America’s Teachers’ Union Has a Crypto Meltdown Over Pension Funds!

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The American Federation of Teachers (AFT), in a grand display of concern, sent a letter to the Senate Banking Committee leaders warning that any proposed changes to the legislative framework would throw a lifeline to crypto markets while weakening investor protections, putting teachers’ hard-earned pension funds on the chopping block. Talk about bad news!

According to the union, this shift could expose pension funds to assets that are about as stable as a house of cards on a windy day, bringing with it a feast of fraud risks and financial chaos. What a treat.

Union Says RFIA Endangers Retirement

In a letter that could only be described as “sharp-tongued” (a true work of art), the AFT aired its grievances this week, directly to Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott and Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren. How lovely. The union, which proudly represents more than 1.8 million educators and public-sector workers, argued that the Responsible Financial Innovation Act (RFIA) would not provide the kind of regulation and investor protections that Congress has been asking for since, well, forever. Oops.

As the AFT sees it, the bill would legitimize crypto assets without so much as a “please” or “thank you” regarding their notorious volatility. They warn that this could open the floodgates, putting retirement systems at serious risk, the kind of risk they were designed to avoid. Couldn’t make this up if we tried!

“Rather than providing desperately needed regulation and commonsense guardrails, this bill exposes working families-families with no current involvement in or connection to cryptocurrency-to economic risk and threatens the stability of their retirement security,” the letter read. Classic.

A key sticking point is the bill’s controversial treatment of blockchain-based securities. Brace yourselves.

Pension Protections Threatened

Hold onto your hats, because according to the AFT, the RFIA would allow companies outside the crypto industry to list their stock on a blockchain. What’s next? A stock exchange on Mars? The union warns that such a shift would allow these companies to bypass the usual securities regulations, creating a slippery slope toward financial mismanagement and fraud. What a fun ride that would be!

The AFT also cautioned that this change would weaken important safeguards like mandatory disclosures, registration rules, and oversight of intermediaries. You know, the little things that keep fraud and mismanagement from running rampant. Who needs those?

By reducing these guardrails, the AFT believes the bill is blurring the line between regulated securities and wild west crypto. That’s right, folks-prepare for the wildest retirement portfolio ever. ✨

The AFL-CIO urges lawmakers to oppose the Responsible Financial Innovation Act.

Poorly regulated crypto puts workers’ retirement funds and the economy’s stability – including our jobs – at risk.

– AFL-CIO ✊ (@AFLCIO) December 9, 2025

Ah, but wait! This is not the first time that the working class has raised a ruckus over the RFIA. The AFL-CIO issued a similar warning back in October, raising alarms about pension and financial stability risks. Nothing new under the sun, eh?

The union’s warning comes just as Congress is still scratching its head, trying to craft a unified regulatory framework for digital assets. Spoiler: It’s not going well.

Democrats Outline New RFIA Demands

It seems like the AFT’s concerns about weak protections and regulatory gaps are gaining some traction in Senate debates over the RFIA. But don’t celebrate just yet, folks.

Today, a leaked Democratic counteroffer made waves. The Democrats are pushing for changes to the bill, laying out their priorities for revising it. Who says politics can’t be entertaining? 😏

🚨NEW: Democrats negotiating the crypto market-structure bill say they’ve accepted “significant portions” of @BankingGOP’s RFIA text, but the GOP’s December 4th offer still misses key principles Dems are seeking. Their three-page counteroffer, a copy of which was sent to me, lays…

– Eleanor Terrett (@EleanorTerrett) December 10, 2025

Democratic Banking Committee members have warned that the RFIA leaves token classification wide open for abuse. Imagine that! They’re also pushing for a clearer SEC review process for new digital assets and tougher anti-evasion rules. Yeah, you know, just basic common sense stuff.

National security concerns have also bubbled to the surface. Because who doesn’t want to add some espionage to the mix? 💼

Democrats caution that gaps in the RFIA could open the door for illicit finance, sanctions evasion, and misuse of decentralization to avoid regulations. Oh, and proposed ethics standards would bar public officials from profiting from digital asset projects while in office. Shocking, right? 🧐

In the end, these disputes highlight the perennial challenge: how to balance innovation with protecting investors. A real head-scratcher, for sure.

The fate of the RFIA remains up in the air, as lawmakers continue to argue over how best to reform the bill to close any dangerous gaps that could expose investors and the financial system to higher risk. Fingers crossed!

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2025-12-11 02:14