Elizabeth T. Ploshay for Bitcoin Foundation board

[theymos]

Update: Here's a video of Elizabeth talking about her platform.

I've decided to support Elizabeth T. Ploshay for the upcoming Bitcoin Foundation individual board seat election. In my opinion, legal support and lobbying should be one of the Foundation's main areas of focus, and Ploshay's experience in Washington as a congressional staffer should be very useful in this area. Even though she's worked in Washington, she seems mostly libertarian, and she supports a reactive approach to government; she doesn't want to bring up legal issues preemptively. She strongly supports decentralization, and she doesn't want the Foundation to have centralized control over the Bitcoin network or ecosystem. Ploshay is the most qualified candidate for this position, and she also has the best and most clearly-presented platform.

Some quotes from the Foundation forum:

The Bitcoin Foundation needs to be prepared and ready to expand in areas of key importance should matters arise such as increased government regulation and crackdown on Bitcoin related businesses and users.  While increased government regulation is still a potentiality and not necessarily a reality yet, the foundation still needs to work to find a balance between proactivity and preparation for what lies ahead as the currency still grows in prominence.  The Foundation again should work to develop tools and guidance for the Bitcoin community to have on hand should lobbying efforts need to be carried out in the future. 

The Bitcoin Foundation should serve predominantly as an educational institution with purposes to provide legal, Bitcoin educational, PR and marketing resources for members of the Bitcoin community, those interested in getting involved in the Bitcoin community, and even international politicians who are seeking further insight and information as to how Bitcoin works.

Members of the Bitcoin community and the Bitcoin Foundation must also be prepared to provide information to Members of federal, state and local governments and if necessary take a more proactive role in educating and lobbying leaders in the US and around the world to provide information and a full background on Bitcoin before it is too late.  Having served as a professional staff member for a Member of the US Congress in leadership, I understand the inner-workings of the legislative process here in the US and abroad.  Too often, leaders create and pass laws out of fear and ignorance.  The Bitcoin community DOES have the time and opportunity to share the truth and merits of Bitcoin to policymakers.  I hope to work with the foundation to craft a legislative strategy plan and additionally lobbying packets and tools for members of the Bitcoin community should we reach a point where we do need to take action to step in and fill the information void.

I would much rather encourage businesses to give back to the Bitcoin community through hiring individuals to solely work on the Bitcoin QT open source project than provide funds to the Bitcoin foundation to then hire Bitcoin QT open source developers.  Limited centralized control is key to preserving and promoting ingenuity in within the Bitcoin community.

History has proven that central planning, centralized control and the stifling of local and state governments is not the solution to societal woes or the source of economic growth.  In essence, the less government the better as ingenuity is found through individual choice and opportunity to work and develop systems whether base on monetary, technological, or ideological development.

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[atomium]

Go Elizabeth! Shes great and I support her as well.

[n8rwJeTt8TrrLKPa55eU]

It's great that she's stepping up to the plate.  I've met Elizabeth in person, she lives and breathes Bitcoin on a daily basis, and her skillset and background would be an excellent addition to the foundation board.  Especially in reaching out to international and female audiences.

[kik1977]

Members of the Bitcoin community and the Bitcoin Foundation must also be prepared to provide information to Members of federal, state and local governments and if necessary take a more proactive role in educating and lobbying leaders in the US and around the world to provide information and a full background on Bitcoin before it is too late.  Having served as a professional staff member for a Member of the US Congress in leadership, I understand the inner-workings of the legislative process here in the US and abroad.  Too often, leaders create and pass laws out of fear and ignorance.  The Bitcoin community DOES have the time and opportunity to share the truth and merits of Bitcoin to policymakers.  I hope to work with the foundation to craft a legislative strategy plan and additionally lobbying packets and tools for members of the Bitcoin community should we reach a point where we do need to take action to step in and fill the information void.

I totally agree on this. The problem is: will they be able to understand it?

[ripper234]

I do not know any of the candidates, and have very little time to decide (and very little time to dedicate to the decision process).

Theymos' endorsement means a lot to me. I have asked a few questions on her thread:

1. What is your position regarding the relation of the current (U.S focused) Bitcoin Foundation and the emerging international chapters? FYI I am a board member in the Israeli Bitcoin Foundation (we haven't formalized our ties with TBF yet). Where do you stand on issues like member fees and donations made to international chapters? In your opinion what should the voting relationship be between the different chapters? What kind of decisions are decided where, and what kind of influence these bodies have on each other?)

2. What is your relation to the various alt currencies? To Ripple? To Mastercoin (FYI I am also a board member in the Mastercoin Foundation)?

3. What is your stance on anonymity? Do you think Bitcoin should embrace Zerocoin technology at some point?

4. Are you affiliated with any Bitcoin businesses?

5. Where do you stand on the lobbying issue? Do you support, object, or are neutral in regards to hiring lobbyists to promote Bitcoin interests?

