Since Donald Trump became more vocal bitcoin-to-be-mined-in-the-us.html”>in support of bitcoin Heading into this year's presidential campaign, I have been sitting with a wide range of emotions and concerns.
Outside of bitcoin, as a left-wing voter and vocal critic of Donald Trump, I am deeply concerned about such a self-centered and narcissistic character assuming power in the Oval Office again, not to mention the damage this could do to issues we deeply care about in the United States. United, including a woman's right to choose, reproductive rights, immigration, global issues and more.
I got into bitcoin and started writing, running Progressive Bitcoiner, and advocating for bitcoin to those outside the libertarian/right-wing bubble because I was very concerned about bitcoin being perceived as “right-wing” or politically polarizing. It is open source code, peer-to-peer digital cash, that does not belong to any ideology or political party. I believe in its importance to radically improve our world and the lives of millions and billions of people. From the left, campaigns like bitcoin/”>Green Peace USAElizabeth Warren crypto-ftx-00082624″>anti-crypto armyand beyond, we assume that bitcoin is a haven for criminals and terrorists, climate-denying fossil fuel magnates, and only for the rich and financial world. Despite advances in data showing that bitcoin is one of the most, if not the most, bitcoin-facts-that-every-esg-investment-committee-should-know/”>sustainable industries on the planethis growing list of human rights use cases And more, appealing to progressives and the left on bitcoin (yes, bitcoin specifically, not cryptocurrencies) remains an uphill battle. What should we expect after years of bitcoin's loudest voices promoting various right-wing ideologies, encouraging books like bitcoin Standard, various right-wing lifestyle maximalism tropes including carnivore diets, traditional family values, science skepticism and climate science, and more?
The Trump campaign and the Bitcoiners who openly donate, interact and support Trump make my job much more difficult. Metaphorically, we went from going fishing (in regards to continued bitcoin adoption) to throwing a grenade into the water, without the slightest pause to see how this might affect the bigger picture.
The reality is that, after 2016, with the election of Donald Trump and the doubling down of Hillary and the Democratic Party calling their followers a “basket of deplorables” (yes, I am quite critical of the left too!), our Political polarization has increased. skyrocketed, leaving most feeling politically homeless (some studies suggest 70 to 100 million Americans).
The left has been corrupted by purity culture. If your point of view, your means to an end, etc., have not been approved by the leftist regime (or you are not well versed in dozens of leftist philosophers and the latest theories), you are out! Trump and bitcoiners aside, this is also why it's so hard to get them involved in bitcoin, because it's not what their tribe uses, it's right-wing money (according to them).
The right has been overtaken by Trump and a party of worthless debauchery. Conservatives/Republicans used to be values-driven with real policies and ideas, that I could agree or disagree with. Now it is simply total chaos fueled and directed by Trump, who has no political philosophy or value system, only ego.
bitcoin should be a tool to eliminate this noise. A tool that any ideology in this case can find useful and valuable. Instead, I am deeply concerned that the narrative could cling to Trumpism for years to come and beyond. Am I ultimately concerned about bitcoin, its code, utility, use cases and more? Not for this political/Trump reason, not necessarily (I'm concerned about regulatory capture through ETFs, mining centralization, lack of privacy and better tools for peer-to-peer use of bitcoin, etc… but that It's a talk for another time).
I just think it's a bad decision for bitcoiners to put all their eggs in Trump's basket, or any political basket. There is a serious reputational risk, a slowdown in adoption in the US for those (especially on the left) who will see this as a “Trump thing” or “right” and promote this narrative, and the politicians who will respond doubling the narratives. They continue to try to push against bitcoin.
For the bitcoin social layer, I think it's best to continue educating about bitcoin, advocating for grassroots adoption at the individual/community level, holding politicians accountable when they try to overreach (like Elizabeth Warren who wants to institute a crypto/”>backdoor ban on self-custody…no, we are not going to let that go, much less that it is blatantly unconstitutional), and not cling desperately to the words of politicians on the campaign trail, no matter who they are, that are purely to get votes, no matter what may happen once they are in office (or what they can actually do, unlike the legislative and judicial branches).
As for me, an independent voter, I care deeply about bitcoin, its long-term success, and seeing as many people as possible around the world use and benefit from this revolutionary money and technology. Both for bitcoin and for reasons beyond bitcoin and my values that I mentioned above, I cannot, in good conscience, support Donald Trump. You do not have to vote for Donald Trump to support, learn about, or use bitcoin, or contribute to the bitcoin ecosystem.
Whether you agree or disagree with me, my hope is that among a growing chorus of Trump supporters in the bitcoin community, those on the outside looking in can see that we are not all on the same page, and that bitcoin is for anyone. regardless. of your political party or who you plan to vote for in November.
This is a guest post by Trey Walsh. The opinions expressed are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of btc Inc or bitcoin Magazine.
