Interview with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: The presidential campaign, Bitcoin and personal freedom

Interview: Mark Goodwin

Interviewee: Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

Original compilation: Luffy, Foresight News

After taking a plane, ferry and train to rush to Manhattan, New York, I found that I only had more than thirty minutes to prepare for an important interview. I was about to sit down with presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., more than thirty floors above the Hudson Yards Hotel. Filmmaker Jeremy Poley filmed about forty minutes of RFK answering our questions. His responses were sharp, clear, and he had an encyclopedic memory, and he answered every question I prepared. Perhaps it was his undeniable counterculture persona that overshadowed his likability. But while Americans may like the Kennedy family behind him, Democrats certainly dont. His campaign has put pressure on Democrats from outside but remains partisan, and Biden has had to pretend to have his act together to win reelection. (Note: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. previously announced that he would withdraw from the Democratic Party and run independently for the 2024 U.S. President)

RFK came in in a hurry. His breathing was steady, but his hands held the tea cup as heavy as a prize boxers. After a warm but brief introduction, the formal interview began half an hour later.

Goodwin: If your father were around today, would he recognize the current state of affairs at the Democratic National Committee? What does being a Kennedy Democrat mean to you?

RFK：I would say the Kennedy Democrats are the traditional Democratic Party, the party of the working class, the working class. This is a party that has always taken environmental issues very seriously. Its heritage is anti-war, skeptical of the military-industrial complex and skeptical of Wall Street. I would say take a stance that prevents Wall Street from enacting policies that serve the corporate aristocracy and corporate kleptocrats who deprive the middle class, working people, and union members of their wealth and power.

Goodwin: That doesnt sound like the Democratic National Committee today.

Robert Kennedy:Yes, its not like that.

Goodwin: How do you plan to fight the super-monopolies that control our food, media, currency, and health?

RFK: Every department has to do something different. Indeed, three financial giants, BlackRock, State Street and Vanguard, control 88% of the SP 500 and virtually all military contractors. A super alliance. They control much of the U.S. agricultural sector, large packaging companies, seed companies, and the pharmaceutical industry. For each department, you have to do different things. In each area, these industries have had 20 or 30 years to figure out how to rein in the regulatory agencies that are supposed to protect the public from the bad behavior of these companies. But instead, these regulators have become puppets of the industries they are supposed to regulate. In all of these cases, you have to address corporate control regulators. I think Im probably the best person in the country right now to do this because Ive spent most of my career litigating institutions and industries that are corrupt.

So, I know how corporations prey. When you truly understand its dynamics, you understand the solution. For example, in the Monsanto case, we uncovered documents showing that Jess Rowland, head of the EPAs pesticide division, was secretly working for Monsanto and that Monsanto executives directed him to prevent the removal of glyphosate, Monsantos flagship pesticide. The active ingredient in Roundup) has been linked to non-Hodgkin lymphoma and other cancers. It is clear that although his salary is paid by American taxpayers, he is actually working for Monsanto. Unfortunately, this is true for all institutions. This is more the rule than the exception. Because I was deeply involved in this type of litigation, I actually knew the names of the people I needed to purge from the regulators as soon as I took office.

Most politicians are afraid of these institutions because they do have the ability to disobey and embarrass the president on so many levels. I understand these circumstances and what needs to be done to address this corrupt alliance of state and corporate power.

Goodwin: When you take office, what actions will you take to ensure free speech, a free press, and an open Internet as a public square for speech?

RFK：First, on my first day in office, I issued an executive order prohibiting any federal agency or federal regulator from censoring any social media site. Among other things, I will push for legislation to change the RICO Act, the Racketeer Act my father originally wrote, to criminalize government-mandated censorship of free speech. I will also call out the leaders of all major social media sites, including YouTube and Google, which continue to censor political speech in this country. I would tell them that they need to develop a plan to avoid censorship of political speech. Ultimately converting them into public utilities and acknowledging that they are now public spaces. Then I will amend the Communications Act, including Section 230, in which I will make censorship of political speech illegal.

Goodwin: If democracy inherently requires informed consent, can the U.S. government call for violent defense of democracy as a pillar of foreign policy while working with big tech companies to censor stories in the country?

