What's up between Musk and Trump?

 After Donald Trump's "Big, Beautiful Bill," conflict between Trump and Elon Musk was only a matter of time.

Can Trump and Musk Make Up? | Ron Paul Institute | Ron Paul:

June 9, 2025 - "Last week’s dramatic blowout between President Trump and his one-time top collaborator Elon Musk was shocking yet predictable. According to media reports, a cold war had been brewing between Musk’s people and Trump’s appointees and it was bound to break out into the open. It was only a matter of time.

Trump and Musk. Composite by Buadh, Wikimedia Commons.

"On the campaign trail, Musk provided much energy and helped ramp up enthusiasm for Donald Trump. His support for Trump made him a lightning rod for Trump-haters and he saw his personal wealth take a hit for his troubles.

"After Trump’s victory, Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency [DOGE] project was truly revolutionary. Americans were able to see up close and in real time just how government operates. Not only did the billions and trillions of dollars spent by the federal government not achieve the stated goals, but much of the spending actually harmed the United States.

"Americans were able to see that the 'aid' they send overseas does not provide food and relief for those suffering through disasters but is actually used to create a global US empire encompassing everything from the media to military spending to non-profits. 

"Once USAID was targeted by DOGE, for example, we learned that 90 percent of the 'independent' media in Ukraine was US government controlled. Other countries chimed in to say that much of their own 'independent' media is propped up by the US government. Foreign 'journalists' paid by the US government are going to publish what the US government wants to be published. That is one reason Americans to this day are so ill-informed about Ukraine and what started the war. For example, how many Americans know that their own government staged a coup in Ukraine in 2014 that directly led to the disaster we have seen these past three years?

"The message was there for anyone who wanted to see it: The United States is being undermined by a government that demands the right to intervene in every aspect of our lives – and of the lives of everyone on the planet. It is not sustainable.

"In the end it was Trump’s 'Big Beautiful Bill' that broke it all apart. The US House served up a massive funding bill that, as usual, blew up the national debt with more spending and promised that sometime down the road spending cuts would kick in and we would start saving money. We’ve seen this movie many times before.

"In a post seen by over a hundred million people on his social media platform X, Elon Musk finally could hold his tongue no longer. 'This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination,' he wrote.... Musk was no-doubt frustrated that despite all of the work he and his team did to uncover government waste, he hit a brick wall in a Washington that recoils from any attempt to shrink its size and level of interference in our lives.

"Can Trump and Musk 'make up' and find a way to work together in the future? After the smoke has cleared we can only hope for a return to the principles of DOGE and the idea that current levels of spending and debt are unsustainable. Surely both men can agree on that."

Copyright © 2025 The Ron Paul Institute. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is gladly granted, provided full credit and a live link are given.

Read more: https://ronpaulinstitute.org/can-trump-and-musk-make-up/

Elon Musk's departure signals end of DOGE

Elon Musk's reported imminent departure from his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) project signals the end in failure of that attempt to limit government.

The Empire Strikes Back | Ron Paul Institute | Ron Paul:

April 28, 2025 - "News this week that Elon Musk will soon be departing his 'Department of Government Efficiency' (DOGE) is a grim reminder of what happens when you challenge big spending DC.... President Trump rode into office with the help of Elon Musk’s ambitious plan to cut two trillion dollars in spending and slash useless and bloated government bureaucracies. Opinion polls demonstrated the huge popularity of the 'Department.' Americans were excited when DOGE came to DC.

"The exposure of the real harm being done to the country by agencies like USAID and others reinforced the idea that much of the 'Federal bureaucracy' was simply not needed. Although Musk became a figure of hate for the entrenched special interests, to the large chunk of America forced to pay for Washington’s excesses he became a hero.

Trump and Musk. Composite by Buadh, Wikimedia Commons.

"Many in Congress, seeing its popularity, actively embraced DOGE. Suddenly those who helped us rack up $37 trillion in debt were talking about making huge cuts and posing for photos with Musk. 

"Unfortunately, after the photos were taken and the hoopla had died down, Congress returned to doing what it usually does: nothing. There is no way for a DOGE to succeed without the Legislative Branch enshrining those cuts in legislation. But when the massive 'Big Beautiful' spending bill was introduced, the spending cuts were nowhere to be found.

