The Thinking ‘Kat: Musk’s Mission
Four years ago, a mob of Donald Trump supporters, riled up by Trump’s rhetoric, sought to undermine the democratic process when they stormed the Capitol Building. Today, Trump is undermining the democratic process once again, but this time, via his new paymaster (handler, if you will), Elon Musk.
Musk is to become Trump’s ‘efficiency tsar‘, which is both troubling, and deeply ironic. A new government department will be created, with Musk playing a role in it, designed – on paper – to tackle wastage. This will benefit Musk’s business dealings, so it’s hardly a surprise that he’s been pushing for the creation of such a scheme, and of course, no one has clocked that creating an entirely new department will be a costly exercise, all in itself. Are we to trust Musk, who has a record of running businesses into the ground (not unlike his new Trump puppet), with efficiency? Are we meant to rely upon men who value money ahead of all else, with determining what is best for the public?
The money is what’s talking here. Musk spent nearly $300 million on Trump’s election campaign. He expects a return on his investment. By being given a role in evaluating government spending, Musk can now chip away at regulations that he believes hamper his business activities (such as curtailing investigations into the safety of his Tesla electric cars, and ensuring the massive contracts relating to his Space X project are unhindered). Musk gets what he wants, and if it just so happens that other people get ignored, trampled on, or worse, ah well, it’s all in the name of what Musk decides is ‘efficiency’.
Make no mistake, Musk is no friend to the average American. Nor is Trump. Their interests currently align for the benefit of big business and unchecked corporate greed. They want to make it even easier for big businesses to pull the strings. In a prior post, I referenced the rise of the oligarchy; This is truly in full swing now. Trump has been entertaining the likes of Bezos and Zuckerberg, among others, no doubt with a view to how he can benefit.
In the case of Musk, his desire for greater influence (and less accountability) has seen him poke his nose into UK affairs, with some wild accusations about the new Labour government, praise (albeit then a row with) for Reform leader Nigel Farage, and the suggestion that the UK needs ‘liberating’. Sorry Musk, we tried a conservative government for 14 years, and it ruined the country. Labour aren’t perfect, but the alternatives are far worse, as the past 14 years prove.
It doesn’t end there. Musk has been forthright in his support for the far right in Germany, a nation all-too familiar with how damaging the far right can be. It is deeply troubling that a man with so much power, and also a history of inept business management, desires to wield influence over global political affairs. He wants a world where he and his cronies are free from consequences, permitted to do whatever they want, no matter how much it damages the world, as long as he is alright. Furthermore, Musk is alleged to have been having secret conversations with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. Musk has a high security clearance in the USA, and is about to take up a government post, whilst making friendly noises with Putin. It’s pretty clear Musk is a dangerous man, and he needs to be opposed. Unfortunately, the likes of Trump are easily led, and ill-suited to control him, with serious ramifications for all of us.
