Letter from the Michigan Bitcoin Trade Council to the Michigan House of Representatives on Bitcoin Adoption
Summary
A letter from the managing director of the Michigan Bitcoin Trade Council (MiBTC) to the Michigan House of Representatives, with attached advocacy materials on Bitcoin adoption. The letter describes the council's activities in Michigan since its founding in 2025, including events and helping host over 300 attendees at the Lake Satoshi conference, and asks to meet with legislators or their staff. The attachments list what the council calls bipartisan benefits of Bitcoin, with separate lists and explanations framed for Democrats and for Republicans. They also include a Bitcoin FAQ covering its origin, the 21 million unit limit and energy use, and a section on jobs the council says Bitcoin could bring to Michigan in technology, energy, finance and education.
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“Letter from the Michigan Bitcoin Trade Council to the Michigan House of Representatives on Bitcoin Adoption.”
Original at www.house.mi.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/committee-fab5e6eae59bc966/
, SHA-256 664c6a8592b258dfa74e10a32915e0eec40972111ebfbfee9566d79be1c6b9ab.Full text
Amber Harris Managing Director Michigan Bitcoin Trade Council (MiBTC) 1240 East Saginaw Street Lansing, MI 48906 (248) 935-1546 amber@mibtc.org Michigan House of Representatives Anderson House Office Building 124 North Capitol Avenue Lansing, MI 48933 Dear Representative, I am writing to share an update on the Michigan Bitcoin Trade Council’s (MiBTC) recent accomplishments across Michigan and highlight key developments in Bitcoin adoption nationally and globally over the past six months. Since our founding in 2025, MiBTC has worked to advance economic freedom through education, advocacy, and community engagement. Within Michigan, we have: e Hosted Bitcoin for All Lansing and other events connecting legislators, investors, entrepreneurs, and the public to the Bitcoin ecosystem. e Helped host over 300 attendees at the Midwest Bitcoin conference, Lake Satoshi, in August, creating a major platform for networking and education. e Engaged local communities with programs teaching the public about Bitcoin’s role in a sound, inflation-resistant financial system. e Partnered with businesses statewide to integrate Bitcoin awareness and usage in practical, everyday settings. Nationally and globally, Bitcoin adoption has accelerated, and MiBTC has actively connected Michigan business leaders to these trends. Governments, businesses, and municipalities worldwide are embracing Bitcoin as both a financial asset and a tool for economic empowerment. Our efforts help ensure Michigan stays informed and positioned to benefit from these opportunities. We would be honored to meet with you or your staff to discuss these developments in more detail and explore how Michigan can continue leading in fostering innovation, education, and economic freedom. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Amber Harris oe Bitcoin is a technology that both Republicans and Democrats can benefit from. | aly Bipartisan Benefits of Bitcoin LS Below is the simplified lists of benefits. Greater explanations of these benefits follow on the subsequent pages. Bipartisan Bitcoin Benefits — List 1. Attracts Investment & Job Creation 2. Innovation and Technological Advancement 3. Empowers small business and charities 4. Designed to Prevent Fraud and Abuse 5. Inflation Hedge: Bitcoin’s Benefits for Progressives and Democrats — List 1. Protects Human Rights 2. End Debanking and Loan Discrimination for Minorities 3. Fights Wealth Inequality, Wall Street, and the 1% 4. Bitcoin Mining Supports Renewable Energy Projects 5. Bitcoin Mining Reduces Methane Emissions 6. A Currency Without Borders Bitcoin’s Benefits for Conservatives and Republicans — List 1. Decentralized Operations 2. Limited Government Intervention 3. Secures Individual Financial Freedom 4. Bitcoin Mining Makes Energy Use More Efficient 5. Censorship Resistant Money Michigan Bitcoin Trade Council mibtc.org Bitcoin’s Benefits for Progressives and Democrats — Details 1. Bitcoin Protects Human Rights Authoritarian governments manipulate and control minority populations through financial censorship. Women, religious minorities, the LGBTQ+ community and other vulnerable groups are controlled and suppressed in countries with abusive and patriarchal cultural belief systems. In some countries, women are not permitted to have bank accounts in certain countries without their husband’s permission. Bitcoin breaks down these barriers that facilitate oppression. Bitcoin’s decentralized nature gives equal access to all, and the computer code that governs Bitcoin is programmed to be indiscriminate. This enables Bitcoin to be inclusive to woman, minorities and historically underprivileged groups. Bitcoin does not discriminate based on gender identity, religion, age or skin color. There are no barriers to entry with Bitcoin. Anyone can use Bitcoin, and nobody needs permission from any oppressor class to use Bitcoin. 