Re: IF the NSA wanted to take control over Bitcoin, how would they do it?
When was the last time you audited the code? Do you even code? And sure, devs have much more control than everyone.
It has been months since I looked at it closely. I compile from source but it's true that I don't check every distro. I also know C++ but I'm not good enough to call myself a coder and do relie on the community to discover malicious code to some degree. Quote
You think NSA can't raise millions, billions, or trillions of dollars? You think NSA is poor? The sort of money needed to buy out the miners is probably in their petty cash drawer 
They struggle to make their budget like every other agency. While they have big money they also have huge expenses. The annual budget is about 11 Billion. They are not stupid and anyone proposing to spend 10% of the budget on an operation with no logical purpose will be looking for a job soon. Quote
It would not require every provider, just your provider. Also see the Great Chinese Firewall, Easily done on nationwide level.
Then my new provider in Panama gets the worm. China may be a different story. They are a totalitarian state and could do whatever they want to their people. Quote
Please. You really think American people accept strip-searches before boarding a plane, no smoking in bars, but will somehow revolt when the currency already responsible for 40% of criminal payments on the internet 
gets banned? Just lol.
I fly all the time and have never been strip searched, and I commute from the middle east. They do not support a strip search and that is why it is not happening. gets banned? Just lol.Banning smoking in bars was a decision by society because few people smoke anymore. It doesn't bother me, but most people support the ban. When most Americans smoked it was unthinkable to have such a rule.
Now where did you come up with this 40% figure?
So you don't think NSA can raise a few million bucks? Just lol.
Re. not having been strip searched: I have. Had a coin in my pocket. NY to LA flight.
Re. 40%: "Europol said that, according to its data, bitcoin accounts for as much as 40% of criminal-to-criminal payments online, with PayPal accounting for 25% of those reported. The figures build on previous statements from the agency regarding cryptocurrencies as a key factor in the development of the so-called "crime-as-a-service" ecosystem." -- http://www.coindesk.com/europol-bitcoin-european-cybercriminals/