TPB96 - Bitcoin is for Unions with Pat O'Brien

TPB96 - Bitcoin is for Unions with Pat O'Brien

Author: Bitcoin is for Everyone July 16, 2024 Duration: 57:47

"Firefighters are like great risk managers and can understand holding and managing Bitcoin" - Pat O’Brien

My guest today is training Captain Pat O’Brien repping the Taunton, Massachusetts fire department. These firefighters just made history as the 4th union in the U.S. to add Bitcoin to their balance sheet. How cool is that? Shoutout to Dom Bei and Proof of Workforce for the assistance they provide to unions like the one here in Taunton as they explore getting on and growing their exposure to Bitcoin.

In this discussion Pat shares how his union adopted Bitcoin, discussing the benefits of Bitcoin for working-class Americans, how he discusses and educates firefighters on Bitcoin and personal experiences with crypto that also led him to understand, there is no second best when it comes to Bitcoin. We discuss Bitcoin's potential as a unifying force across political divides and its role in financial empowerment and in the extended portion of the conversation we explore the future of credit unions (which the unions are customers of) and how they could benefit from Bitcoin and beyond.

You can find Trey on nostr, X, and via the pod’s social channels. You can also connect with him in the pod’s public telegram group or via the contact form on our website.

EXCLUSIVE SPONSORS:

BitBox: Get the open-source Bitbox02 Bitcoin only edition. It’s my favorite bitcoin hardware wallet for you to take self-custody of your bitcoin and keep your private keys safe in cold storage. Use promo-code ‘TPB’ during checkout at bitbox.swiss/tpb to get 5% off your purchase, including accessories and merch!

You, our listener! Thank you to our supporters. To support The Progressive Bitcoiner and access rewards, including our new TPB merch, head to our geyser page: https://geyser.fund/project/tpbpod.

To donate bitcoin on-chain, please use this address: 35ZSwq6bPW8QfqSA68J5xUzNkYvexM8WWb

PROMO CODES:

Sazmining: Hosted Bitcoin mining made easy, using and 100% renewable energy. Get $50 off the purchase of a miner using the following link: https://app.sazmining.com/purchase?ref=byyhN2mCGXlu

Lightning Store: Head to https://lightning.store/ and use promo-code ‘TPB’ to get 20% off all products.

To learn more, visit our website

Follow the pod on X | Nostr | Bluesky | Instagram | Threads | Facebook | LinkedIn | TikTok

Join in on the conversation at our Progressive Bitcoiner Community telegram group!

The Team: Producer/Editor: @DamienSomerset | Branding/Art: @Daniel | Website: @EvanPrim



This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit progressivebitcoiner.substack.com

There’s a common story told about Bitcoin, one focused on speculation and a certain type of enthusiast. The Progressive Bitcoiner exists to tell the rest of the story. This podcast moves past the headlines to explore how this technology is being used in tangible, human ways around the world. You’ll hear from organizers, developers, and everyday people who are applying Bitcoin as a practical tool for financial inclusion and personal autonomy. Each conversation focuses on real-world impact, whether that’s supporting human rights work, providing an economic lifeline in unstable regions, or simply offering a new way to think about value and community. Hosted by Bitcoin is for Everyone, the discussions are grounded in education and firsthand narratives, linking the technical foundations to broader cultural and societal shifts. The aim isn’t to hype an asset, but to document a movement. Tune in for a perspective that is often missing from the mainstream conversation-one that finds the progressive potential within a protocol and amplifies the voices already building a more accessible future with it.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Progressive Bitcoiner
Podcast Episodes
TPB44 - The Fight for Freedom and Sovereignty with Jameson Lopp [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:29:47
Today we are joined by Jameson Lopp - privacy expert, technologist, cypherpunk, co-founder and CTO of Casa, and more. Jameson is a guru in all things privacy and building tools that empower individuals. This was a rich c…
TPB43 - Progressive Values on a Bitcoin Standard with Margot Paez [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:29:32
Today we are joined by Margot Paez, climate change physicist and fellow at the Bitcoin Policy Institute. Margot has a lot of wisdom on politics of the left, the occupy movement, journalism, freedom, doing the right thing…
TPB42 - The Search for Truth with Peter McCormack [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:32
The Search for Truth | Peter McCormack | The Progressive Bitcoiner Ep.42 Today we are joined by Peter McCormack, host of the What Bitcoin Did Podcast, Chairmen of Real Bedford FC, and great supporter of The Progressive B…
TPB41 - Reclaim Your Health and Life with Dr. Mark Stephany [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:44
Reclaim Your Health & Your Life | Mark Stephany | The Progressive Bitcoiner Today we are joined by Mark Stephany, author of SOVEREIGN HEALTH: Reclaim Your Health and Your Life and former host of this podcast. You can pur…
Relaunch Intro [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:22
The Progressive Bitcoiner is back, with new host Trey Walsh. www.theprogressivebitcoiner.com https://twitter.com/progressivebtcr nostr: npub1fpcd25q2zg09rp65fglxuhp0acws5qlphpg88un7mdcskygdvgyqfv4sld This is a public epi…
The Last Episode – with Climate Scientist, Dr. Sergio Sejas [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:10
My guest today is climate scientist Dr. Sergio Sejas. Sergio received his doctorate in meteorology from Florida State University and is currently working at NASA Langley Research Center. Sergio does climate research on p…
More than Nothing to Hide: Bitcoin & Privacy with Lili [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:56
My guest today is Lili from Foundation Devices, where she serves as Head of Business Development. Lili is a privacy advocate and expert in Bitcoin privacy best practices. We cover: Why she cares about privacy in the firs…
Does Bitcoin Change your Politics with Brady Swenson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:34
My guest today is Brady Swenson, head of marketing and education at Swan Bitcoin. Brady brings a unique perspective to the conversation, having grown up in a politically active Democratic family. We cover: Growing up in…
Twitter Spaces with Abe Cambridge of Sun Exchange [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:23
This was a Twitter Spaces with Abe Cambridge. We covered lots of topics and took some fantastic questions from the audience. https://thesunexchange.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with ot…