27-year-old Agatha Bacelar is a Brazilian-American immigrant from a STEM background, and she’s targeting Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s seat in the California Congress (CA-12) in the next election cycle. Her campaign is seeking to raise $1 million in crypto (BTC, BCH, ETH, LTC or USDC) to match the amount of stock Pelosi holds in Facebook, and upset an antiquated governing body Bacelar feels runs the risk of rendering the U.S. “left behind.”
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Bacelar’s Crypto Campaign
Bacelar’s campaign donation page for crypto reads like an anti-luddite, utopian futuristic manifesto. But it does so in very compelling fashion, stating that “Agatha is running against Nancy Pelosi because it’s clear that the political establishment wants to hold back a future where economic freedom is afforded to all.” Mirroring millennial favorite presidential candidate Andrew Yang’s blockchain buzzword slinging, the page goes on to proclaim:
We need a future where we are able to use the incredible people-power of blockchain technologies to build a better, more just, and innovative society.
Bacelar comes from a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) background, and as such falls within a key subset of politicians for younger voters. She states on her campaign page, citing issues like systemic inequality and climate: “These problems keep me up at night, and they’ve been getting worse for as long as Nancy Pelosi has held office—which is longer than I’ve been alive.” Shots fired.
Popular U.S. exchange Coinbase is facilitating Bacelar’s crypto funding drive, with several major coins being accepted to help spur on the San Franciscan’s push to kick the old blood out of congress. Pelosi, who has been a congressional representative since 1987, will be defending her spot in the upcoming 2020 primary elections against three other democratic candidates (at press time), with Bacelar being recognized by many as the long shot. The incumbent certainly has time and a lengthy résumé on her side, but with the tectonic plates of the tech world rumbling more than ever, and increasing fears that the global economy is facing an unprecedented downturn, a fresh face with an understanding of crypto might be an easy sell for many.
Bacelar’s campaign page declares:
The once-bright future for crypto in America has been dimming. San Francisco, once a headquarters for the crypto industry, has suffered as federal intervention pushed innovators out of our district and the country. Blockchain startups no longer incorporate in the US, while regulatory inaction and policies favoring big tech companies have allowed monopolies to block out competition that the next web would bring.
More Vague Blockchain Talk vs. Real Progress
Of course, many crypto OGs and libertarian Bitcoin enthusiasts aren’t buying the political rhetoric hook, line and sinker, as talk of the virtues of blockchain is in no short supply, even among federal anti-crypto dinosaurs like U.S. treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin. When asked about Bitcoin in a recent interview, the former Goldman Sachs executive stated “I think the technology has certain clear uses,” but preemptively added “I would separate blockchain from bitcoin.” Andrew Yang’s ostensible support also seems to boil down to more of a general praise for the vague buzzword, and not for permissionless, decentralized electronic cash in and of itself.
Bacelar hums a slightly more focused tune, perhaps, but only time and election results will tell if the innovation she hopes to bring will amount to anything significant for those in the crypto space. As for the commentary on Pelosi’s Facebook stock, it seems the young San Fran upstart may see hypocrisy and ineptitude in accusing the group of allowing Russian election interference to occur, while still holding a hefty chunk of shares and demanding unilateral internet censorship.
What are your thoughts on Bacelar’s congressional bid? Let us know in the comments section below.
Image credits: Shutterstock, fair use.
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