was revealed by the Pheu Thai chief adviser, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, on Wednesday.
Thailand wouldn’t be the only government to airdrop digital currency to its citizens, as the government in El Salvador airdropped worth of bitcoin (BTC) to citizens who were Chivo wallet users. According to the Bangkok Post report, the Pheu Thai party’s initiative is aimed at attracting crypto assets and blockchain innovation to Thailand. However, the free money must be spent within a “4-kilometer community radius within six months” of the project’s first phase, as stated by Bangkok Post reporter Supoj Wancharoen.
Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, a minister in the prime minister’s office, is concerned about the proposed airdrop and wants “more details.” He also noted that “creating a digital currency would be a major challenge with implications for Thailand’s entire financial system,” according to the Bangkok Post report. Wancharoen also shared an opinion from Preeyaphat Raksasana, a second-year university student, who questioned where the funds for the airdrop would come from.
“The policy is disgusting,” Raksasana said. “Do they really think most people are that foolish?”
Since the Covid-19 pandemic, “helicopter money” or one-time direct stimulus payments to citizens has become a norm in several countries. A number of politicians across the world have proposed giving stimulus airdrops to citizens, and some have even supported schemes like universal basic income (UBI). In June 2023, Thailand’s government created a stimulus package worth 140 billion baht (.5 billion), with a good portion of the funds being allocated for one-time direct stimulus payments.
What are your thoughts on the use of airdropped digital currencies as a form of economic stimulus, and do you believe it could have positive or negative implications for Thailand’s financial system? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Colorado and California Just Elected Pro-Bitcoin Governors
n nn nn Following the 2018 midterm elections, the U.S. will see two new pro-Bitcoin governors sworn into office.Jared Polis D-CO and Gavin Newsom D-CA both won out against their respective Republican contenders last night, November 6, 2018. While their campaign points and platforms were capitalized by a progressive agenda, their favorable attitudes toward cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology have caught the crypto communitys attention.n Congratulations to
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U.S. Midterms: Bitcoin-Friendly Politicians Elected in Colorado, California
To many crypto savants, the modern political scene, which promotes centralization and censorship in some cases, is far from a topic of importance. But, as Tuesday’s U.S. midterm poll results have started to roll in, the ears of cryptocurrency enthusiasts have metaphorically perked up, as it was unexpectedly divulged that pro-Bitcoin/crypto politicians have been sworn into office in the nation’s highest levels of government.
Pro-Bitcoin Jared Polis & Gavin Newsom Elected As U.S. Governors
Amid the mainstream media’s coverage of the U.S. midterms, which has become the western world’s flavor-of-the-month, key details important to crypto advocates have slipped far under the radar. But, Francois Pouliot, a Quebecois-Canadian Bitcoin proponent, has sought to change this, doing his utmost best to raise his digital voice over a clamoring crowd of commentators.
On Tuesday night, Pouliot, a self-proclaimed “skin-in-game Bitcoin entrepreneur,” took to his Twitter page, which sports 40,000 dedicated followers, to announce that Colorado’s Jared Polis (Democrat) has been elected into Congress via the democratic process.
Congratulations to early Bitcoin advocate @jaredpolis on being elected Governor of Colorado!
"Polis said that he will use his powers in Congress to fight against any attempts by the government to enact policies that restrict the growth of bitcoin" – 2014 pic.twitter.com/LOjTsYwiyK
— Francis Pouliot (@francispouliot_) November 7, 2018
So why does this pertain to crypto? Well, Polis, who is arguably one of the most progressive governors in America’s political environment, has long been a fan of cryptocurrencies and is open to aiding the asset class on a regulatory stage.
In an exclusive interview with CoinDesk just months before 2014’s midterms, the Boulder, Colorado native explained that he would do everything in his power to hamper anti-Bitcoin policies, whether it be through rallying against governmental agencies or touting the benefits of crypto assets. Furthering this sentiment, speaking from the point of view of an innovator, Polis added that “it’s about time” for cryptocurrencies to rise to prominence.
And in spite of the relative age of this interview, the politician’s pro-crypto views have persisted well into 2018, even to this day. In February of this year, NewsBTC reported that the Colorado governor requested for Congress to draft a guideline for crypto holding disclosures. Although this could be seen as an anti-crypto move, especially considering that this industry values pseudonymity, at the time, the lawmaker claimed that the growing legitimacy of crypto necessitated the body to take appropriate action.
Regardless of the fallout caused by his request, the bottom line is that Polis is seemingly poised to tackle Congress’ crypto issues head-on.
Pouliot, following up on his aforementioned tweet, issued another message just half-an-hour later, making it apparent that Polis isn’t the only Bitcoin-friendly politician to be voted in as a governor.
Gavin Newsom (Democrat), one of the first politicians to open his war chests to accept Bitcoin (BTC), has been elected as California’s new governor.
Congratulations to early Bitcoin adopter @GavinNewsom on being elected Governor of California!
"I should promote the technology ever so subtly by saying I'll accept bitcoin in the campaign". "I'm ready for it". "But how the hell do I explain it to anybody?" – 2014 pic.twitter.com/4RLGa9BdMf
— Francis Pouliot (@francispouliot_) November 7, 2018
Considering that California is a hotspot for innovation, with the Bay Area and Silicon Valley being world-renowned for its proclivity for all things tech (crypto included), Newsom’s office could catalyze the widespread use of blockchain technologies and crypto assets in the region.
In 2014, Newsom, remaining cautiously optimistic on Bitcoin, claimed:
“I should promote the technology ever so subtly by saying I’ll accept bitcoin in the campaign… I’m ready for it, but how the hell do I explain it to anybody?”
Although two is far from a crowd, and Newsom’s acceptance of BTC donations is far from all-in, these governors could be the match that sparks regulatory change in favor of crypto assets. But for now, there’s going to have to be a waiting game, as seldom have politicians kept all their promises, especially those made in a bid to garner voter traction.
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