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Summary

Elon Musk, having endorsed and campaigned for Donald Trump, is now acting as a “shadow president,” advising on policies and personnel, and joining Trump on calls with world leaders.

This unprecedented relationship between the world’s richest man and the leader of the free world raises concerns about the influence of wealth on government.

While both Trump and Musk have incentives to continue their partnership, their volatile personalities and differing expertise may lead to a breakup in the future.

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[-] vala@lemmy.world 14 points 2 days ago
[-] NikkiDimes@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

A little regulatory capture never hurt anyone...right?

[-] Someonelol@lemmy.dbzer0.com 137 points 4 days ago

This is the most mask-off corporatist government we've ever seen, and they haven't even been sworn in yet.

[-] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 11 points 2 days ago

Why hide what is clearly quite popular?

Corporate media has the public totally sold on oligopoly. Elon will run our country into the ground and the Talking Heads on his payroll will tell the whole country how hard they need to clap.

And if you won't, we all know the cops will.

[-] Theprogressivist@lemmy.world 60 points 4 days ago

This is what happens when you pussyfoot consequences.

[-] b161 7 points 2 days ago

Just wait on the Mueller report bro. Trust me bro the wheels of justice take time.

[-] nutsack@lemmy.world 6 points 2 days ago

conservatives like this they consider it good

[-] uebquauntbez@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago

Nay, when Apartheid ended he saw no ground for his business(es) in South Africa. So he moved to America. More people there to work for nothing but his wealth and their 'American Dream'!

[-] frazorth@feddit.uk 5 points 2 days ago

What? Musk moved to Canada in 1989 when he was 18 to avoid national service.

Apartheid didn't end until a couple of year after that.

He's a massive bellend, and a huge leech on society with all of his government subsidised businesses, but thats not the same as making up reasons for his move.

[-] uebquauntbez@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

Ask his (ex-)employees. They didn't get all the money (yet) for their work. ?!!?!?

[-] frazorth@feddit.uk 1 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

What are you talking about?

These are his businesses in South Africa that he closed when he was 18 and moved to Canada before Apartheid ended?

[-] Red_October@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago

Only until Trump throws him under the bus the first second it's convenient to do so.

[-] eran_morad@lemmy.world 92 points 4 days ago
[-] lando55@lemmy.world 10 points 2 days ago

Oh he's gonna hate that. I'm in.

[-] Revan343@lemmy.ca 8 points 2 days ago

Bonus: the acronym is pronounced 'phlem'.

[-] KyuubiNoKitsune 3 points 2 days ago
[-] ChronosTriggerWarning@lemmy.world 64 points 4 days ago

"Differing expertise?" They're both experts at destroying profitable businesses, and..? Narcissism? Hatred?

[-] HawlSera@lemm.ee 5 points 2 days ago

I don't think there's a better case of "failing upwards" than Chump and Musky Husky

[-] adespoton@lemmy.ca 22 points 4 days ago

Musk hasn’t made a reality show yet, and Trump hasn’t become rich, despite multiple attempts. Maybe that’s the expertise they’re talking about?

[-] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

Trump hasn’t become rich

For a not-rich guy, he sure does seem to live the high life.

[-] adespoton@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 days ago

He’s run a good grift living on other people’s money.

[-] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

If you live like a billionaire and you grift like a billionaire and you have borrowing capacity like a billionaire...

[-] Treczoks@lemmy.world 36 points 3 days ago

An illegal immigrant in the White House? Consistency was never a strong point of the GOP.

[-] HawlSera@lemm.ee 6 points 2 days ago

Every accusation, no matter how absurd is a confession. Now the White House is probably gonna smell like hummus, because that's something they said would happen under Kamela (no seriously)

[-] nutsack@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

why would he be considered illegal

[-] Mirshe@lemmy.world 12 points 2 days ago

Because he admitted to illegally staying here to start his business after running out his student visa? And that he knew this was entirely illegal the entire time?

[-] nutsack@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

ok good? thanks? question mark? sounds like he got it sorted out at some point? and he didn't get deported because donald trump wasn't the president? i like to talk like this?

[-] frazorth@feddit.uk 6 points 2 days ago

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/10/27/elon-musk-immigration/

“We don’t want our founder being deported,” said Derek Proudian, the Zip2 board member, who later became chief executive.

Literally the people working with him were afraid of his lack of visa and worked to get him one.

