# Gavin Andresen
# 2011-10-26 20:44:35
# https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=49854.msg594889#msg594889

I hate to be a wet blanket, but if "they" wanted to stop this why couldn't "they" simply pass a law stating that it was illegal to buy or sell bitcoins? @p{par}

Or "they" could impose a punitive tax on purchases or sales of bitcoins. @p{par}

I suppose my point is: if "they" @p{(bf}really@p{bf)} want to make bitcoin illegal, then they will find a way to do it; I don't think creating bitcoin derivatives will help much on the legal front. @p{brk}