"In the end it was the Beltway addiction to the global US military empire that may have hammered the final nail in DOGE’s coffin. The 'Big Beautiful' spending bill actually increased military spending even after President Trump hinted that a 50 percent cut was possible. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth bragged about presiding over the 'first' trillion-dollar defense budget. Starting a war on Yemen – at over a billion dollars a month – and saber rattling over Iran are the most obvious evidence that the empire has struck back. And of course the DC hawks want to 'confrontz' China.

"This isn’t the first time a populist, popular movement to tame the Beltway beast was embraced then defeated by that same beast. The 'Tea Party' movement was launched in December, 2007, with volunteers supporting my 2008 Presidential campaign holding a record-breaking 24 hour “money bomb” on the anniversary of the 1773 Boston Tea Party.... The 'money bomb' success got Washington’s attention – money is the lifeblood of the political class – and before too long politicians of all stripes declared themselves to be part of the 'Tea Party'.... But actually cutting government? Not so much.

"The first thing these newly-minted 'Tea Party' members rejected was our demand for an end to the unsustainable, bloated military budget and our aggressive foreign policy. Eventually they backed away from other spending restrictions and within a few years the “brand” was diluted and tossed away.

"What is the lesson here? Is it all futile? Hardly. The popularity of DOGE shows that Americans still want a much smaller government. That is great news, and the country owes a debt of gratitude to Elon for reminding us of this. But until Americans elect Representatives who have the courage to follow through beyond photo-ops, we will sadly continue down the path toward bankruptcy and collapse."

Copyright © 2025 The Ron Paul Institute. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is gladly granted, provided full credit and a live link are given.

Read more: https://ronpaulinstitute.org/the-empire-strikes-back/

Freeland cuts off EV rebates for Teslas

In one of her first acts as federal Transport Minister, Chrystia Freeland has suspended EV rebate payments to Tesla, and excluded the company from future rebate programs as long as "illegitimate and illegal U.S. tariffs" on Canada remain in effect. 

Protest at Tesla dealership, Kitchener, Ontario, March 22,2025. Screenshot, CBC News.

Ottawa Suspends Tesla Rebates, Excludes Firm From Future Support in Response to US Tariffs | Epoch Times | Jennifer Cowan:

March 26, 2025 - "Canada has suspended all rebate payments for Tesla and prohibited the electric vehicle (EV) maker from participating in future rebate programs.... The criteria for eligibility in future incentive programs for zero-emission vehicles will be revised to exclude Elon Musk’s Tesla as long as 'illegitimate and illegal U.S. tariffs' on Canada remain in effect, Transport Minister Chrystia Freeland said in a media statement. Freeland said she issued the order upon assuming her role as transport minister earlier this month....

"Freeland’s statement comes after the Toronto Star reported Tesla submitted thousands of rebate claims in January amid a surge in sales during the last days of the program, amounting to the sale of two cars per minute for each hour of the day. The report said a total of 8,653 rebate claims were made by Tesla during a 72-hour period, with more than 4,000 of those claims coming from a single Tesla dealership in Quebec City which said it sold the vehicles over a single weekend....

"Freeland has previously proposed a 100 percent tariff on Tesla vehicles, citing Musk’s involvement in the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump as a reason. Tesla is just one of the companies owned by Musk, a billionaire who is a friend and personal adviser to Trump. Musk has been at the forefront of the White House initiative aimed at reducing federal expenditure and debt in his role as the unpaid head of the Department of Government Efficiency.

"Protests have erupted against Musk as a result of Trump’s tariffs on Canada.... 'Tesla Takedown' protests were held at several locations across Canada, including in Ottawa and Vancouver.... Numerous attacks have occurred at Tesla dealerships nationwide, with some drivers also being targeted and nearly 90 vehicles being damaged. Police said the most common occurrences are fires, graffiti, vandalism, and slashed tires."

Read more: https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/ottawa-suspends-tesla-rebates-excludes-firm-from-future-support-in-response-to-us-tariffs-5831613

Ron Paul willing to work with Elon Musk in DOGE

Libertarian icon Ron Paul is interested in playing a role in Elon Musk's proposed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in a second Trump administration. 

