7 ms·

He seems to be leaning pretty strongly antigovernment at the moment.

Jtsummers 2y ago
No, he's leaning strongly anti-regulation, particularly those that impede his businesses. He's big on government because that's a major part of his revenue (DOD, NASA, and various TLAs). He's not big on the parts of government that slow him down or would cause his taxes to be higher for things he doesn't care about.
- niceice 2y ago
  It's quite simply about efficiency.
  - Jtsummers 2y ago
    Yes, efficiency for his businesses and interests.
    - niceice 2y ago
      A more efficient government helps everyone.
      - Eisenstein 2y ago
        The reason for a lot of government inefficiency is checks and balances. If we did away with those it would be really efficient.
      - Jtsummers 2y ago
        In principle. But targeted "efficiency" improvements that aid Musk's interests selected by Musk are not necessarily going to help anyone but Musk.
      - LunaSea 2y ago
        Making Chinese EV cars more expensive seems less efficient as people will have to spend more money for the same commodity.
      - MattPalmer1086 2y ago
        No, a more efficient government would help those easiest to help, and not help those who were expensive or difficult to help. Unless you just mean we could do exactly the same things, but more efficiently. But that is not what is meant; it means stopping doing a lot of things.
  - pests 2y ago
    I recall he had to retool factories for the model 3 due to automating things before they were ready Very efficient
- lacy_tinpot 2y ago
  This is almost true. The real story is that he's anti-anti-competition. His competitors in particular already have deep ties with the government and its various departments. Companies like Boeing, Lockheed, etc. have engaged in deep regulatory capture to prevent competition from emerging. These already established corporations have a revolving door with the government and that's the real impediment. That's what he's against. So while you're right about his self interests, I think it's important to clarify that the decades long entrenchment of these various incumbent corporations is why this is all happening in the first place. That's the real reason.
wongarsu 2y ago
Have I missed something? Last time I blinked he seemed to be looking at a pretty active role in the next US administration
- kortilla 2y ago
  The role is in killing off large parts of the federal govt
- Jtsummers 2y ago
  His and Ramaswamy's roles will be advisory, and specifically targeting cutting government spending. This is not a pro-government thing except that they both have significant conflicts of interests which will influence which parts of government they suggest cutting and which they suggest leaving more or less intact.
  - dools 2y ago
    Using regulatory capture to further your own economic interests is still pro government, it's just that it's a government aimed at meeting the needs of a very small number of oligarchs rather than the majority of the population.
  - roamerz 2y ago
    >>which will influence which <could> influence
    - Eisenstein 2y ago
      Only if one is super human would it not.
  - Shalah 2y ago
    Musk said there are over four hundred federal agencies, that's more than the number of states.
    - Jtsummers 2y ago
ulfw 2y ago
He's literally part of the Trump government and isn't leaving his site for the last weeks. He hasn't been seen anywhere even near his own offices which he makes his employees go to. How can you POSSIBLY state he is "strongly antigovernment"
- 93po 2y ago
  > He hasn't been seen anywhere even near his own offices which he makes his employees go to. uh, what do you base this on? it sort of seems like made up bullshit, especially because it's easily disproven by tracking his jet and seeing that it's visiting the locations of his offices in both california and austin frequently. there's even a video of him in one of his offices literally yesterday as he did a zoom meeting for WSJ. i don't understand why people just blatantly lie like this

No, he's leaning strongly anti-regulation, particularly those that impede his businesses. He's big on government because that's a major part of his revenue (DOD, NASA, and various TLAs). He's not big on the parts of government that slow him down or would cause his taxes to be higher for things he doesn't care about.

niceice 2y ago
It's quite simply about efficiency.
- Jtsummers 2y ago
  Yes, efficiency for his businesses and interests.
  - niceice 2y ago
    A more efficient government helps everyone.
    - Eisenstein 2y ago
      The reason for a lot of government inefficiency is checks and balances. If we did away with those it would be really efficient.
    - Jtsummers 2y ago
      In principle. But targeted "efficiency" improvements that aid Musk's interests selected by Musk are not necessarily going to help anyone but Musk.
    - LunaSea 2y ago
      Making Chinese EV cars more expensive seems less efficient as people will have to spend more money for the same commodity.
    - MattPalmer1086 2y ago
      No, a more efficient government would help those easiest to help, and not help those who were expensive or difficult to help. Unless you just mean we could do exactly the same things, but more efficiently. But that is not what is meant; it means stopping doing a lot of things.
- pests 2y ago
  I recall he had to retool factories for the model 3 due to automating things before they were ready Very efficient
lacy_tinpot 2y ago
This is almost true. The real story is that he's anti-anti-competition. His competitors in particular already have deep ties with the government and its various departments. Companies like Boeing, Lockheed, etc. have engaged in deep regulatory capture to prevent competition from emerging. These already established corporations have a revolving door with the government and that's the real impediment. That's what he's against. So while you're right about his self interests, I think it's important to clarify that the decades long entrenchment of these various incumbent corporations is why this is all happening in the first place. That's the real reason.

wongarsu 2y ago

Have I missed something? Last time I blinked he seemed to be looking at a pretty active role in the next US administration

kortilla 2y ago
The role is in killing off large parts of the federal govt
Jtsummers 2y ago
His and Ramaswamy's roles will be advisory, and specifically targeting cutting government spending. This is not a pro-government thing except that they both have significant conflicts of interests which will influence which parts of government they suggest cutting and which they suggest leaving more or less intact.
- dools 2y ago
  Using regulatory capture to further your own economic interests is still pro government, it's just that it's a government aimed at meeting the needs of a very small number of oligarchs rather than the majority of the population.
- roamerz 2y ago
  >>which will influence which <could> influence
  - Eisenstein 2y ago
    Only if one is super human would it not.
- Shalah 2y ago
  Musk said there are over four hundred federal agencies, that's more than the number of states.
  - Jtsummers 2y ago

ulfw 2y ago

He's literally part of the Trump government and isn't leaving his site for the last weeks. He hasn't been seen anywhere even near his own offices which he makes his employees go to. How can you POSSIBLY state he is "strongly antigovernment"

93po 2y ago
> He hasn't been seen anywhere even near his own offices which he makes his employees go to. uh, what do you base this on? it sort of seems like made up bullshit, especially because it's easily disproven by tracking his jet and seeing that it's visiting the locations of his offices in both california and austin frequently. there's even a video of him in one of his offices literally yesterday as he did a zoom meeting for WSJ. i don't understand why people just blatantly lie like this