RFK：Can the government censor criticism of the war in Ukraine? That should be illegal. Of course, individual media sites should be able to criticize the war, they can criticize the war, or they can choose not to allow criticism on their pages. Its their choice. But if they do so at the direction of the government, the First Amendment is implicated and becomes illegal. Thats my opinion.

The rhetoric of the United States promoting democracy around the world is generally regarded as a lie. I think the CIA was involved in 87 coups between 1947 and 1997 in a third of the countries on the planet, most of them democracies. And the US Agency for International Development, a front for the CIA, spends $10 billion a year to overturn democratic systems in various countries. When you engage in regime change operations, you are working against the democracy of that country, because usually regimes are established through some kind of consensus among the people who live in that country. This consensus is often created by projects such as Operation Mockingbird. The CIA today is the largest funder of journalism in the world. It shouldn’t fund American journalism, but it does. If you look around the world, youll see that it owns newspapers, it runs newspapers, it pays editors, and it pays major journalists in most developing countries and in Europe.

Goodwin: Speaking of journalists, are you planning to pardon Julian Assange once you take office?

RFK：I would pardon Julian Assange on day one, and I would probably pardon Edward Snowden. Then I would look into other cases that could be pardoned. I will be looking into the case of Ross Ulbricht (Founder of Silk Road) to see if he was justly convicted and if his conviction in the sentence reflected the seriousness of his crime or if he was a man used to stop Bitcoin or The case of the cryptocurrency industry. If I found out that was the case, I would forgive him too.

Goodwin: How is Ross approach different from that of ATT executives, allowing drug dealers and human traffickers to use their systems? Or that JPMorgan Chase is allowing known human traffickers to use their banking services? How does Ross do it differently?

RFK：Rosss conviction comes with a lot of irony. I think thats a very good point - the things hes been accused of are just part of the business structure and business plans of these blue-chip companies, but he doesnt have that lobbying clout. If I find his sentence unjust, I will reverse it.

Goodwin: Do you think the public would support that if they knew they were going to have higher taxes and experience high inflation to pay for the trillions of dollars needed to pay for a war or to deal with the coronavirus?

RFK：I dont think any war weve fought since at least the Korean War, including maybe the Korean War, has ever been done without the prior consent of the taxpayers. Fiat currency was created to enable countries to conduct wars without directly taxing the population. People still pay for it through out-of-pocket taxes called inflation. But fiat currency was invented before the Fed, and it was invented from the beginning to fund war.

Goodwin: Speaking of fiat currencies, what originally sparked your interest in Bitcoin? Why are you interested in Bitcoin voting bloc?

RFK：I became interested in Bitcoin when I saw what was happening with truckers and Ottawa. They held peaceful demonstrations for people who had good reasons to exercise their right to protest and petition public officials. They were suppressed and punished by the government in extraordinary ways. The government used surveillance technology to identify them, determine the license plates of their cars, and then close their bank accounts, denying them access to their money without any charges being filed and certainly without any convictions. This is just to silence them. The government has the ability to close the bank accounts of individuals who cannot pay their mortgages. I spoke to a truck driver who was unable to pay his alimony and was filing a criminal complaint in court. People are unable to pay for their children’s clothing, medicine and food. Of course, they cant pay for gas to start the vehicle, and their credit cards are no longer valid. If governments have the power to do this, then governments have the power to enslave us. If they can starve their critics, they can commit any atrocity. Since then, I’ve come to understand that freedom of transactions is just as important as freedom of speech, and that’s what Bitcoin is. I also see the trajectory of central bank digital currencies, which will give states the ultimate power to determine our survival. I understand that we need a free currency—one that is independent and not controlled by governments.

Goodwin: You recently proposed a very novel idea of ​​using Bitcoin to back the U.S. dollar alongside other hard assets. Are you concerned about government influence or restrictions on Bitcoin and Bitcoin mining?

RFK：I am very concerned about government restrictions on Bitcoin. But what I would like to do is at least issue some Treasury bills backed by hard currency. This could be a portfolio containing Bitcoin, platinum, gold, silver and other hard assets. Probably on a small scale initially, we can see if there is a market and if it will put some sort of restraint on the current runaway money printing. Because consumers will have access to assets that have a hard currency base, they will at least be protected from runaway inflation. If the market likes the Treasury bill, then we can increase the amount every year, 1% to 2%, 3%, etc.