In a 2005 email obtained by The Post, Musk wrote that he had applied to a Stanford University graduate program, which he did not end up attending, so he could stay in the country.

He claims that he had a J-1, but unfortunately

“There are work options during studies, while engaged in a full course of study, and also after the completion of studies,” said Adam Cohen, author of “The Academic Immigration Handbook” and an attorney who specializes in employment visas. “But dropping out of school does not allow for work authorization. So there is a quite a gap there.”

He spent his time trying to get loopholes to remain, and used them incorrectly. He was an illegal.

[-] ziggurat@lemmy.world 38 points 4 days ago

The US presidency is no longer considered the leader of the free world... Not since 2016

[-] enbyecho@lemmy.world 33 points 4 days ago

The constant talk of Musk's power in the new administration must irritate the fuck out of Trump. How terrible.

[-] gerbler@lemmy.world 14 points 3 days ago

Wait wait wait... You might be on to something.

If we can just get the media to jerk off Musk and make Trump feel small and inconsequential...

[-] HawlSera@lemm.ee 1 points 2 days ago

That would work so well

[-] enbyecho@lemmy.world 4 points 3 days ago

Jerk off MORE you mean.

[-] WhatAmLemmy@lemmy.world 35 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

This unprecedented relationship between the world’s richest man and the leader of the free world raises concerns about the influence of wealth on government.

The only change is that Liberals are apparently becoming aware of the power dynamic that has always existed — that democracy cannot exist with massive wealthy inequality and money equal to speech. I'm also positive that if Trump/MAGA fails to implement fascism (this time around), Liberals will believe the current system works, and completely ignore the reality that their system was almost destroyed by a small number of wealthy sociopaths.

[-] Bakkoda@sh.itjust.works 16 points 4 days ago

Yeah it's a bullshit take. There's always been a bunch of money up every presidents ass. It's just public. Very very public now.

[-] HawlSera@lemm.ee 2 points 2 days ago

Reminds me of when I was a kid, my mom always said she still supported Clinton because "All he did was what every other man in power did, he just got caught."

[-] WhatAmLemmy@lemmy.world 19 points 4 days ago

You'd think they'd get the memo after several decades of "corporations get most of what they want, without objection" while "the people can't even get basic healthcare or a minimum wage comparable to poorer countries", yet here we are... Fascism is knocking down the door, financed by the wealthiest capitalism can muster, and they still have their heads firmly planted in the dirt, blaming the left for not voting, without evidence ... when the millions of people who didn't vote may very well be just as oblivious as Trump voters, don't know how the government works, don't know the danger they're in, and don't pay enough attention to care 99% of the time.

[-] GreatBlueHeron@lemmy.ca 9 points 4 days ago

I'd be curious to know what the people downvoting this don't agree with?

[-] FlowVoid@lemmy.world 6 points 4 days ago

For one thing, the Netherlands has nearly the lowest wealth inequality in the world, yet it is a democracy.

[-] Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world 10 points 3 days ago

I think you misunderstood.

democracy cannot exist with massive wealthy inequality and money equal to speech

Is supposed to be the affirmative statement afaict.

The Netherlands having low wealth inequality and not equating money with speech (or giving corporations all the rights of people but none of the responsibilities and restrictions) makes it much MORE democratic than it would otherwise be.

[-] vaultdweller013@sh.itjust.works 35 points 4 days ago

Ya know itd be a real fucken shame if this Saxon African bastard came down with a case of the dead.

[-] AbidanYre@lemmy.world 22 points 4 days ago

"No one’s even bothering to try to kill Elmo."

[-] Glitterbomb@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

Keep having thoughts like that and you'll be first in line for neuralink

[-] Dry_Monk@lemmy.world 18 points 4 days ago

This unprecedented relationship between the world’s richest man and the leader of the free world raises concerns about the influence of wealth on government.

Raises?! Where have y'all been?

[-] UpperBroccoli 19 points 4 days ago

"Leader of the free world" 🤡

[-] Zier@fedia.io 7 points 4 days ago

And feed the rest to the pigs.

[-] whithom@discuss.online 1 points 2 days ago

Don’t poison those poor piggies, feed that Soylent green to the MAGAs

[-] Klear@lemmy.world 2 points 3 days ago

Peter Kafka writes.

Yup, sounds like he'd know.

this post was submitted on 17 Nov 2024
322 points (100.0% liked)

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