2. End Debanking and Loan discrimination for minorities Bitcoin promotes financial inclusion by providing access to financial services for unbanked and underbanked populations. This technology ensures equitable access to financial tools for all citizens, regardless of their socioeconomic status. Banks have historically denied access to communities of color, with massive financial institutions focused on serving the wealthy to the detriment of the poor and needy. People of color have been deliberately targeted with predatory loans by big banks, leaving them in a perpetual state of financial struggle. Companies are emerging to provide bitcoin-backed loans, creating a transparent and fair microloan process. Microloans allow borrowers to access small amounts of bitcoin without traditional banking requirements. Anyone with an internet connection is able to use these bitcoin loans, which are processed quickly compared to traditional banking. 3. Fights wealth inequality, Wall Street, and the 1% Capitalist monetary systems disproportionately benefit the wealthy. Big banks perform their actions in secret and can bailout major corporations any time they commit economic damage that destroys the lives of the people. Bitcoin levels the playing field by offering a transparent and predictable monetary system. Everyone can see the Bitcoin code, and nothing is done secretly with Bitcoin. Everyone understands how much new bitcoin will be created and when that bitcoin will be created over the next 100 years. This addresses concerns about financial inequality and financial manipulation, fostering a far more equitable economic landscape. Big banks and corporations did not create Bitcoin. Very few big banks, corporations, and governments own bitcoin. Bitcoin's decentralized nature democratizes finance by reducing the power of major financial institutions. There is no big bank making all the rules, gaming the system for the wealthy, and forcing everyone to comply with the capitalist structure. The people of this world control Bitcoin, and Bitcoin works for the many and not the few. Michigan Bitcoin Trade Council mibtc.org Bitcoin’s Benefits for Conservatives and Republicans — Details 1. Decentralized Operations Bitcoin operates on a decentralized network, reducing the risk of centralized control and manipulation. There is no owner or controller of Bitcoin, unlike other cryptocurrency instruments. There is no group of people who can be targeted, attacked, scandalized, or encounter other unforeseen circumstances that will result in the tanking of Bitcoin. This is why Bitcoin must be at the center of the Michigan tech economy to ensure its stability and its strength. 2. Limited Government Intervention Bitcoin operates independently of government control, aligning with Republican values of limited government intervention in the economy. Supporting Bitcoin can reinforce the principles of a free market economy. Bitcoin is the foundation in which a true free market economy can be achieved, as technological innovations remove the need for government intervention into economy. Bitcoin can be used as a currency, removing central bank control over the monetary supply. Bitcoin can be used to develop smart contracts, removing the need for layers of bureaucracy in the legal sector. Bitcoin allows us to innovate our way out of big government, which has been growing for generations. 3.Secures Individual Financial Freedom Bitcoin empowers individuals by providing them with control over their financial assets. This aligns with the Republican emphasis on personal responsibility and financial independence. With Wall Street and federal reserve notes, individuals are relying on the stewardship of the government and corporate sector to protect your wealth. With Bitcoin, individuals rely on computers, technology, energy, and mathematics, instead of the good nature of corporations and government officials to ensure value of their currency or investment. This is a much-needed option in an age of growing global instability. 4. Bitcoin Mining Makes Energy Use More Efficient Excess energy can be trapped from existing infrastructure, such as oil wells that omit byproducts harmful to the environment. These operations can be linked up to Bitcoin mining technology and used to produce bitcoin, helping the environment and turning waste into a valuable byproduct. Bitcoin mining operations can also be turned off during times in which the power grid is at peak use, preventing any strains on the energy needs of Michigan residents. 5. Bitcoin is Censorship Resistant Money People worry that they will be “canceled” or have their bank accounts frozen if they say something deemed politically incorrect. In an age of technological oppression, Bitcoin makes extreme government centralization untenable. Bitcoin network does not allow for social credit scores, the prevention of usage, or the seizure of bank accounts from dissidents. Bitcoin enables the masses to exercise free speech of how they spend their money without fear of economic reprisal from hostile forces. Michigan Bitcoin Trade Council mibtc.org Bitcom FAQ What is Bitcoin? Bitcoin is electronic money in the form of computer code. The purpose of the Bitcoin code is to show ownership of scarce digital assets through a public, open-source, decentralized ledger called the blockchain. Bitcoin’s code minimizes inflation while making economic transactions easy. Where did Bitcoin come from? The creator of Bitcoin is Satoshi Nakamoto. Satoshi