Goodwin: As we see the emergence of CBDCs, stablecoins, and other types of U.S. dollar derivatives, how do you see the U.S. dollar developing in the future? We see the dollar globalizing rapidly. Obviously, I think you can see a potential future for Bitcoin, but how do you see the U.S. dollar developing?

RFK：I think the future of the dollar is uncertain. One important factor is the exponential growth of the BRIC countries. You know, the BRIC group started out as just Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, and now six more countries have been added. They offer an alternative to the U.S. dollar as a reserve currency, and although they do not issue a unified currency, they allow transactions to be settled in their national currency. Ultimately, this poses a threat to the dollar’s ​​status as the world’s reserve currency and to America’s power and wealth. Its accelerating, and were doing it ourselves. America’s unilateral belligerence makes many other countries wary of working with us or placing themselves within our sphere of power. When we freeze the assets of Vladimir Putins friends or Russian oligarchs who may or may not have something to do with whats going on in Russia, people say, Why do we put ourselves in this position? We Why not build your own market? This is a very dangerous thing for the dollar.

Goodwin: Do you think the U.S. government should issue digital currency directly to citizens?

RFK：No, I am against central bank digital currency. I think they will become tools of power and control. Eventually, they will be used as an excuse to abolish cash currency. They give the government complete control over our lives. Even before the events in Ottawa, I gave a speech in Milan to warn the Italian people as they were looking at vaccine passports and central bank digital currencies. If you don’t meet a certain social credit score, if you don’t wear a mask correctly on Mask Day, whatever your violation is, the government can shut down the channels through which you spend your money. They can program it so that your credit card can only be used at grocery stores within a half-mile of your home. They wont buy you gas, they wont let you buy a plane ticket, they dont want you to travel to other parts of the country or abroad. If the government had such power we would all be in big trouble.

Goodwin: Do you have any concerns about FedNow and updates to this permissioned walled garden system that already exists within the Federal Reserve System?

RFK：I think FedNow is the first step. Its not a digital currency per se, but its a first step. We are all on this slippery slope. This worries me.

Goodwin: Can you talk about the governments actions during the COVID-19 pandemic? Do you think this is an orchestration similar to the 2008 crisis, to shut down small businesses and regional banks in order to consolidate the financial power of the super monopolies?

RFK：I dont think this was orchestrated specifically for this purpose. I think these entities, powerful entities, will use any crisis as an excuse to take away public rights.

Goodwin: Like 9/11 and the Patriot Act?

RFK：Every crisis in history has served as an excuse for those in power in society to expand their power, weaken public power, and subvert democracy.

Goodwin: Would you consider canceling debt or clawing back ill-gotten gains from super-monopolies that steal wealth from the working class?

RFK：I would consider a lawsuit for any type of fraud.

Goodwin: Why do you think Trump gets a media pass for the lockdowns and disastrous monetary policy decisions he made during his administration? Do you think hell get a pass?

RFK：Yeah, I dont think the mainstream media would criticize him in this area. Possibly due to interests in similar investments in the pharmaceutical industry. Pharmaceutical advertising revenue is huge, and it is one of the main advertising revenue streams for mainstream media. These pharmaceutical companies ultimately determine what is shown on television.

Goodwin: How do you hope to lead a movement against such a powerful, unified coalition? What do you say to those who are demoralized and no longer believe that the political system can be used to help citizens?

RFK：I would tell them to watch what I do. I still believe there is hope for democracy, lets give it a chance. And, if I am successfully elected, I am absolutely confident that I can solve it.

Goodwin: Do you think Bitcoin will play a big role in this? Do you think money can solve the problem of super monopolies?

RFK：I will ensure that Bitcoin is protected, people feel safe keeping it in their wallets, the current White House war on Bitcoin will end, and transactions will be protected and encouraged. I would eventually consider it a currency rather than a commodity. Especially for small Bitcoin owners, for transactions conducted between them. I don’t want to add to the windfall for billionaires who accumulate Bitcoin, but I think small players and their transactions should be protected. They are freely convertible, just like Canadian dollars when you go to Canada. If the Canadian dollar appreciates, you dont have to pay tax.

