[dragonwriter]

> However, this upgrade is very contentious with the miners who are entrusted with securing the blockchain against attackers

The whole value proposition of mining is that rewards would shift over time from newly-issued coins to transaction fees. Any solution which offers an alternative for transaction settlement and reduces the demand for normal on-chain transactions and the fees from them is, then, an attack on the basic value proposition of Bitcoin mining.

[kbaker]

Depending on what you see as the value proposition for Bitcoin. Long term settlements = transaction fees for miners. Short term = Lightning or other providers.

Personally, I think that mining only should not be a for-profit enterprise. Only parties that have goals aligned with the long-term economic future of Bitcoin should be involved in mining, like major exchanges, merchant providers, etc. The value proposition was only ever to secure the network and get some financial help with doing so.

Otherwise, you have to have constant innovation and investment otherwise you are pointlessly fighting the difficulty level adjustment.