6 ms·
His best line: > The rationale given for the regulation change that requires auto companies to sell through dealers is that it ensures 'consumer protection'. I
by nlh 13y ago
His best line:
> The rationale given for the regulation change that requires auto companies to sell through dealers is that it ensures 'consumer protection'. If you believe this, Gov. Christie has a bridge closure he wants to sell you! Unless they are referring to the mafia version of 'protection', this is obviously untrue.
Nicely done, Elon. Nicely done.
- xal 13y agoCould you explain the reference please?
- cheald 13y agohttp://www.cnn.com/2014/01/09/politics/chris-christie-bridge-primer/ http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/09/politics/chris-christie-bridge...
- dbarlett 13y ago"Bridgegate" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Lee_lane_closure_scandal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Lee_lane_closure_scandal
- stackcollision 13y agoI really hate how every scandal now has "-gate" appended to it.
- gohrt 13y agoMitchel&Webb: Watergategate http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vB9JgxhXW5w http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vB9JgxhXW5w
- kevrone 13y agohttp://lmgtfy.com/?q=christie+bridge+closure http://lmgtfy.com/?q=christie+bridge+closure
- dangoldin 13y agoThere was a scandal in NJ where Chris Christie's underlings were caught closing a bridge when they didn't get political support from a mayor. http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/01/chris-christie-bridge-traffic-jam-emails http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/01/chris-christie-b...
- Karunamon 13y agoGov. Christie is currently being investigated for closing lanes down on a highway bridge during rush hour as a form of retribution. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Lee_lane_closure_scandal http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Lee_lane_closure_scandal
- saket123 13y agohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Lee_lane_closure_scandal http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Lee_lane_closure_scandal
- acomjean 13y agoI used to work in NJ. Chris Christie's administration closed 3 lanes of the George Washington Bridge for a bogus "traffic study", making tons of Traffic. It was political payback against the city of Fort Lee who has a mayor who wouldn't endorse Christie when he was running for governor. Christie says he didn't know about it but some in his administration have left or been asked to leave over it.
- mullingitover 13y agoGov. Christie's office ordered the most heavily trafficked bridge in the country (if not the world) closed for political revenge. He is desperately trying to throw his staff under the bus to avoid accountability for this. It's a very delicate subject for him right now, and Musk bringing it up is cruel and yet at the same time (imho) totally fair play.
- Jgrubb 13y agoCompletely fair play. To me, Musk is just pointing out that Christie is a corrupt bully (who would absolutely play this exact same card if the situations were reversed).
- gtaylor 13y agoI love it, personally. Elected officials should be dragged over coals publicly for crap like the bridge closure AND this sneaky legislative practice he used to get the anti-Tesla laws in.
- abvdasker 13y agoTo be fair, 2/3 toll lanes were closed, not the whole bridge.
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- nlh 13y agoWhat everyone else said re: Bridgegate (thanks!) + the original line, which is a reference to the conman George C. Parker, who would sell things like the Brooklyn Bridge to unsuspecting tourists, which, according to Wikipedia, gave rise to the line "If you believe that, I've got a bridge I can sell you." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_C._Parker http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_C._Parker
- HillRat 13y agoThis really is one of the nicest pieces of PR -- corporate, political or nonprofit -- I've seen in a while; I appreciate how he starts off with a soft pitch ("the auto dealer franchise laws were originally put in place for a just cause") and only shoves the knife in once he's got the reader in agreement. Beautiful writing.
- protomyth 13y agoAlthough personally satisfying for the writer, that is a pretty good example of something never to write in a letter that you want to positively influence a situation. Referring to a scandal by a politician when lobbying isn't really going to work, and all letters addresses "to the people" are lobbying.
- ericd 13y agoI think it does a good job of reminding everyone that there's a trend of corruption in his opponent's administration, which is a pretty useful political trick.
- protomyth 13y agoElon Musk is not running for governor of NJ, so viewing it as "a trend of corruption in his opponent's administration" is not advisable. The other problem with this is that the Gov is still has popular support and Mr. Musk probably negatively influenced those people. Further, making this an actual political fight is really not something Mr. Musk should be looking towards because their is a fair amount of material the Gov can use on Mr. Musk. Think of every attack that can be levied against the elitism of Silicon Valley and personify it in the person of Elon Musk. It could get quite nasty and the valley doesn't really do well in political games.
- ericd 13y agoI think you may have misunderstood my comment, they're only political opponents in the sense that Musk wants to rally Christie's constituents to push back on this decision, and the battle is over public policy. Of course Musk isn't running. Christie has a lot more to lose by his constituents seeing a bad trend in Christie's record than Musk has by any personal character attacks Christie could send back his way. Musk's job certainly isn't in any danger from bad things coming out about him in NJ.
- protomyth 13y agoI really don't think Christie has more to lose. I am sure he could "stick up for the people against the Silicon Valley boy billionaires" in some pretty interesting ways that would spread quickly. I can seen a "electric tax" as step one. After all, rich owners of electric cars should pay for the road like working class gas car owners. I'm sure he and his could come up with something else. The interesting part is how far any "reforms" NJ implements can spread. Politicians love new revenue streams.
- MartinCron 13y agoI literally gasped when I read that line. I can't speak to it's political effectiveness, but it's good writing.
- mcv 13y agoHe starts off pretty neutral, addressing an issue of course, but not in a mean way. And all of a sudden you notice this subtle knife twisting in your ribs.