Cryptocurrency is up in the air politically

New York City: The midterm elections are just around the corner, and that means it’s time to get ready for a little political intrigue. While the majority of Americans are still not interested in cryptocurrencies, there are some candidates who have taken an interest in this new technology and how it can be used on both sides of the aisle. Here’s a look at where your favorite candidates stand on crypto—both pro- and anti-crypto:

Democratic candidates

Before we dive into the Democratic candidates, let’s take a look at what they have to say.

• Four out of the five candidates who support cryptocurrency are running against each other. This could be an indication that voters are looking for a clear winner in this space and will choose someone with experience rather than someone who is just talking about it.
• Obama has been vocal about his support for crypto since at least 2014 when he said “I think crypto-currencies should be regulated like any other commodity…because it’s not going away anytime soon.” While this stance may seem surprising given his previous statements on bitcoin being used by criminals (which he later admitted were wrong), it makes sense given his position as president during those years—the government needed some way to monitor its citizens’ money movements without infringing too much upon their rights or privacy rights.

President Barack Obama

President Barack Obama has made no public statements on crypto, and his administration has been critical of the technology. However, the president’s administration has not taken any action against crypto.

Obama is a Democrat who was elected in 2008 after serving as a senator from Illinois for two terms. In 2015, he became the first African-American president since Lyndon Johnson (1908–1973) when he won reelection against Republican rival Mitt Romney with 51 percent of votes compared to Romney’s 47 percent.

First Lady Michelle Obama

First Lady Michelle Obama has been a strong and vocal supporter of the cryptocurrency movement since her husband became president, and she has continued to be an advocate for its use in education and healthcare. In 2017, she spoke at South by Southwest about how blockchain technology will revolutionize society. She also participated in one of CoinDesk’s twice-annual Consensus conferences last year where she met with other leaders from across industries including finance and government.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton has been a strong proponent of innovation and technology, but it’s not always clear how she feels about cryptocurrency. She’s been supportive of the crypto industry in the past, but hasn’t made any public statements on cryptocurrency since stepping down as Secretary of State in 2013.

Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin

The former vice presidential candidate and current Alaskan governor has not yet endorsed any specific coin or token, but she does say that blockchain technology is “very exciting.” She also praised the SEC for its guidance on ICOs.

“I believe that it’s incumbent upon us to ensure that our regulators are doing their job,” Palin said during an interview with Bloomberg in October 2018. “And I think there’s no better place than Alaska to do that—to make sure we’re watching those developments so we can learn from them.”

Senator Biden (DE)

Senator Joe Biden (D-Delaware) has been a strong supporter of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology. He has co-sponsored the Cryptocurrency Tax Fairness Act of 2019 and the SAFE Banking Act, which would require banks to adopt new technologies like cryptocurrency or face penalties. In addition, he is also a sponsor on bills that would extend New Markets Tax Credits and create an “innovation fund” for startups in emerging industries like fintech or blockchain technology.

Biden’s record on crypto shows that he understands how important it can be to help entrepreneurs access capital while they develop their ideas into viable businesses; this understanding comes from personal experience: when his son Hunter was diagnosed with cancer at age 10 years old, Joe used Bitcoin donations from strangers around the world as well as his own savings savings from working as an attorney in order to fund Hunter’s treatment abroad over several years before eventually winning approval from Congress for Medicare coverage for access related services such as chemotherapy drugs and radiation therapy sessions needed so that kids suffering from cancer could get better faster than ever before thanks largely due

Governor Richardson (NM)

Richardson is a strong supporter of Bitcoin and blockchain technology. He has been a vocal advocate for these emerging technologies, especially when it comes to the benefits they can provide for people who don’t have access to banking services or traditional financial systems. During his campaign for governor, he said that “New Mexico should be at the forefront of innovation in this space because our economy is built on innovation.”

