On a cool fall afternoon in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, more than just crypto bros showed up in the City of Brotherly Love to show their support for Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies at the fifth stop of the America loves cryptocurrencies Tour. A diverse crowd of about 200 people, evenly split between men and women, packed Vinyl, a swanky venue in the heart of the city where the event was held. The size and enthusiasm of the crowds on this tour has grown considerably as it has progressed, lending some credence to the idea that the crypto voting bloc may play a role in influencing major races in November’s U.S. election.
Speakers on this tour included former US Senator and Coinbase Global Advisory Board member Pat Toomey (R); former Congressman Patrick Murphy (D); Kara Calvert, Director of US Policy at Coinbase; Dominic Folino, President of the Pennsylvania Blockchain Coalition; David Johnson, General Counsel and Strategic Advisor of The donation block; Cody Eddings, Co-Founder and CEO of Instant Refund; and Sam Weinrott, co-founder of Pizza DAO. Electronic pop artist Lauv headlined the event.
The theme of the event was that Pennsylvania residents, 1.4 million of whom own cryptocurrencies, have an important role to play if they want to help move the United States in a more pro-cryptocurrency direction. Pennsylvania is one of the seven key states which will likely decide the outcome of the US presidential election in November, and is the one with the most electoral votes: 19. Since the number of residents of that state who own cryptocurrencies is 18 times higher Difference in votes Between President Biden and former President Trump in the 2020 presidential election, it is imperative that pro-Bitcoin and pro-crypto Pennsylvanians vote, as speakers at this event made clear.
Former politicians urge pro-crypto Pennsylvanians to vote
As one of the event’s first speakers, Toomey, a longtime cryptocurrency advocate, set the tone for the evening, calling on voters to oust anti-cryptocurrency politicians from office.
“My former colleagues have not been able to get the legislation passed [and] An out-of-control Securities and Exchange Commission [SEC] “It’s casting a dark shadow over all kinds of crypto development,” Toomey began from the stage.
“The growth of this whole sector should be happening in the United States of America. We have the head start. We have a great entrepreneurial spirit. We have the infrastructure. But, increasingly, some of the most talented people in our country are leaving because there are jurisdictions abroad that have provided legal clarity on this,” he added.
“There are some people in Congress, from both parties, who are very much in favor of allowing cryptocurrencies to develop and prosper. And there are others who are very hostile. My suggestion: some of the hostiles should lose an election.”
Murphy brought a similar energy to the table, highlighting the importance of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies, as well as the role of Pennsylvanians as voters in protecting them.
“The whole point of cryptocurrencies is that we don’t have to rely on a government or a central bank,” Murphy said, noting that we can use technology to control our own destiny.
He then supported Toomey’s call to action regarding removing anti-cryptocurrency politicians from office.
“He was absolutely right when he said there are people who are not with us and we need to hold them accountable,” Murphy said.
To achieve this, Murphy insisted that Pennsylvania voters have a key role to play in this election.
“There are actually only six states that are going to control this election, [and] Pennsylvania [is one with] “19 electoral votes,” Murphy said. “So we have an incredibly important voice, but only if we use it.”
Founders call for clear rules for cryptocurrencies
Following Toomey and Murphy’s talks was a founders panel featuring Johnson, Folino, Eddings and Weinrott.
Very similar to what was discussed in a panel on the First stop of the tourThe founders present asked for little more than clear rules for cryptocurrencies from the US regulatory apparatus.
“Complying with cryptocurrency regulations in the United States right now is incredibly difficult because as much as you want to follow the rules, it’s not always clear what they are,” Johnson said.
“There are too many people in Washington who don’t understand technology, who don’t care to understand it, or who are, unfortunately, often hostile to it. The reality is that innovators are going to innovate, whether it’s here or somewhere else,” he added.
“We know that cryptocurrencies are the future of payments, and the reason we’re here supporting it is because we want that to happen in the U.S., not somewhere else.”
Folino chimed in and shared his thoughts on the obstacles preventing the cryptocurrency industry from flourishing in the US.
“Politicians, regulation and a senator whose name we all know I think is a big reason why we are not moving forward,” Folino said, presumably referring to Sen. Elizabeth Warren, head of the anti-cryptocurrency army“Everyone has to go out and vote; everyone has to continue educating everyone they can.”
Folino is no stranger to educating others, including Pennsylvania officials, about Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. Through his work with the Pennsylvania Blockchain Coalition, he frequently speaks with politicians at the state level.
“People definitely want to get it,” Folino told Bitcoin Magazine about the elected officials and bureaucrats he educates in Pennsylvania.
“We have a lot more open-minded members in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. And I think they’re doing that in the Senate as well,” he added, before sharing that cryptocurrencies will be a key issue in the upcoming Pennsylvania elections, both in this election cycle and even more so in the future.
A sophisticated voter base
Calvert echoed Folino’s sentiment that crypto will continue to become an increasingly important voting issue as time goes on. He was also pleasantly surprised not only by the number of people who have raised their voices to make crypto an issue in this election cycle, but also by the clarity of those who have spoken out and turned out at America Loves Crypto tour events.
“It’s a very sophisticated crowd,” Calvert said of the tour attendees. “I was expecting more people who would just come for the artists, and what I found is that these are people who care a lot about crypto.”
Calvert also commented on the fact that attendees are not only informed about cryptocurrencies, but are also active voters.
“In Detroit I asked, ‘How many people know where their polling place is?’” Calvert said, before mimicking the reaction of most of the crowd by raising her own hand in the air.
“I was impressed. It’s not just about their sophistication as cryptocurrency owners, [but] their sophistication as voters. Milwaukee“Same here. And here, the same. I was surprised by how sophisticated they are,” he added.
Partly because of what he’s seen on the tour, Calvert believes the Bitcoin and cryptocurrency industry will find a home in the U.S.
“The United States is going to win,” Calvert said.
“You can’t stop innovation from happening. You can make it much more difficult. You can create barriers. But ultimately, I think innovation wins out,” he added, before noting that the powerful new cryptocurrency voting bloc needs to come out to vote in November to help speed up this process, especially in a state like Pennsylvania.
The final date of the America Loves Crypto tour is scheduled for Wednesday, September 18 at The Black Cat in Washington, DC and will feature a performance by The Chainsmokers.You can confirm your attendance at the event. here.
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