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Does anyone here use Bitcoins?
Renegade:
Actually, I'm amazed governments weren't in on this from day one. What an ideal way to fund covert activities and black ops. Or handle bribes campaign contributions. They've turned a blind eye toward (or at the very least tolerated) numbered Swiss bank accounts, numerous Istituto per le Opere di Religione shenanigans, and offshore banks for that very reason. So much easier to transact with than blood diamonds too.
Maybe these "democratic" governments need to rethink their position on crypto-currencies. Ya think? :P
-40hz (June 30, 2014, 08:48 AM)
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HAHAHAHAHA~! ;D
Nice!
I WISH that they would switch over to Bitcoin. But, that's a pipe dream.
There's a serious problem with governments using Bitcoin.
NOTE: Please be aware that I am NOT saying "crypto-currency" here.
Transactions are all recorded on the blockchain. This is VERY dangerous for a government as it could lead to transparency advocates getting their way... Can we spell D-I-S-A-S-T-E-R?!?!?! It would severely limit their ability to piss away people's money and enrich their buddies. Transparency would be death to government. We already know just how hard FOIA requests are...
Can you imagine what would happen if government spending were open to the public?!?
BUT!!!
For covert operations, such as how the CIA is one of the biggest drug dealers on the planet, it would be EXCELLENT! All their darkest desires could be fulfilled and they could get away with even more murder than they do right now.
tl;dr - Bitcoin could kill legitimate government, but could be a wonderful boon to the covert government.
(NOTE: I am ignoring some issues purposefully because I'm lazy.)
wraith808:
Actually, I'm amazed governments weren't in on this from day one. What an ideal way to fund covert activities and black ops. Or handle bribes campaign contributions. They've turned a blind eye toward (or at the very least tolerated) numbered Swiss bank accounts, numerous Istituto per le Opere di Religione shenanigans, and offshore banks for that very reason. So much easier to transact with than blood diamonds too.
Maybe these "democratic" governments need to rethink their position on crypto-currencies. Ya think? :P
-40hz (June 30, 2014, 08:48 AM)
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Swiss bank accounts, for all of the perception that they are inviolable, are not. There's no humans involved in bitcoin security on transactions, so they are. ;)
Note that any failures on bitcoin have been human related for all of the hubbub otherwise.
Renegade:
Ahem... just in case anyone still doesn't understand the need for Bitcoin...
https://protonmail.ch/blog/paypal-freezes-protonmail-campaign-funds/
Paypal Freezes ProtonMail Campaign Funds
July 1, 2014 Andy Yen News & Articles
This morning, we received an email and telephone call from PayPal notifying us that our account has been restricted pending further review. At this time, it is not possible for ProtonMail to receive or send funds through PayPal. No attempt was made by PayPal to contact us before freezing our account, and no notice was given.
2014-06-30_202409
Like many others, we have all heard the PayPal horror stories, but didn’t actually think it would happen to us on our campaign since PayPal promised, very recently, to improve their policies. Unfortunately, it seems those were hollow promises as ProtonMail is now the latest in a long string of crowdfunding campaigns to be hit with account freezes. (For examples, just look here, here, and here).
While the $275,000 ProtonMail has raised in the past 2 weeks is a large amount, it pales in comparison to many other crowdfunding campaigns that have raised sums in excess of $1,000,000 so we can’t help but wonder why ProtonMail was singled out. When we pressed the PayPal representative on the phone for further details, he questioned whether ProtonMail is legal and if we have government approval to encrypt emails. We are not sure which government PayPal is referring to, but even the 4th Amendment of the US constitution guarantees:
“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures….”
It seems PayPal is trying to come up with ANY excuse they can to prevent us from receiving funds.
2014-06-30_205105
As a result, we have disabled PayPal as a payment option on our campaign page, but it is still possible contribute with credit card and Bitcoin. Please help us get the word out there as by bringing attention to this issue, we may be able to convince PayPal to do the right thing. And if anybody from PayPal is listening, we’ve emailed and called today, please get in touch with us as soon as possible.
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40hz:
Ahem... just in case anyone still doesn't understand the need for Bitcoin...
-Renegade (June 30, 2014, 11:06 PM)
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All well and good.
But what happens when governments do a Mt. Gox on the rest of the Bitcoin exchanges? :tellme:
Who do the exchanges call for help then? The vast and well-organized libertarian-anarcho community? :-\
Yeah, that oughta work...just look how much Occupy accomplished. (Nice of them all to so completely ID themselves to The Powers That Be in the process too. I'm sure the folks who maintain the "roundup the usual" list for the cops are grateful for their assistance.) :P
Bitcoin doesn't continue in spite of government. It continues at the sufferance of governments, which are still examining Bitcoin for ways it can be turned to their advantage. If it proves useful, they'll co-opt it. If not (and it becomes a threat) they'll snuff it without so much as breaking a sweat.
Wish it were otherwise. But as long as you're still running on their fiber, wires, airwaves, and backbone - you're their pooch. :(
Renegade:
But what happens when governments do a Mt. Gox on the rest of the Bitcoin exchanges? :tellme:
-40hz (July 01, 2014, 06:13 AM)
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That's a very odd thing to say. Are you sure you know what happened at Mt. Gox? It was pretty simple - extremely bad management. It had nothing to do with government.
Who do the exchanges call for help then? The vast and well-organized libertarian-anarcho community? :-\
-40hz (July 01, 2014, 06:13 AM)
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Oh... right... TARP. You mean like how other corporations, e.g. Bank of America, General Motors, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, Chrysler, etc., completely fail and then go running to the government for money to bail out their failed businesses!
Somehow I can't see people actually wanting to bail out failed businesses. Err... I mean *normal* people. Not criminal gangs. You know what I mean! :D
Bitcoin doesn't continue in spite of government. It continues at the sufferance of governments, which are still examining Bitcoin for ways it can be turned to their advantage. If it proves useful, they'll co-opt it. If not (and it becomes a threat) they'll snuff it without so much as breaking a sweat.
-40hz (July 01, 2014, 06:13 AM)
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I'd like to highlight one thing you said there:
It continues at the sufferance of governments
-40hz (July 01, 2014, 06:13 AM)
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What is the mentality behind affording that "sufferance"?
You're describing a vain, vindictive, evil, sinister, capricious entity. That people are actually ok with this is extraordinarily disturbing.
If it doesn't like something, then whatever that is... there's a good chance that it's good for you.
That you see the nature of the beast, and are then so skeptical of something that stands an excellent chance of diminishing that beast... that just always amazes me.
Wish it were otherwise. But as long as you're still running on their fiber, wires, airwaves, and backbone - you're their pooch. :(
-40hz (July 01, 2014, 06:13 AM)
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While I love to play around with the term "godvernment", they're not actually all-powerful. They do have limits.
I think Bitcoin is too big now for them to squish so easily. There are congressmen accepting BTC. It's spreading a lot faster now.
Also, the various "godvernments" around the world aren't exactly all that great at working together, and with Bitcoin being global, their cooperation is needed.
I'm still very optimistic.
But, there are bigger worries out there for currencies right now. The global currency war is in full swing and getting nastier all the time. Bitcoin doesn't factor in there though.
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