Elon Musk asks this ex-Congressman to join second Trump term to reduce… | Hindustan Times | Tuhin Das Mahapatra: 

November  02, 2024 - "November  02, 2024 - "Elon Musk expressed interest in having Ron Paul in a potential Department of Government Efficiency if Trump wins the presidency.... 'Would be great to have Ron Paul as part of the Department of Government Efficiency!' he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

"Paul approved Musk’s potential role as a government efficiency commissioner, replying, 'I'd be happy to talk with you about it, Elon.' 

"Paul, who previously sought the presidency as a Republican and a Libertarian, noted his willingness to advise Musk on economic policy, emphasizing his dedication to educating the public about government overreach.

"When asked if he would work with Musk to address government waste, Paul said, 'Well I would.... But I wouldn't want an official position, you know, because I've sort of steered away from getting too involved in the politics of it all right now.' He then highlighted, 'I always say young people that were in high school and college, when I was doing all the campaigning, [were] a receptive audience,' contrasting it with his lack of support from business organizations like the 'Chamber of Commerce.'

"Paul advised that Musk proceed with caution if tasked with reducing government spending. 'You know, a position is easy to have and to hold. But the truth is, you know, what if I did get in this position and all I had to do is sign a piece of paper and the Federal Reserve was eliminated, or you cut the budget by $2 trillion … the consequence would be is total chaos and probably civil war and all that,' he remarked.

"Paul stressed that the public should understand the rationale behind reducing government expenditures, especially as economic challenges grow. He sees an opportunity to guide future policies once 'this thing falls apart' arguing that certain political factions benefit from societal unrest. He said, 'The cultural Marxists do it on purpose: the more chaos, the better.' So he remains as a “reluctant optimist,' heartened by the responsiveness of 'a lot of people out there, a lot of young people that seem to be very receptive to what we've been talking about.'"

Read more: https://tribune.com.pk/story/2506968/ron-paul-responds-to-elon-musks-invitation-to-join-trump-administration

Ron Paul, Donald Trump, Elon Musk. Courtesy Spectator Australia. 

Ron Paul responds to Elon Musk’s invitation to join Trump administration | Express Tribune: 

November 02, 2024 - "Musk recently posted that he would welcome Paul’s involvement in the department, which he humorously referred to as the 'Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE),' alluding to the cryptocurrency Dogecoin.... Musk’s interest in a governmental role has become increasingly visible, with the CEO explicitly stating his willingness to serve in a Trump-led administration if the opportunity arises. Following Musk’s post, Trump hinted at appointing him to an advisory or official role if elected president.

"Paul’s legacy in politics includes founding the Foundation for Rational Economics and Education (FREE) in 1976 and serving as the first chairman of Citizens for a Sound Economy. Often cited as the 'intellectual godfather' of the Tea Party movement, Paul’s influence extends across fiscal conservatism and anti-interventionist policies. If appointed, the combination of Paul’s libertarian principles and Musk’s tech-driven approach could bring an unconventional dynamic to government operations under a Trump presidency."

Read more: https://tribune.com.pk/story/2506968/ron-paul-responds-to-elon-musks-invitation-to-join-trump-administration

Telegram CEO arrested in France

Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of social media app Telegram, has been arrested in France for not removing user content from the platform when ordered to by the authorities.  

The outrageous arrest of Telegram’s Pavel Durov | Spiked | Fraser Myers: 

26th August 26, 2024 - "In 2013, the Russian authorities searched the home and offices of social-media magnate Pavel Durov.... [T]he raid was widely believed to be in retaliation for his platform’s persistent refusal to censor critics of the government. VK, Durov’s Russian-language competitor to Facebook, had consistently rejected the Kremlin’s demands to block the accounts of Putin’s domestic opponents and to hand over data belonging to protesters in Ukraine. In 2014, he sold his stake in VK, resigned as CEO, and fled his home country. Durov, a self-described libertarian, says he was not prepared to do the state’s bidding. Since he left, VK is now more or less controlled by the Kremlin.

"More than a decade later and Durov is in trouble with the law again. His newer app, Telegram, is in the firing line this time. He was arrested and detained on Saturday and charged with 12 crimes, seemingly all in connection with Telegram’s failure to comply with the authorities’ requests to remove certain content. But Durov was not arrested in Russia this time. He was apprehended as his private jet touched down in France.

Pavel Durov in 2013. TechCrunch / Wikimedia Commons.

