On a cool fall evening 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 Crypto tour. A diverse crowd of about 200 people, evenly split between men and women, filled Vinyl, a stylish venue in the heart of the city where the event took place. The size and enthusiasm of the crowd in this round has grown significantly as it has progressed, lending some credence to the idea that the crypto voting bloc could play a role in changing the major races in the US election in November.
Speakers on the tour included former U.S. Senator and Coinbase Global Advisory Board member Pat Toomey (right); former Congressman Patrick Murphy (D), Kara Calvert, head of US policy at Coinbase; Dominic Folino, President of the Pennsylvania Blockchain Coalition; David Johnson, General Council and Strategic Advisor to The Giving Block; Cody Eddings, co-founder and CEO of Snap Refund; and Sam Weinrott, co-founder of PizzaDAO. The headliner of the event was electronic pop singer Lauv.
The theme of the event was that Pennsylvanians, 1.4 million of whom are cryptocurrency owners, have a big role to play if they want to help the US move in a more pro-crypto direction. Pennsylvania is one of seven swing states that will likely decide the US presidential election in November, and it has the most electoral votes: 19. Considering that the number of residents who own cryptocurrency in this state is 18 times higher than the number of votes Considering difference between President Biden and former President Trump in the 2020 presidential election, it is critical that Pennsylvanians who support bitcoin and cryptocurrency vote, as speakers at the event made clear.
Former Politicians Urge Pro-Crypto Pennsylvanians to Vote
As one of the event’s first speakers, Toomey, a longtime supporter of cryptocurrencies, set the tone for the evening by calling on voters to vote out politicians who oppose cryptocurrencies.
“My former colleagues were unable to get the law across the goal line. [and] out of control Securities and Exchange Commission [SEC] casts a dark shadow over all types of cryptocurrency development,” Toomey began from the stage.
“The growth of this entire sector needs to happen in the United States of America. We have an advantage. We have amazing entrepreneurship. We have the infrastructure. But increasingly, some of the most talented people in our country are leaving because there are foreign jurisdictions that have provided legal clarity on this,” he added.
“There are people in Congress on both sides of the aisle who are advocating for cryptocurrency to truly grow and thrive. And there are others who are very hostile. My suggestion is that some opponents should lose the election.”
Murphy brought similar energy, emphasizing the importance of Bitcoin and cryptocurrency and the role of Pennsylvanians as voters in protecting them.
“The whole point of cryptocurrency is that we don’t have to rely on the government or the central bank,” Murphy said, emphasizing that we can use the technology to control our own destiny.
He then supported Toomey’s call to action regarding the removal of anti-cryptocurrency politicians.
“He was absolutely right when he said there are people who are not for us and we need to hold them accountable,” Murphy said.
To do that, Murphy emphasized that Pennsylvania voters have a key role to play in this election.
“In reality, only six states will 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 Ask for Clear Crypto Rules
After negotiations between Toomey and Murphy, a founding group was created that included Johnson, Folino, Eddings and Weinrott.
Similar to what was discussed on the panel during the first stop of the tour, the founders in attendance asked for little more than clear rules of the road for cryptocurrency from the US regulatory apparatus.
“Cryptocurrency compliance is incredibly difficult right now in the U.S. because as much as you want to follow the rules, it’s not always clear what those rules are,” Johnson said.
“Too many people in Washington either don’t understand this technology, don’t want to understand it, or, in many cases, unfortunately, are hostile to it. The reality is that innovators will innovate, whether here or elsewhere,” he added.
“We know that cryptocurrency is the future of payments, and the reason we’re here to support it is because we want it to happen in the US, not anywhere else.”
Folino chimed in with his thoughts on the obstacles preventing the crypto industry from thriving in the US.
“Politicians, regulators and one senator whose name we all know, I think, are a really big reason why we’re not moving forward,” Folino said, presumably referring to Senator Elizabeth Warren, the head of the anti-cryptocurrency army. “Everyone should get out and vote; everyone should continue to educate everyone they can.”
Folino is no stranger to educating others, including politicians in Pennsylvania, about bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. Through his work with the Pennsylvania Blockchain Coalition, he frequently interacts with state-level policymakers.
“People absolutely want it,” Folino told Bitcoin Magazine of the elected officials and bureaucrats he trains in Pennsylvania.
“We have much more open-minded members in the PA State House. And I think they will get it in the Senate as well,” he added, before revealing that cryptocurrency will be a key issue in the upcoming PA elections, both this election cycle and even more so in the future.
Complex voter base
Calvert echoed Folino’s sentiment that cryptocurrency will become a bigger voting issue over time. She was also pleasantly surprised not only by how many people spoke out in favor of making cryptocurrency an issue this election cycle, but also by how insightful those who spoke out and showed up to the America Loves Crypto tour events were.
“It’s a really sophisticated crowd,” Calvert said of the tour participants. “I expected more people to just come out in support of artists, and what I found is that these are people who really care deeply about cryptocurrency.”
Calvert also commented on the fact that those in attendance are not only educated about cryptocurrencies, but also active voters.
“In Detroit, I asked the question: ‘How many people know where their polling place is?’ Calvert said before imitating the reaction of most of the crowd by raising her hand in the air.
“I was shocked. So, it’s not just about their complexity as cryptocurrency owners. [but] their sophistication as voters. It’s the same in Milwaukee. And it’s the same here. I was stunned by how complex they were,” she added.
Partly because of what she saw on the tour, Calvert believes the bitcoin and cryptocurrency industry will find a home in the United States.
“America will win,” Calvert said.
“You can’t stop innovation from happening. You can make this much more complicated. You can create barriers. But at the end of the day, I think innovation wins,” she added, before noting that a powerful new cryptocurrency voting bloc should come out and vote in November to speed up the 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, D.C., and will include a performance by The Chainsmokers.. You can RSVP to attend the event. Here.