The original thread is here, only accessible to foundation members (now is a great time to join!).

[Arto]

The Bitcoin Foundation represents its constituent members, not all Bitcoin users and not some undefined "community."

The fact that the Bitcoin Foundation keeps its discussion board closed so the public cannot view it highlights this problem.  You have some members like Marco Santori saying they represent just the constituent members and business interests while you have others trying to claim the Foundation represents all of Bitcoin.  They don't have a consistent message and people are taking advantage of this unclear message and purpose.

Yes, this is most unfortunate. Joerg actually started a thread on the Foundation forums to open up at least some of the forums for (at least) anonymous read access, but it just didn't get much support:

https://bitcoinfoundation.org/forum/index.php?/topic/372-why-are-we-behind-a-paywall/

[Mike Christ]

Many of them are young people like theymos who think that because they have been involved in something for 2 or 3 years (something they characterize as some huge amount of time) that it gives them some sort of elevated status.

Whoaaa there...where did this come from?  Lets not jump to conclusions based on stereotypes.

[greyhawk]

What the fuck is going on with her face? Is she a candidate for the humans or the hamsters?

[charleshoskinson]

Greyhawk, I'm glad you've continued the axiom of disliking everything and everyone I support. Btw, the earth is round.

[greyhawk]

Btw, the earth is round.

I'm gonna need some independent proof of that.

[charleshoskinson]

[mindtomatter]

I see what is happening now, this is playing itself out over on Reddit.

What the insiders want is someone who will not rock the boat and just go along with the flow.  The Bitcoin Foundation now wants to have "chapters" instead of forming independent groups that collaborate.  They have created a new meaningless buzz word (don't all politicians do that) called "Organized Decentralization."  http://elizabethtploshay.com/organized-decentralization/

Folks, people like Theymos are taking you for a ride.  It is like the donations to this forum which total over $600K.  Theymos has been given advice time and time again about how to secure this web site against attacks and hacks.  He never takes the advice and refuses to take even basic steps to run this site properly.  He also gives elevated status to people running obviously illegal services.  He is apparently holding on the $600K in case he needs some kind of legal defense. 

Just to be clear, am I the "insider" you're talking about?   Are there any other qualifications besides disagreeing with you?

[Abdussamad]

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=210130.msg3022330#msg3022330

[cypherdoc]

how old is Elizabeth?

[og kush420]

from these quotes shes too libertarian for my preference, i don't think the efforts of the foundation should be affected by any dogmatic ideology rather than specific issues. supporting limited government isnt really part of the job IMO since not all bitcoiners agree with that. but im not part of this, and i do support them to lobby on specific issues, good luck to the foundation
at least she isnt the owner of mtgox or coinlabs or coinbase or coinsomething like every other person there with power. foundation seems to me like an organization for bitcoin businesses to promote their financial interests. why do they even have industry seats? just let the owner of the damn business sign up himself and his members like everyone else..

[DELTA9]

What the fuck is going on with her face? Is she a candidate for the humans or the hamsters?

Lol

[malevolent]

from these quotes shes too libertarian for my preference, i don't think the efforts of the foundation should be affected by any dogmatic ideology rather than specific issues. supporting limited government isnt really part of the job IMO since not all bitcoiners agree with that.

It's actually a very good thing that she is (or at least sounds) libertarian. If bitcoin is to be part of the mainstream and without introducing red tape, business-crippling changes, the foundation should partner with some pro-freedom organizations... although I can easily see that expecting a laissez-faire attitude from most 1st world governments is tilting at windmills once bitcoin grows further.

[TomHirsch]

I've decided to support Elizabeth T. Ploshay

Please do not support Elizabeth.  She doesn't have bitcoin's best interests in mind. 

Look at her plan list here: http://bitcoinmagazine.com/6805/bitcoin-foundation-individual-seat-candidate-transcription-elizabeth-ploshay/

Number 2 is: "Work to bridge the gender gap."
This is complete BS.  Why doesn't she work to get the best people involved no matter what is between their legs?  I am tired of people trying to promote one gender ahead of another.  Just take people for their contributions without regard to social engineering to get one sex advanced up. 

Elizabeth will favor a female in some issue where the best choice is male.  This annoys me to no end.  Let Elizabeth go back to Washington and do her social engineering experiments there.

Bitcoin is for females and males alike - and we don't need to try to balance the gender gap - all people are welcome for the value of their contributions without regard for what happens to be in their pants. 

Bye Bye hamster girl.

[LiteCoinGuy]

What the fuck is going on with her face? Is she a candidate for the humans or the hamsters?

Lol

lol, but maybe its just a bad photo....and hamsters are cute  ;-) !

[2weiX]

Seriously.

GOTO the bitcoinfoundation forums and read the respective candidates' threads.
Elizabeth is, in my very humble but honest opinion, the worst choice out there.