"The 12 charges include ‘complicity’ in alleged crimes as diverse as child exploitation, fraud, drug trafficking, money laundering and terrorism. As despicable as such crimes may be, it is unprecedented for the authorities in a Western liberal democracy to hold a social-media platform and its founder criminally liable for content shared by others.... The commonsense principle that social-media firms are not directly responsible for their users’ content had held firm until relatively recently in Europe. 

"Yet, in the past few years, Europe’s illiberal elites have been gripped by hysteria about the supposedly malign influence of major tech platforms.... [A]lmost every societal problem is now pinned on an excess of online freedom. This has prompted a series of laws, from the EU’s Digital Services Act to the UK’s Online Safety Act, which effectively treat platforms as publishers of user-generated content, threatening them with fines if they fail to remove posts that contravene their rules.

"Telegram has over 900 million users worldwide and is well known for its laissez-faire approach to content and its fierce protection of its users’ privacy. It hosts both private conversations and ‘channels’, which allow a single user to disseminate messages directly to large numbers of followers. But its terms of service do prohibit terrorist content, scams, illegal pornography and incitement to violence. Notably it has removed ISIS-linked channels and white-supremacist groups involved with the ‘January 6’ storming of the US Capitol.

"Durov, the sole owner, insists his platform is neutral and ‘not a player in geopolitics’. Nevertheless, Telegram is especially notorious for hosting pro-war Russian bloggers.... This has led to suspicions that the Kremlin has more control or influence over Telegram than Durov lets on. The Russian government’s call for his release over the weekend has only compounded these fears.... Yet, on the other hand, there is no evidence that Telegram has censored, say, critics of Putin. Notably, it is also highly popular in Ukraine. It remains one of the few platforms to allow Russians to access information about the war that isn’t filtered by the Kremlin. Telegram also proved essential for those organising pro-democracy protests against the CCP in Hong Kong in 2019. To characterise the app purely as a propaganda tool for authoritarians like the Russian government, as many observers in the West are keen to do, is to miss the bigger picture. Durov’s own past run-ins with the Kremlin also suggest he is sincere in his libertarian beliefs.

"Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X, was quick to defend Durov in the wake of his arrest. Musk, himself persona non grata among the Western liberal establishment, thanks to X’s more liberal speech policies, claims there is a political vendetta against Telegram and Durov. Musk argues that Instagram, owned by Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta, ‘has a massive child-exploitation problem, but no arrest for Zuck, as he censors free speech and gives governments backdoor access to user data… He already caved into censorship pressure.’ In other words, while all platforms have unwittingly hosted illegal content, just as Telegram is alleged to have done, the European authorities are primarily interested in targeting those platforms that refuse to accede to their demands to censor political dissent.

"Certainly, some of those defending Durov’s arrest are not making any effort to dispel this impression. A piece in the Guardian has hailed it as a ‘smart move’ that could panic tech executives like Musk into censoring more content at governments’ behest. That ‘nagging fear [of arrest] is no bad thing’, it said. (Earlier this month, a former Twitter exec wrote another piece in the Guardian calling explicitly for Musk’s arrest.) It is hard not to suspect that allowing unfettered political speech is Telegram’s real crime in the eyes of the elites....

"The criminalisation of Pavel Durov sets a deeply troubling precedent. If social-media execs are to be held liable for posts on their platforms, then a ramping up of pre-emptive censorship seems inevitable. Europeans must stand up to this now, lest they lose their online freedoms for good."

Read more: https://www.spiked-online.com/2024/08/26/the-outrageous-arrest-of-telegrams-pavel-durov/

Elon Musk helps anti-lockdown Ontario MD

Elon Musk offers help to Canadian doctor targeted for opposing lockdowns | True North | Isaac Lamoureux:

March 23, 2024 - "Billionaire and Tesla owner Elon Musk has pledged to support a Canadian physician entangled in legal and professional challenges due to her criticism of COVID-19 lockdown measures. Musk’s response came after Dr. Kulvinder Kaur Gill asked him for help on X, the social media platform he now owns.

X News, March 24, 2024. Read more.

“'As one of the first Canadian MDs to oppose lockdowns on Twitter in 2020… I’ve been persecuted for four years solely due to my Tweets. Please help a fellow Canadian! ~$300k in court-ordered costs due in four days,' said Gill. She included a screenshot of a post from Musk last August vowing to support those facing hardship from employers over things they do on X.... 

