As we’ve stated before, we used to call Elon Musk the world’s most likable big time crony capitalist. In the years since we first said this Musk has become less likable for a large swathe of the American population while doing much to redeem himself on the crony front. (Not that he is anywhere near totally redeemed.)
Musk’s purchase of Twitter (soon renamed X) and the subsequent employee bloodletting was a favor to every single person who believes in free speech. We at Against Crony Capitalism were overtly censored in the darkest days of Covid. It felt like the thought police might just completely take over the Net. When Musk upended Twitter and opened it up the world became a better place. Many people who liked the old Twitter, who enjoyed privileged status on the old platform lost their minds, but these people had pretty much lost their minds long ago. (We’re looking at you Rob Reiner, Stephen King, Allyssa Milano.)
Musk has taken an extremely active role in the Trump “revolution”. He gave over $250 million to the Trump camp via his America PAC. That is even bigger than Soros money, though Soros has given huge sums to the Democrats for the last 20 years.
Now in the wake of the scuttled spending bill in the House, a spending bill that Musk openly opposed because it was full of pork, waste, and crony capitalism, there are those saying that Musk wields ultimate power in Washington, which is of course a coordinated talking point that the opposition is trying to get some traction with. (What else are they going to say?)
There is no doubt though, Musk has very significant power, country changing power. That he can fund opposition candidates in primaries is one of his major pieces of leverage. Buck the effort to streamline the government via DOGE and other efforts as a Republican? Well, you may see significant opposition when running for your House seat next time, and from within your own party.
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