Nakamoto is the online name of the person or persons who created Bitcoin. Nobody knows the real identity behind Satoshi Nakamoto and the actual identity of Satoshi has been wildly speculated about. Satoshi posted the code and concept of Bitcoin on an internet forum and it grew organically outward from there through grassroots support. No government or company is behind Bitcoin, it is now controlled by its decentralized computer network. How does Bitcoin help the financial freedom and economic strength of the U.S.? There will only be 21 million units of bitcoin ever created. It is built into the computer code of Bitcoin to never create more than 21 million units. This ensures bitcoin will be scarce. Bitcoin’s inherent scarcity enables it to be a strong asset that mimics gold. Bitcoin is considered as such to be Digital Gold with governments throughout the world creating Strategic Bitcoin Reserves to compile the asset to achieve economic primacy in the technological age. Americans can use bitcoin as a store of value and a hedge against the inflationary and big spending policies made by US Government and the Federal Reserve. How is Bitcoin different than other cryptocurrency? Bitcoin is decentralized while other cryptocurrencies are centralized. There is no choke point where Bitcoin can be targeted. There is no central area in which the Bitcoin network can be attacked to take it down. There is no group of founders who control the issuance of bitcoin like there is for other cryptocurrencies. There are far more users, programmers and entrepreneurs within the Bitcoin network compared to other cryptocurrencies, and they are always working to improve and add value to the Bitcoin network. Can bitcoin be used for everyday purchases? Yes, but not many people use bitcoin on a regular basis as a currency. It will become far more frequently used as a currency as more people buy bitcoin. The Bitcoin network is working on technological improvements to improve the user experience of doing daily transactions. Governments changing their legal tender laws will result in a massive increase of daily transactions because bitcoin purchases are currently taxed under capital gains in most jurisdictions. It is not practical for bitcoin users to track the capital gains every time they buy their groceries, for example. As legal codes are modernized, it will make more sense for bitcoin to be used in regular transactions. Why does Bitcoin use so much energy? Bitcoin is designed to convert energy into currency. Its use of energy is a benefit not a hindrance. Bitcoin uses a lot of energy to make the computer network secure. The more energy Bitcoin uses, the harder it becomes for a bad actor to hijack the network because the bad actor will need to use more energy. Additionally, Bitcoin makes energy grids more efficient by putting excess energy to use and preventing seepage and spillage from energy-producing operations. Michigan Bitcoin Trade Council mibtc.org What types of jobs can Bitcoin bring to the 4 state of Michigan? Ng Job Creation and Economic Growth The Bitcoin industry has already contributed over $4.1 billion annually to the U.S. GDP and created more than 31,000 jobs nationwide. States like Texas have seen substantial economic benefits, with over 12,200 jobs and $1.7 billion in annual economic activity generated by mining operations . By attracting similar investments, Michigan could stimulate local economies, particularly in rural areas, and create a range of jobs in technology, energy, infrastructure, finance and education. 1. Technology Jobs These are the backbone of the Bitcoin and blockchain economy. Blockchain Developers — build and maintain software applications that run on the Bitcoin network. Software Engineers — work on wallets, exchanges, and payment platforms that interact with Bitcoin Cybersecurity Specialists — protect networks, wallets, and systems from hacks. Data Analysts — monitor blockchain transactions, network health, and market activity. 2. Energy & Infrastructure Jobs Bitcoin mining, which uses electricity to secure the network, directly creates jobs in the energy sector. e Mining Technicians — install and maintain mining rigs and cooling systems. e Electricians & Engineers — work on energy infrastructure, especially in renewable energy projects paired with mining. e Site Operators — manage and run mining facilities, especially in rural or industrial areas. 3. Finance Jobs As Bitcoin gets adopted by institutions and governments, jobs in finance grow too. e Bitcoin Asset Managers — handle digital assets for funds and institutions. e Financial Analysts — specialize in Bitcoin markets and blockchain-based financial systems. e Tax Advisors — help individuals and companies with Bitcoin related tax planning. e Compliance Officers — ensure regulatory adherence for Bitcoin firms. 4, Education & Community With demand for knowledge growing, educational jobs are rising too. e Bitcoin Educators — teach blockchain and Bitcoin fundamentals in schools or bootcamps. e Community Managers — run local or online groups that support adoption and training. e Consultants — advise businesses on integrating Bitcoin payments or treasury strategies. Michigan Bitcoin Trade Council mibtc.org
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