"In response to Gill’s request, Musk wrote in a reply, 'We will help.' 

"Gill spoke about her ordeal in a podcast interview with Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, the creator of the Great Barrington Declaration that criticized lockdowns early in the COVID pandemic. 'I was starting to read about the devastating, catastrophic harms of the actual lockdowns. All of this compelled me to speak out in the summer of 2020 about everything that was being ignored, both in the media’s coverage and in the daily conversations that Canadians were having. I didn’t anticipate the response that I received,' said Gill.

"Just weeks before the World Health Organization officially declared the pandemic, Gill said she was considered a leader in her profession — one who received positive media coverage. 'Suddenly, when I went against the narrative, I was seen as a black sheep and as someone who should be shunned,” said Gill. “Rather than engaging in any sort of debate or having any conversation about what I was trying to convey, I was being attacked with labels. The media didn’t seem interested in actually hearing why I was concerned.' Despite even to this day not receiving a single patient complaint to her professional regulator, Gill became the target of a 'very malicious campaign'.... 

"In an effort to clear her name, Gill launched a defamation lawsuit against the individuals she accused of campaigning against her. Before any evidence was heard, an anti-SLAPP motion was brought forward. Anti-SLAPP legislation intends to prevent powerful entities from silencing 'the small guy.' However, Gill said it was used in the opposite fashion against her, where well-funded defendants with big teams of lawyers succeeded in having her lawsuit dismissed. In October 2022, an Ontario judge ruled a $1.2 million cost order against Gill. She appealed both the cost and actual decisions.

"Finally, Gill was ordered to pay $300,000 ... with a deadline at the end of March. This is money she said she doesn’t have following her legal battles.... She added that she could have never imagined that the cost of speaking truth to power or being compelled to speak her conscience would lead to this.

“'Everything I warned about in 2020, which at the time was based on peer-reviewed evidence, has now come to pass,' said Gill. 'It’s been absolutely heart-wrenching and devastating watching the carnage unfold. And being helpless. Because it was all completely preventable'....

"As of Friday afternoon, Gill’s fundraiser was at $170,000 of its $300,000 goal."

Read more: https://tnc.news/2024/03/23/elon-musk-doctor-targeted-lockdowns/

Why is the Jewish community defending Soros?

Jews shouldn't be defending George Soros against Elon Musk | Jerusalem Post | Alan Dershowitz: 

June 23, 2023 - "An op-ed in The Jerusalem Post typified what many Jews have been saying since Elon Musk compared Soros to Magneto, a Marvel super-villain. The op-ed was headlined: 'This time every Jew is with George Soros.' It concluded that Musk’s 'attack must make every Jew, regardless of ideological orientation or political stripe, defend Soros.' Well, not this Jew.... 

"Musk has been falsely accused of antisemitism because of his criticism and mockery of George Soros. These accusations come from the ADL, the American Jewish Committee, and even the Israeli Foreign Ministry. Soros is Jewish by heritage. Musk is not. But their religious backgrounds should play no role in evaluating the charges and counter-charges.... No single person has done more to damage Israel’s standing in the world, and especially among so-called progressives, than George Soros. Without his support, the two major organizations that have done the most to shift the left-wing paradigm against Israel, would not have the pernicious influence they currently possess. 

"Human Rights Watch [HRW] was founded by publisher and human rights advocate Robert Bernstein.... Then a Soros-funded radical anti-Israel zealot named Kenneth Roth took over the organization and turned it into an organization that specialized in demonizing Israel.... Soros contributed $100,000,000 to Roth’s organization. (The Guardian, September 7, 2010) And since he has been funding this organization, its priorities have shifted even more to singling out Israel for demonization and applying a double standard to the nation-state of the Jewish people. The impact of this demonization cannot be overstated: HRW has done more to turn the international community and progressives against Israel than any other organization. This is ALL Soros’s fault, and Soros is justly condemned for shifting this paradigm against Israel.

