Bitcoin Forum

Unless you are actively involved in politics, using a nation's fiat currency (the United States Dollar, for example) is passive support for its social and economic policies. Unfortunately, if you are a North American then merely voting in the ballot box simply doesn't qualify as "actively involved" (let's face it, the choices given between Republican and Democrat are mostly meaningless.) Much more important is, as the saying goes, "voting with your dollar." By using the dollar, you prop up the United States Federal Reserve, its Legislature, many American corporations that have twisted laws to their own benefit, and all of the greedy moneygrubbers on Capitol Hill that pass self-interested legislation.

For example: the United States has very punitive drug prohibition laws. These laws, which imprison people (citizens and foreigners alike) for drug possession, trafficking, sale, and manufacture, artificially inflate the prices of many drugs such that the profit potential is simply irresistible for people that are willing the break the law. Law enforcement officers arrest criminals, criminals go through the justice system, and criminals get put behind bars: all on the taxpayer dollar.

See where this is going? By using the dollar, you are passively participating in this entire system. Now, you could be very actively involved in politics and lobbying and grassroots organization... And if you are, then bravo. Much more likely, however, is that you are not. In that case, the most important way you vote is with your dollar.

Bitcoin allows you to decouple your everyday life from the tainted politics of the United States Dollar, freeing you from the Fed and allowing you to participate in a truly market-driven currency. Vote with your bitcoin--or vote with your cryptocurrency of choice if bitcoin isn't it. But please: consider the effects of lending your support for the dollar and consider weaning yourself from it, or else go get active in politics and try and change our odious laws.

True, but you are preaching to the choir (at least a large percentage of the people here). Most libertarians (and a lot of anarchists) are already aware that supporting the US dollar supports US foreign/domestic policy.

No choice. Fiat is what we got right now. Give it another 10 years-ish.

But there is a way to fight the system. Take more from the state than they take from you. In a roundabout way, welfare barons are the patriots of the day because they are making the system collapse just a little bit faster.

This is true to the extent that you are free to act otherwise. To the extent that your choice is dictated by legal tender law (men with guns willing to lock you in a cage if you don't accept their notes for payment of debt and taxes) its not an expression of support. While it may still be a material form of support its not necessarily a moral one.

get off of blood US dollars!

get onto bitcoin

Exactly.
Also, many people need to pay for vital items with fiat.
BTC is making good progress, but there is still a long way to go.

I would especially like to point out that supporting a nation's fiat currency also helps that nation to engage in wars that you may not agree with. If you pay taxes, you are complicit in shooting Johnny Afghanistan in the ass and the collateral damage as well, i.e. children. A lot of large nations are run by psychopaths. Evil is alive and well folks.

...and people who don't pay taxes frequently end up in jail.

A lot of large nations are run by psychopaths.
What about the small nations? Some of our puppets Govs are the worst examples of psychopaths.

What is interesting about this is a lot (actual figures require too much work) of trade in the USD does not occur within US borders. Basically all global oil sales are denominated in US currency - even out of countries like Venezuela and Russia. Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Australia, Canada all sell in USD. Oil isn't alone in being denominated in USD. All of this is support for US government policy as OP said.

The USDs value is supported by its role as the global reserve currency, but every year the economy of the globe grows quicker than the US economy. So every year we set a record for the smallest (relative) economy ever supporting a global reserve currency. You have to think that it is impossible for that to continue forever.

The creation of the Euro was an attempt to create a viable alternative. The Chinese government sure has high hopes for their currency taking on a more important role. Many people advocate for a gold backed global currency. All of these solutions are lacking in my view. Digital, decentralized scarcity offers a level playing field for all nations, and eliminates the need for trust (escrow) in international trade. And provides no opportunity for politics to leverage power from the system.

This is the main reason I have such an idealistic belief that Bitcoin has huge potential to fundamentally change everything about international finance.

If you're American and are interested in more liberty promoting politicians, you can check them out @ http://libertycandidates.com/category/2014-liberty-candidates/ (http://libertycandidates.com/category/2014-liberty-candidates/) and donate excess fiat toward their races. Even if there is a crash in the future, it'll nice to have more liberty loving people in office and poised for higher office to either right the ship, downsize govt to nil and/or repair the damage from default.

The dollar is widely used it would be hard to get people off it quickly as some have suggested in this thread.  I agree with the basic sentiment of the OP .

By using USD you enforce it's value. By handing it over in the store you basically saying that this has value to you. Store owner then goes and spends your dollars and then next person etc. This cycle gives confidence in the system.
By using bitcoin you separate yourself from violent monetary policy of your rulers, taking away power and giving it to you.