Are you concerned or supportive of Elon Musk, private citizen w/ billions in govt contracts being so involved w/ Trump admin? Should he divest 1st?

[DrPepper12]

Some worried politicians and journalists, (international & domestic) have begun calling Musk "co-POTUS". He is likely to be the DOGE Secretary if Congress approves the new cabinet level "Dept of Govt Efficiency".

Given his almost monopoly powers over electric cars, a social media platform, the space rocket organization that NASA is entirely dependent on and complete private control of the only & preeminent telecoms satellite system in the world, it begs the following questions:

Should he be working in tandem with government policy makers at all?

Should he be conducting private diplomacy not subject to the transparency required if he were a govt official?

Are there any national security concerns that he could exploit for private gain?

Is he even capable of getting a security clearance through normal & official channels? What level of security is appropriate?

Will our allies be willing to share intelligence knowing that information may get to Musk?

Would this alliance run afoul of antitrust regulators? Stifle competition?

Should he be required to divest his assets knowing that Trump hadn't divested his assets? Is not divesting something only a POTUS could ignore? What of the amulluments clause?

Are there other issues or concerns you might have?

Musk involvement w/ POTUS is alarming

Musk involvement w/ POTUS is reassuring

Updates

1 y

I don't know what is reassuring about musk but Apparently 70% of you do!

[mandyfire98]

Always trust billionaires to have your best interests at heart. Always trust billionaires to make everybody else lots of money.

Because it's happened so much in our country's history. Remember trickle down economics?

Crickets* crickets*

Still waiting. What's that you say? Billionaires are making record profits in the past 5 years but the people are not? The American people are actually having financial issues instead? But Elon made record profits?

What's that again? Elon and Bezos want unions busted up and people to work longer in life? Retirement age pushed... Back? They made even more money off the American people? Amazon employees have to piss in bottles and jugs? Amazon employee died in the warehouse in the middle of the floor and nobody in management checked on him? An hour before he died cameras saw management come over to him because he made an error on a shipment though.
Trump has said he doesn't like paying employees overtime. But yet record profits they all have made.

Of course, trust billionaires to run this country. It's absolutely you that benefits financially. 🤡🤡🤡

[katiesmuff]

I have more concerns about some of his so far picks than I do of him himself! Listening to one of there cabinet meetings would be like attending a Three Stooges Movie.

[Anonymous]

Musk's involvement is very encouraging. I think the Musk / Ramaswamy team running the new DOGE will yield huge dividends.

The US government is broken. A lot of work is needed to restore it to form, and we need really smart people with the right values to do it. The US is in a position for the first time in decades to do that, and I'm excited to see it happen.

I know liberals are scared to death about it because they've been indoctrinated over the last four years with hateful and divisive rhetoric from the Democrat party and their mainstream media. But now the Dems are out, and Republicans are in with a trifecta in Washington that will enable them to repair all the harm done by leftist identity politics. Even CNN a MSNBC, who have been among the worst offenders, are failing spectacularly. It's a beautiful thing to watch. This song has been playing in my mind for the last week.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/KQetemT1sWc

[Opinion Owner]

"I don't know what is reassuring about musk but Apparently 70% of you do!"

That sums up the reaction from the left to the election. The left is either going to self-reflect and make a huge course correction over the next four years, or they will lose again in 2028.

[DrPepper12]

Musk is dangerous & Trump is easily manipilated

[Opinion Owner]

I see you've been spending time on MSNBC. com and letting others do your "thinking" for you.

[lightbulb27]

If he's lobbying for favor positions, it's a problem. That's been going on in spades for decades at lower levels, like Ag department. Valid questions, not sure I see the issue... yet.

I find the following fascinating: Trump admin is talking about ending the EV federal tax credit. You'd think Musk would push for more rebate... but I've not heard that as yet.

So in that regards... ok.

Communications... good questions.

He also has a company that implants stuff in human brains and probable influence in AI policy. It's a question to supervise. If I did not like Trump or Musk, I'd be concerned about that.

[Anonymous]

Lol, Americans are idiots if they think he won't do shit that benefits himself, his company and his friends.

musk moved his damn company because he thought the workers had it to good in whatever state he was in, moved in where they could be treated worse and he saved money by doing so. Y'all be fucking yourself over with this one, thinking billonairs truly care about the poor.

[DrPepper12]

100% right and it figures coming from a non USA people

[exitseven]

Trump turned over the reins of his business to his sons. He has successfully divested himself from the business. I think that Elon Musk will more of a contractor. He expressed and interest in working with President Trump but also said he does not want a position in the cabinet. I do not know how this will work out.

[beefcakebradybatson]

MUCK FUSK !!!

[DrPepper12]

He never divested his entire administration.