"The second most influential organization in turning progressives against Israel is another Soros-funded group: J Street. Despite its claim to be a progressive pro-Israel and pro-Palestine organization, J Street has done much to turn most progressive and some liberal Democrats – especially members of Congress, as well as academics and media pundits – against Israel. Soros contributed a million dollars to J Street, which, according to Haaretz is '20 times larger than any previous donation J Street Action Fund received' (August 23, 2022). J Street now lobbies Congress against Israel and supports candidates who are virulently anti-Israel, as does Soros.

"Attorney Farley Weiss, former president of The National Council of Young Israel, put it exactly right when he concluded: 'Soros’s defenders try to shut down criticism of the billionaire by claiming it is antisemitic because Soros himself is Jewish. But no one has financed more destructive attacks on Israel and the American Jewish community than Soros. He is, at best, a self-hating Jew, and shouldn’t be let off the hook because of his ancestry.'

"I, too, have been a strident critic of Soros, and his pernicious influence not only on Israel but on American domestic issues, such as his funding of progressive candidates for district attorneys, such as Alvin Bragg and Chesa Boudin, who have politicized law enforcement. My criticism of Soros did not include comparing him to 'Magneto,' who, like Soros, survived the Holocaust. I would not make that comparison because I had never heard of this super-villain, but I agree with Musk that Soros’s acts, contributions and motivation do contribute to the erosion of the 'fabric of civilization'....

 "It is true that some right-wing antisemites have focused on Soros in promoting antisemitic conspiracy theories about “the Jews” controlling the world. Just as antisemites of the past blamed “the Rothschilds” for many of the world’s evils, so too some contemporary bigots blame Soros. The difference is that the Rothschilds were strong supporters of the Jewish community and of Zionism. Not only is Soros not a supporter, he is an opponent. He is 'Jewish' only on his parents’ side and he boasts of the fact that his mother was an antisemite.

"Even so, every Jew should condemn antisemitic and illegitimate misuse of Soros’s Jewish heritage. But this misuse should not prevent or deter legitimate criticism of Soros’s individual influence on the world, not as a Jew but as a super-villain in his own right."
Read more: https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-745296

CEO tweets against George Soros - and antisemitism on twitter soars | ILTV Israel News | May 17, 2023:

Heinlein fans launch libertarianism into space

Forget Earth: In Space, Libertarian Ideas Are Thriving | WIRED -Sarah Scoles:

December 12, 2019 - "You may have heard the phrase 'There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch'.... Its acronym — TANSTAAFL — pops up in subreddits ... sweatshirts ... and as a nerdy economics rap on YouTube. Also: For the first eight years of the Libertarian Party’s existence, TANSTAAFL was its official slogan. So it may come as a surprise that this oh-so-political meal owes much of its popularity to a single book, about an anti-state revolution ... on the moon.

"Written by sci-fi luminary Robert Heinlein, The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress is a libertarian manifesto baked into a novel. Heinlein infused his works with recurring sociopolitical themes, among them 'the importance of individual liberty and self-reliance,' as a sci-fi writers' society that anointed him its first Grand Master wrote. His interest in personal autonomy and private space exploration later seeped into the writing of other sci-fi authors, and into the minds of their readers—in particular, the leading figures in the commercial 'NewSpace' sector of private companies trying to escape Earth's surface.

“'The predominantly libertarian people who work in the free space movement almost universally cite Heinlein as their principal inspiration,' wrote engineer Robert G. Kennedy III.... Some of Heinlein's fans are, in fact, the biggest names in the commercial space industry. Take two of the (three total) people who've won the Heinlein Prize, a $500,000 award for accomplishments in the commercial space business: Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk. Bezos, who has faced speculation about his hypothetical libertarianism and whose gargantuan store certainly ducks taxes and regulation, has said he spent his childhood summers reading Heinlein.

"Musk, meanwhile, has called himself both moderate and 'somewhat libertarian.' He wants his Mars outpost to have a direct democracy where it’s harder to make laws than delete them — a stance that leans libertarian. Musk too has labeled The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress one of his inspirations....

"For today's billionaire space set, though, ... NewSpace companies are pretty much regular old government contractors in new-brand clothing. They run on defense department and NASA contracts; they rely on federal perks. 'Taxpayer dollars often sustain these mythically self-made entrepreneurs,' says scholar Victor Shammas... 'The state,' he continues, 'is NewSpace’s biggest customer.”

