If they did that, they would have created Yet Another Alt Coin (which happens very frequently), and it would have no effect on Bitcoin at all.
Yes, I know that bitcoiners have taken solace in that belief, since the 51% risk became real. Keep believing.
There is no belief involved. What constitutes Bitcoin is defined by the consensus of the miners - period. If a majority of miners were to choose to mine according to a different protocol than what they currently do, that protocol will effectively become Bitcoin. It has nothing to do with what Gavin or the foundation want.
Yes, and that is what I meant: if someone with billions to spare offered to buy 25 million bitcoins, the protocol would be immediately changed to create them, with the full cooperation of miners AND approval of developers.
billions of what? argentian pesos? brasilian rials?
get over it, Bitcoin has been defined mathematically with an algo that releases total 21 million whole bitcoin ... else it is something else and you'll need to make up your own nomenclature for defining your new algo and altcoin