KEY POINTS
- The plan will put "300 million eyeballs" on the national budget, he said
- While many crypto users on X supported his idea, others doubted the US was ready for such a change
- He previously hailed the role Bitcoin plays in backing the public's freedom of transaction
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is running for U.S. president in the 2024 election as an independent candidate, has just made an interesting statement about blockchain and how the American public can determine whether the government is putting money where it belongs or not.
In a Michigan rally over the weekend, RFK Jr., the son of former U.S. attorney general Robert F. Kennedy and a nephew of ex-president John F. Kennedy, said he wants the entire U.S. budget on blockchain. This way, Americans can monitor how the government is using the people's money.
NEW: 🇺🇸 RFK Jr. says “I’m gonna put the entire US budget on blockchain”
— Radar🚨 (@RadarHits) April 22, 2024
“Every American can look at every budget item in the entire budget, anytime they want, 24 hours a day.”
“We’re gonna have 300 million eyeballs on our budget!” pic.twitter.com/TBpkcXt5i1
"Every American can look at every budget item in the entire budget, anytime they want, 24 hours a day," he said to applause from the audience. "We're gonna have 300 million eyeballs on our budget, and if somebody is spending $16,000 for a toilet seat, everybody's gonna know about it," he said.
If such a scenario takes place, it may open the doors for greater accountability and transparency regarding the national budget since taxpayers will want government leaders to explain whenever they notice something amiss in spending transactions.
The cryptocurrency community on X (formerly Twitter) welcomed such an idea. One user said it was an "extremely smart, transparent and decentralized idea in data management that can prevent fraud and scams and create trust in the market."
This is an extremely smart, transparent and decentralized idea in data management that can prevent fraud and scams and create trust in the market. There must be a time when all people know how the country's budget is being managed.
— AlexPh 🛡️ (@DyAnhPham) April 22, 2024
Another user said it was a great idea since tax-paying citizens will know how their money is being spent, which will then give them a better understanding of who to vote for. One noted that such a plan should bring jitters to "corrupt" politicians.
That’s exactly what should happen
— Goomba (@im_goomba) April 22, 2024
Tax paying citizens should know exactly how their money is spent so they can vote accordingly
Brilliant! That should these corrupt politicians something to freak out about:)
— G Leca (@g_leca) April 22, 2024
However, there were also some doubters, with one saying the American public is unfortunately "not ready" for such a technological transition. One user said he doubts the voting public actually understands how blockchain can provide the transparency they "crave," and another pointed out that if it should happen, RFK Jr. should choose "wisely" which blockchain network will bring the plan to fruition.
our people are not ready for this, unfortunately.
— HungryGames2000 (@HungryGames2000) April 22, 2024
that IS a good idea. blockchain offers transparency that people crave, not sure the voting public understands this though.
— Mike Sowers (@mikesowerss) April 22, 2024
Which blockchain? He must choose wisely.
— Mark Nakata (@mrnonel) April 22, 2024
RFK Jr. is known for his advocacy of Bitcoin adoption. He told Bitcoin Magazine last year that he intends to protect the world's largest cryptocurrency by market cap, considering its important role in supporting freedom of transaction.
Earlier last month, he said at the ETHDenver crypto conference that he will stop the U.S. government from taking away the people's right to make transactions with whomever they want. "Transactional freedom is as important as freedom of expression," he argued. He also expressed opposition to a U.S. central bank digital currency (CBDC), telling Axios privately that he knows "how to stop it in this country."