"Yet assuming these companies succeed, their leaders may well place a philosophical stamp on any space outposts that emerge. One day, when your grandkids or friend's kids' kids are riding their hover-scooters around Mars Township B2, they could be living out aspects of Heinlein's libertarian dream."

Read more: https://www.wired.com/story/forget-earth-in-space-libertarian-ideas-are-thriving/
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Elon Musk's 'libertarian' argument for carbon tax

Elon Musk makes a libertarian argument for carbon tax - Benjamin Spillman,  Reno Gazette-Journal:

July 29, 2016 - "Tesla Motors founder and CEO Elon Musk made a libertarian argument in favor of a carbon tax during a recent visit to Nevada. Musk, who spoke with reporters for about an hour during a visit to the company's battery factory in Storey County on Tuesday, answered a question about tax breaks the company got for moving to Nevada. He also addressed tax incentives for sustainable energy products such as solar panels and electric vehicles (EVs). Here's a transcript of the portion of the conversation in which Musk made a libertarian argument in favor of a carbon tax....

"Reporter: You are building this factory with more than a billion dollars in state incentives. Solar panels get big tax subsidies, cars get by with a lot of subsidies as well. Will these businesses ever be sustainable without these kind of subsidies?

"Elon Musk: With respect to some of the other elements for solar panels and EVs, the big issue we have is that in reality if you accept the scientific consensus every oil burning activity is subsidized, dramatically. If you believe there is a value to the CO2 capacity of the atmosphere and oceans and that CO2 capacity is not being paid for by the price at the gas pump or the coal that is being burned for electricity generation or whatever its use may be then every single fossil fuel burning activity is massively subsidized. This has become sort of an ideological issue because there are people who think that global warming is not true. So if you believe it is not true then it is a subsidy for sustainable energy. If you believe it is true then all we are doing is trying to match the inherent subsidy for fossil fuels....

"The real right way to correct it would be to establish a carbon tax. If you ask any economist they will tell you that is the obvious thing to do, put the correct price on carbon because we currently have an error in the economy which misprices carbon at zero or something closer to zero. It is a fundamental economic error. For people that have a sort of libertarian bent they get a little confused because they need to appreciate the high level principle of why they are opposed to government intervention. They are actually opposed to government intervention because it causes false pricing. If the government says we are going to massively incent the production of corn, so that effectively corn gets mispriced and we make too much corn, that actually then does not benefit the country if you make too much of something because of a government driven pricing error....

"However if you have something where you have an unpriced externality so that you have the case of the CO2 capacity of the oceans and atmosphere priced very close to zero then any government action to increase the price above zero reduces the error in the economy.... So pricing carbon, if you believe in global warming, does not increase the price of the error it decreases the price of the error."

Read more: http://www.rgj.com/story/money/business/2016/07/28/elon-musk-makes-libertarian-argument-carbon-tax/87638264/
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Libertarians pioneer private space travel, NASA loses another $1 billion

NASA's $1.2 Billion Mistake Proves Something Every Libertarian Knows - PolicyMic - Christopher Blakely:

October 15, 2013 - "At a loss of $1.2 billion, NASA has officially shelved the massively expensive J-2X engine program. Development testing wraps up next year, but the problem is that there is currently no use for these super powered rockets. It is one thing to shoot for the stars, but aspirations without an actionable plan are nothing but a dream. There have been many advancements in the private sector that are making space travel far more practical and effective....

"Fortunately, we live in an age where space travel is no longer limited to the government. Entrepreneurs and scientists like Elon Musk and Richard Branson, both “small ‘l’ libertarians,” have been pioneering space travel in the private sector. Their advances are making it something that the whole human race can potentially experience. Musk’s SpaceX was one of the first companies selected with a contract from NASA for private space travel.... SpaceX has done so well that it has pushed policy towards private human space flight via the Augustine Commission, or The Review of United States Human Space Flight Plans Committee.

"In the more commercial arena, the billionaire owner of the Virgin brand, Richard Branson, trademarked “Virgin Galactic” 10 years ago and now is now using it the moniker for passenger flights to space. While tickets are expensive, they are available for purchase to anyone with an internet connection. In a short time, these individuals have created amazing technologies with less capital backing than NASA."

Read more: http://www.policymic.com/articles/67551/nasa-s-1-2-billion-mistake-proves-something-every-libertarian-knows
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