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Elon Musk seen as working counter to U.S. interests in dealings with Russia, China (youtu.be)

submitted 1 year ago by stopthatgirl7@kbin.social to c/worldnews@lemmy.ml

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Elon Musk's financial interests put him in a position of having his own personal foreign policy, but new reporting shows that whether it's manufacturing in China or the Starlink network being used in Ukraine, Musk’s decisions can run counter to stated US policy.

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[-] Blaiz0r@lemmy.ml 198 points 1 year ago

This is why billionaires shouldn't exist they are treasonous

[-] Lexam@lemmy.ca 97 points 1 year ago

They should exist, but we are not utilizing them correctly. Once someone has reached a billion dollar networth then they are thrown a big party and then sacrificed to a valcono. I believe this would curb emissions and fix climate change.

[-] Blaiz0r@lemmy.ml 37 points 1 year ago

There was a native American tribe that every ten years had individuals return all personal wealth back to the tribe and the threw a big party, then start it all over again

[-] doggle@lemmy.dbzer0.com 14 points 1 year ago

Maybe we just seize all their assets, nationalize them and make them start over with nothing. Call it new game +.

[-] Corkyskog@sh.itjust.works 9 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

They just need to make a point system. The incredibly wealthy don't care about money itself, those are already just points to them. So once you get to say 100 M, you get a trophy saying you won capitalism. After that amount 99% is taxed, you get a penny on the dollar. But all of that taxed money gets you Capitalism points. Capitalism points have no real value and can only be exchanged/traded/gambled with other winners of capitalism. Those with most points will be published each month in the top 100. And the top 10 each year get the prestigous title if honorary economic leader. They can get a medal and a pat on the back by the president.

You can also donate extra money for more capitalism points at a 10:1 exchange rate to get people to play the game even harder and further drive down wealth.

(I believe there are slightly less than 10,000 people in the US who would currently get their capitalism trophy. There are >140,000 people worth more than $50M, is 100 to high?)

Oh and the 100M amount is pegged to minimum wage. Any increase to the capitalism cap has to be matched to the same percent increase to minimum wage.

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[-] Ferris@infosec.pub 6 points 1 year ago

Wealth Piñata monetary policy

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[-] jonne@infosec.pub 70 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Just too much power for one person. Even if they're not in charge of a global internet provider, your average billionaire can singlehandedly affect the lives of millions of people (employees, customers, bystanders) with no democratic oversight at all. It's just not something that should exist.

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[-] s20@lemmy.ml 72 points 1 year ago

What the hell? Look, man, I hate the guy but he's remarkably consistent: he works for his interests. Even when he does dumbshit things like buy Twitter, the thinks he's operating in his interests.

He's not complicated. He's a self absorbed piece of shit. That's really all you ever need to know about the fucker.

[-] dingus@lemmy.ml 38 points 1 year ago

"Elon desperately wants the world to be saved. But only if he can be the one to save it," Altman added.

From an interview with Sam Altman. It's grandoise narcissism, plain and simple.

[-] RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world 12 points 1 year ago

He is the main character.

[-] vzq@lemmy.blahaj.zone 22 points 1 year ago

But he’s also a contrarian asshole.

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[-] arc@lemm.ee 44 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

He posted the other day about being proud American etc. and yet he's actively giving comfort to hostile adversaries like Russia and screwing US allies. I think if I were the US federal government I wouldn't touch SpaceX or Starlink with a shitty stick given the mercurial, manchild in charge of them with his own agenda.

[-] zik@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago

A proud American who takes money from the US military to provide Starlink service to the military in Ukraine and then deliberately defeats US military interests there when it comes to the pinch. There's a word for that - a couple actually. Traitor. Treasonous.

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[-] Burn_The_Right@lemmy.world 41 points 1 year ago

He's juggling fire. His money can only do so much to protect him if he makes enough mistakes fucking with these dangerous governments.

[-] taladar@sh.itjust.works 29 points 1 year ago

I disagree. Every other billionaire out there also has a shared interest in governments leaving the super-rich alone and not punishing them. That is a powerful lobby.

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[-] cantstopthesignal@sh.itjust.works 5 points 1 year ago

Very dumb to position oneself against the geopolitical interests of the United States while living there.

[-] ShaggySnacks@lemmy.myserv.one 39 points 1 year ago

Remember folks, the rich only care about one thing and one thing only, getting richer. A bunch of these shit heads got together and started actively planning on overthrowing the US government because the election of FDR was going to affect their interests.

The Business Plot