The Florida governor and potential 2024 presidential candidate Ron DeSantis expressed his strong opposition to the Central Bank digital currency (CBDC) at a press conference yesterday.
"[A CBDC] provides the government with a direct view of all consumer activities. Any way they can get into society to exercise their agenda, they will do it. So, what the central bank digital currency is all about is surveilling Americans and controlling behavior of Americans," DeSantis told the panel while standing in front of a podium with a banner that read "Big Brother's Digital Dollar."
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"Today’s announcement will protect Florida consumers and businesses from the reckless adoption of a ‘centralized digital dollar’ which will stifle innovation and promote government-sanctioned surveillance. Florida will not side with economic central planners; we will not adopt policies that threaten personal economic freedom and security," the Florida governor explained his stance.
DeSantis suggested that other states that do not support the launch of the digital dollar should work together to oppose the amendment of the Uniform Commercial Codes (UCCs) in favor of the adoption of the US CBDC.
DeSantis has drawn mixed reactions among Twitter users. Many of them feel relieved since they can see influential politicians trying to push back against the digital dollar that indeed has great potential for tracking its users. At the same time, some users believe that the digital dollar can promote innovation and are concerned about parts of the USA being behind Europe and Asia.
Read also: The Pew Research: almost half of Americans are disappointed with their crypto investments
Some Twitter users interpreted the opposition to CBDC as an attempt to preserve cash, which they believe is critical to the country's survival.
Earlier, on March 9, South Dakota governor Kristi Noem vetoed House Bill 1193. This is an Act to amend the provisions of the UCCs. The bill was supposed to adopt a specific definition of "money" that excludes Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies and includes CBDCs.
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As Noem put it, "By expressly excluding cryptocurrencies as money, it would become more difficult to use cryptocurrency. By needlessly limiting this freedom, HB 1193 would put South Dakota citizens at a business disadvantage." The governor also sees the potential of HB 1193 to create more auspicious conditions for the government to adopt a CDBC, which could become the only viable digital currency given the exclusion of other cryptocurrencies.