Senator Stabenow (MI)

Senator Stabenow (MI) is a supporter of Bitcoin and has spoken out against the BitLicense. She has also said that she would like to see the IRS and SEC work together on cryptocurrency regulation. Senator Stabenow has worked with Senator Warren to introduce legislation to protect consumers from cryptocurrency fraud, which could potentially have an impact on those who have been affected by recent hacks or scams in the market.

Senator Webb (VA)

Senator Webb (VA) is a staunch opponent of the idea of a national currency and wants to see more competition in the banking industry. He also believes that credit cards should be subject to more scrutiny and regulation so that they can’t be used as a way for businesses to skirt laws or defraud consumers.

Senator Webb has been vocal about his support for crypto since he announced his candidacy last year, explaining how he believes it will help bring down costs across all industries while providing greater access for lower-income Americans who may not have had access before due to their location or race/ethnicity.

Republican candidates

Mitt Romney is a classic example of what happens when you look at the candidates’ platforms and vote for them based on their name alone. He was recently reported to have said that he would make crypto illegal, though his spokesperson later denied this. His other positions are similarly vague, but he has been clear about his desire to end abortion in America—a position that will likely appeal to many conservatives.

John McCain has also expressed opposition to cryptocurrencies but has not gone so far as to ban them outright; instead, he wants Congress to decide whether they should be legal or not (though it’s hard not to see how this wouldn’t lead directly back into banning them). Tim Pawlenty seems like another guy who just likes talking about how cool blockchain tech is—but again: no meaningful policy proposals here! Sarah Palin famously doesn’t know what bitcoin even is; Ron Paul probably does know but still wants it banned anyway…and Hillary Clinton? Well…she hasn’t said much either way yet! Joe Biden says we need regulation first before letting anyone else get involved with blockchain technology at all because otherwise “you’re opening up Pandora’s Box” (whatever that means).

Senator McCain (AZ)

Senator McCain (AZ) is a strong supporter of the crypto community, and has been for many years. In fact, he’s even introduced a bill to protect cryptocurrencies from government interference.

The former Republican presidential candidate is also known as one of Congress’ most outspoken supporters of blockchain technology in general. He wrote an op-ed piece for CNBC saying that “blockchain will revolutionize how we do business,” describing its potential as revolutionary for financial services companies and their customers alike.

Governor Pawlenty (MN)

Governor Pawlenty is a supporter of the BitLicense and the JOBS Act, which allow for increased regulation. He also supports the CFPB.

Pawlenty has said that he would work to make sure that cryptocurrency companies are transparent and accountable to their users through transparency measures like reporting data on how much money they’ve raised from investors or where their assets are stored. He has not indicated whether or not he would support removing these protections if elected governor in Minnesota.

Governor Romney (MA)

Governor Romney (MA)

Governor Romney has been critical of crypto in the past, but he has not made any statements about it recently. He is currently undecided on whether or not to support cryptocurrencies as legal tender.

Senator Dole (NC)

Dole has been a strong supporter of the cryptocurrency industry since before it was cool. He’s been one of the most vocal advocates for legalizing cryptocurrency in Congress, and he even introduced legislation to do so last year. In fact, Dole is so supportive that he even wrote an op-ed for CNN titled “Why I’m Supporting Cryptocurrency Regulation.”

Cryptocurrency is up in the air politically, with some strong backers and just as many who are either critical or undecided.

Cryptocurrency is a hot topic in the election, but it’s also an unpredictable one. Some candidates are pro-crypto, others have been critical and some are undecided.

Candidates like Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., who has previously expressed support for blockchain technology and distributed ledger technology (DLT), will likely continue to adopt a more positive tone towards cryptocurrency under the new administration. In contrast, other candidates like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-Ny) have remained silent on their stance on crypto during this campaign season while others like Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) remain skeptical about its benefits or risks and instead focus on regulations that could help protect consumers from fraudsters using cryptocurrencies as part of criminal schemes such as money laundering schemes.”

It is clear that cryptocurrency has a lot of support among politicians. The question is, which ones will decide to embrace it? And which won’t?