[exitseven]

@DrPepper12 No. I suppose you are right. Even though he was not actually the president anymore some world leaders and corporate presidents visited him at Mar A Lago for advice. He still showed up for citizens if they needed him.

[NaultD]

It's alarming but Musk is the super annoying kid clinging on to too cool for school don who actively hates Musk. Also don is using Musk as I'm not a bully but "buddy's" with this richer special needs kid.

Don is in a hell of his own making and he knows it. We're getting closer and closer with every X JUMP don wishes the bullet didn't hit only his ear.

[saraupstairs]

If Elon helps paralyzed people to walk, would that annoy you?

[NaultD]

@saraupstairs for don absolutely. Didn't he ask why don't we let a nephew die already.

We already know he thinks any wounded warriors in the United States military as suckes and losers and can't comprehend duty and service over selfish indulgence.

https://youtu.be/ZdFn4JpOJHA?si=qY6IVBh2WMfOlWsk

https://youtu.be/vtVZJ2SqVYE?si=I6zEUB1BlguKmx0S

[saraupstairs]

So you are all about hate?

[NaultD]

@saraupstairs who the fuck cares about my opinion i didn't get elected.

You should probably give a fuck about getting duped about the person you voted for.

[NaultD]

@saraupstairs if you want to know how the swamp gets even more swampy it's bullshit like this people getting duped like you blaming people like me.

[saraupstairs]

"If Elon helps paralyzed people to walk, would that annoy you?"

Who would you suggest I go to to find out your opinion about what I asked you?
I understand that you don't want to answer, but deflecting is kind of lame.

[saraupstairs]

You're too filled with hate to talk to.

[NaultD]

@saraupstairs I'm honestly too tolerant for my leftist peers. I think barbarism is perfectly acceptable so long as you accept it as it is. And it's acceptable to be a terrible person for individual topics.

Most leftist want perfect purity test bullshit. I'm someone you just got to call a spade a spade. Thats good enough.

I think the Brain link is cool stuff. Hating illigle immigrants while he was illigle working immigrant is burning the bridge behind you kind of bullshit.

apartheid south africa emerald mining family no less. That's too much bullshit to swallow.

If elon just said it's random bullshit how i got this starting position but I'm running with everything I got with it. He'd be a extra decent dude.

Yet here he is an asshole to his family where he doesn't talk to his kids who would be the richest kids to ever exist dosen't even want to pretend to like him.

Richest person and your kids won't pretend to like you. How sad is that?

[saraupstairs]

How does any of that affect you?

[NaultD]

@saraupstairs maybe because don is the president elect. Elon is an influential person pissing off the president elect and that's what the original question you jump in to.

You guys are such sad sacks of shit getting called out. It just might be a fun 4 years of this.

[saraupstairs]

If only Kamala would have won, your life would be worth living.

[DrPepper12]

@saraupstairs at what cost? Free philanthropy? Absolutely!!

[DrPepper12]

@saraupstairs can't spell hatred without a red hat...

[beefcakebradybatson]

Do Musk and Trump have a COMBINED 100 IQ?

[DrPepper12]

Excellent answer!!

[Anonymous]

I'm currently more concerned about the current politicians and beuaracracy in Washington D. C. .

But, those are valid questions. Let's beging by asking the same questions to the career politicians and beuaracrats in D. C. who've weaponized the Government against Americans. I wonder, how'd they all so rich producing nothing?

[NewWaves]

All great questions. I think they have a website. Can you direct them there and see if you get a response? Can't know until you try

[DrPepper12]

LMFAO! #Winner!!!

[Avicenna]

Who awarded his companies government contracts and was it a competitive process?

Your bosses in Beijing would like a word with you about your false claim of a Tesla monopoly on electric vehicles.

[DrPepper12]

I said almost. Do keep up. And no, Starlink & spaceX are almost monopolies too.

[Avicenna]

Really? Not even the Biden Administration says that. And they wouldn’t have hesitated to target a Trump ally.

Note that EVs are a subset of the vehicle market with gas-powered vehicles available as a ready substitute product. For that reason your “almost” is inaccurate (5% obviously doesn’t constitute a near-monopoly). And the Chinese EV makers are coming……

[Anonymous]

I prefer musk to have those contracts. that is by far more valuable to us than any obvious recommendation he might make on such a commission.

Frankly contracts are handed out to the lowest bidder as long as spaceX is the lowest bidder there is no issue.

[DrPepper12]

What if their the only bidder? Starlink is just as close to monopolistic.

[Opinion Owner]

@drpepper12
Starlink really shouldn't be the only option, that the Biden administration set terms nobody else could meet is a goverment problem and those terms should be broaden.