Goodwin: Do you think protections similar to Section 230 or even an amendment will be used to protect these types of transactions?

RFK：I dont know how I would do it, but I can tell you my approach and the overall tenure of the administration. I cant tell you the details of how I would do it. Ill be consulting with the brightest minds in the industry, like Stanley Druckenmiller and Paul Tudor Jones. Bitcoin experts then figure out the best ways to protect our freedoms, encourage the reindustrialization of America, and bring benefits to working-class Americans.

Goodwin: Let’s say you’re sitting next to one of the most committed representatives of the Bitcoin community and I’m telling you what you should do. How do you plan to work with a compromised Congress to enact some regulations to protect Bitcoin?

RFK：Im going to do what I can without having to go through Congress. I will do this through fiscal policy. A lot of the bad policies against Bitcoin are not driven by legislation, they are driven by White House policies, and I want to end the White House’s war on Bitcoin.

Goodwin: Speaking of ending the war, the military-industrial complex that Eisenhower warned about appears to be in full effect as NATO increases its military presence in Ukraine to provoke Russia. Yet some people in the country would say this is good for the U.S. economy because they are buying U.S. weapons. Do you think the Ukraine war is actually an economic victory for Biden?

RFK：No. War is a disaster for everyone. We have killed 400,000 Ukrainian children and probably 70,000 to 100,000 Russians. I know Mitch McConnell has said that we shouldnt worry about the $140 billion that were paying there because that money is going back to American weapons manufacturers. Who owns these weapons manufacturers? Its BlackRock, State Street and Vanguard, right? It will go to the wealthiest people in our country. This doesnt help the poor. It actually consumes a lot of intellectual resources that could be used to re-industrialize the country and make truly valuable products that dont kill people but make peoples lives better. The $8 trillion we spend on war is enough to keep Social Security solvent for 30 years. We can pay for every American childs education through college, we can pay for child care for every American, and we can clear all of our nations credit card debt. Many of the problems we face could be solved if we kept this money at home.

Goodwin: Can you talk about the Weimar Republic and its aftermath as an analogy for whats happening in the United States now? Will this inflation spark some sort of revolution? Is there an alternative to nonviolent revolution for the lower, middle and working classes?

RFK：I will try to address these issues, starting with housing. These large corporations (BlackRock, State Street, and Vanguard) own most of the land in the United States, and they are now trying to buy up all the single-family homes. By 2030, six and a half years from now, they will own 60% of single-family homes. My kids cant afford a house. A lot of people, like your children and mine, still live with their parents or in rented accommodation. Very few people actually buy houses. They try to buy a house, but someone makes a last-minute cash offer, or some LLC with a vague name that you can trace back to BlackRock. This is not a good thing. Thomas Jefferson said American democracy must be rooted in the tens of thousands of independent freeholds owned by individual Americans. This is a colonial model; this is an aristocracy; this is a feudal aristocracy. If corporations owned all the land in our country, Americans wouldnt be able to own homes. If you own a home and want to start a business, you can take out a second mortgage and take on the risk. But if you don’t own equity, you don’t have access to capital. That’s where the power is – access to capital. These companies have access to funding at much cheaper rates because they have bank accounts, and they are competing with our children to buy homes. We had prosperity in this country after World War II, ensuring Americans had access to homes. Now, the promise of the American Dream is disappearing.

Goodwin: Shortly after the Civil Rights Act was passed, the Nixon Shock (Note: The Nixon Shock refers to President Nixons major adjustments to U.S. foreign and economic policy) occurred and we fell off the gold standard. Do you think that was a coincidence?

RFK：The turning point off the gold standard was the Vietnam War in 1971, which left us so deeply in debt that they needed to print money. Kissinger and Nixon were frustrated that they might not be able to get the war, American support, and Congressional support for these appropriations. So they changed the rules, they abandoned Bretton Woods, they took the United States off the gold standard. They started the inflationary cycle weve been dealing with ever since. There was certainly a choice to be made between the War on Poverty and the Vietnam War. Martin Luther King said that we must either go to war against poverty at home or go to war against the yellow race in Vietnam. We cant have it both ways.

Goodwin: Thank you for your time and thoughtful answers to all questions.

RFK：Thank you so much.