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a low bitcoin price is the *BEST* time for mining. low bitcoin price = lower income taxes on mined coins
...
When BTC price finally hits zero => no taxes at all => everyone buys mining gear => hashrate explodes

You guys are logicians IRL, amirite?
like i said.. it seems we should have gained confidence after we almost got stamped and bitcoin barely moved down any.
you had the perfect storm opportunity to crash bitcoin on down and yet here we are still uncrashed to 0... barely moved.
i do not believe your scenario will happen before halving based upon this alone.