[JesseP1nk]

Elon musk has 300 billion dollars... You really think he needs your extra money? You are concerned about monopoly powers over electric cars and over NASA? Who else makes decent electric cars in US? - Exactly. What NASA have been doing last 30 years? What are their achievements? - Exactly. And they get shitload of money from government.

[DrPepper12]

That's because it's hidden as defense spending - the real problem after interest on debt.
You missed the point of my questions entirely.

[JesseP1nk]

No im not concerned. Who are "concerned" are the ones who voted for Kamala Harris. Noone whined when previous administration spent that money and us citizens got nothing back from it. So this topic is politically motivated and not because of legit concern.

[Flower7]

Personally, I feel that space exploration is one of the biggest wastes of government money, maybe even THE biggest waste. So I’d prefer someone who would want to make cuts in that area instead of someone who is passionate about doing that.

[Saramad_Hill]

We need to take care of our planet and people with what money we do have circulating already, a trip to space is essentially just a frivolous waste of money that could be better used elsewhere. Maybe if things in the world were more peaceful we could afford to do more fun science experiments like moving to Mars. Wealth hoarding boggles my mind.

[DrPepper12]

I'm also for unmanned over people for now. When tech evolved then we can do manned missions

[Anonymous]

It'll last until they start fighting and then Musk will go home with all of his toys.

[DrPepper12]

Good point. They both NEED the spotlight. Highlander rules: "There can be only one!"

[Anonymous]

I can't specifically speak about Musk but I know Ramaswamy seems to be on good relations with Javier Milei, who I am a massive fan of, and supposedly reads Hayek. He sounds good to me.

The only thing I can say about Musk is that he cut a massive amount of bloat from Twitter so he has some experience in who to get rid of.

[DrPepper12]

Twitter is dying and a rightwing hellscape now.

[Opinion Owner]

I wonder why it suddenly became more "right wing" now that the moderation became massively more lenient. Probably because left wing idea cannot stand on its own legs so it must censor the people they disagree with to actually stand a chance.

[DrPepper12]

No. It's the algorithm. Getting rid of checks. Community notes ignored. Bots own the joint. Reinstatement of terrorists, porn, agitators, propagandists and other scum. It's a hellscape

[Opinion Owner]

So block them.

[DrPepper12]

Blocking is for weak fools who think ideas go away when they close their eyes. I prefer dialogue TY, not algorithm served up extremist agitprop for clicks.

[Opinion Owner]

>Blocking is for weak fools who think ideas go away when they close their eyes.

Yeah the same goes for banning them.

>I prefer dialogue TY, not algorithm served up extremist agitprop for clicks.

That's how free speech works bucko. If you don't like what people said and they aren't threatening people, all you can do is tell them they are retarded or ignore/block them.

[WatchedPot]

They'll put the countries money into toys such as populating the moon. Live Bush Jr's dream of becoming astronauts, but on steroids.

We're all about to witness the outcome of bullies, funded and with a little power.

[ihateTaylorSwift]

I once watched a YouTube video that said
Either one of them
Are the Antichrist Lol

[JesterRose]

I would trust Musk long before someone like Bill Gates

[DrPepper12]

Not me. Musk committed crimes while here illegally

[Anonymous]

The military industrial complex influencing us policy on the wars in Ukraine and Israel.

[Staximus]

Since the Democrats have done such a shit job of running the country, let's just see how it plays out

[DrPepper12]

Too much at stake and he's too powerful. Hard no here

[Dongie]

I said the second one as you know.

He ain't the smartest man on the planet for nothing.

[saraupstairs]

Most people don't know this, but Elon is working on Technology to help paralyzed people walk. He's a good man. I'm not really keen on the idea of moving to Mars, because they don't even have a Walmart. But time will tell.

[Dongie]

Mars is for all the left-wing terrorists.

[Dongie]

Do we have a hurricane Sara?

[CalmUntilAbused]

@dongie Well... Rumour has it that there was life on Mars. Then, communists took over. That's why Mars is red, and that's why there is no life on Mars anymore.

[Dongie]

That's a sound theory. They say signs of a great nuclear explosion many millenia ago.

[saraupstairs]

Yes,

[DrPepper12]

Musk? Smartest man on the planet? @dongie c'mon! Seriously? 😳

[DrPepper12]

@saraupstairs so a small gesture of philanthropic makes up for all the has done?

[DrPepper12]

@CalmUntilAbused that's funny!!! Jupiters must be gay with that rainbow flag swirls 🌈🌈🌈

[Pterodon]

You don’t get to be billionaires by being stupid with money

[DrPepper12]

No. You elect corporate prostitutes to let you steal it legally

[Pterodon]

Not true

[DrPepper12]

True