5 ms·
That works so long as the government still has more power than a gang of bajillionaires with similar interests. Does it? Seems like we're near a tipping point i
by pohl 3y ago
That works so long as the government still has more power than a gang of bajillionaires with similar interests. Does it? Seems like we're near a tipping point in that regard, if we haven't already crossed it.
- capableweb 3y agoYes, it does. The government, indirectly or directly can indefinitely owe any entity money, or even print money on demand if really necessary and ultimately, Musk is just a person.
- AbrahamParangi 3y agoI think US defense blob is actually the entity at the top of the entire global power food chain. Probably the actual last entity you'd want to meaningfully fuck with.
- lm28469 3y ago> Seems like we're near a tipping point in that regard, if we haven't already crossed it. Sure... As long as the army is following the government it's a non-issue. Billionaires are political/industrial/&c. power if you want but they're one "go get them" order away from disappearing forever. It just so happens that for now their goals are somewhat aligned with the gov's. And even if the gov falls a lot of US three letters agencies are already semi or fully autonomous, and from the few things we know about them they don't fuck around. Corruption exists, probably on a large scale, but it's not a single coordinated effort, it's more like an army of rats fighting for the crumbs. If even Mexico didn't completely fold against their drug cartels it's not the soy boy Musk & lizard man Zuck dream team who'll destroy the USA
- science4sail 3y agoAs Mao once noted, at the end of the day, political power grows from the barrel of a gun. Billionaires certainly have significant influence over policy decisions, but the tools of violence are still controlled by the politicians. Money can't protect you from the army or the secret police, as Jack Ma discovered in China.
- pohl 3y agoEven were it the case that the US military could be used against a US citizen, your observation would still be cold comfort in our world where billionaires can buy politicians. Worse, the Citizens United SCOTUS decision equates such control with speech, and is tacitly protected by the government.
- science4sail 3y agoBillionaires aren't a monolithic block though (beyond core issues like low taxes). If you sell out your country, then other oligarchs can use that as an excuse to order their pet politicians to confiscate your fiefs^H assets. Just see all the speculation about nationalizing SpaceX in this discussion. The only way money can protect you is if you literally buy out the entire government, in which case you're basically a monarch. But yes, that is cold comfort to us plebians.
- fragmede 3y agoElon Musk has firing control of 16 rockets that are trivially convertible to ICBMs. It's not a standing army, but it's one helluva gun.