One has diamonds in his pockets / This one wants to buy you rockets
April 2, 2025 11:13 AM Subscribe
The president remains pleased with Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency initiative, but both men have decided in recent days that it will soon be time for Musk to return to his businesses and take on a supporting role, according to three Trump insiders who were granted anonymity to describe the evolving relationship. from Trump Tells Inner Circle That Musk Will Leave Soon [Politico]
One assumes that Musk cannot stomach merely a "supporting" role, so it this it?
Could they stop him if he tries to muscle his way back in?
posted by wenestvedt at 11:22 AM on April 2 [2 favorites]
Could they stop him if he tries to muscle his way back in?
posted by wenestvedt at 11:22 AM on April 2 [2 favorites]
I was hoping he would stay long enough that they would destroy each other.
posted by Joan Rivers of Babylon at 11:23 AM on April 2 [58 favorites]
posted by Joan Rivers of Babylon at 11:23 AM on April 2 [58 favorites]
My suspicion is nothing changes but they just say Musk is out and use the weight of DoJ to slap anyone who says otherwise.
The emperor has no clothes, but if you point this out its 10 YEARS DUNGEON!
posted by AngelWuff at 11:25 AM on April 2 [20 favorites]
The emperor has no clothes, but if you point this out its 10 YEARS DUNGEON!
posted by AngelWuff at 11:25 AM on April 2 [20 favorites]
He can't stay longer than 130 days as a SGE without having to report all sorts of stuff, anyways.
posted by charred husk at 11:26 AM on April 2 [8 favorites]
posted by charred husk at 11:26 AM on April 2 [8 favorites]
Practically what would any of this mean? Will the nominal DOGE administrator stop taking DOGE's calls? Will Marko Elez be re-fired? This article feels like speculation intended to give you some good vibes. I’m happy for anything perceived as embarrassing to this terrible admin to go down, but mostly I feel annoyed that Politico is still being Politico.
posted by Going To Maine at 11:29 AM on April 2 [11 favorites]
posted by Going To Maine at 11:29 AM on April 2 [11 favorites]
How many 100s of thousands of people are going to die directly because of USAID cuts? There are all sorts of estimates out there about the numbers; they all share same the same thing; it will be a massive amount of people. Never mind the return of diseases that are preventable.
These are all human beings, and Musk, and other Trump appointees, have helped consign them to death because of of his greed and sociopathy.
He is an absolute monster and hopefully one day his impact and influence on this most odious of administrations will cease.
posted by Phlegmco(tm) at 11:34 AM on April 2 [42 favorites]
These are all human beings, and Musk, and other Trump appointees, have helped consign them to death because of of his greed and sociopathy.
He is an absolute monster and hopefully one day his impact and influence on this most odious of administrations will cease.
posted by Phlegmco(tm) at 11:34 AM on April 2 [42 favorites]
(Excellent post title, by the way!)
posted by wenestvedt at 11:41 AM on April 2 [13 favorites]
posted by wenestvedt at 11:41 AM on April 2 [13 favorites]
the Spin Doctors were the answer on a trivia question 3 weeks ago then they appeared in a thread on the Blue following that, now this
what is happening
posted by ginger.beef at 11:43 AM on April 2 [6 favorites]
what is happening
posted by ginger.beef at 11:43 AM on April 2 [6 favorites]
Interestingly, the White House press secretary is calling the report "garbage."
But they may have realized that Trump fans are inclined to believe Trump will do what they want, so Musk stalwarts will believe he's staying and people who blame Musk will be glad to hear Trump's pushing him out.
> Practically what would any of this mean? Will the nominal DOGE administrator stop taking DOGE's calls? Will Marko Elez be re-fired?
Yeah. It seems likely that if the DOGE guys stick around they'll still listen to Musk, and even if they leave with him, Musk will still throw his weight around on Twitter and probably private meetings with the president.
NBC News reports that Trump told the Cabinet that Musk was leaving "in the coming months" and points out that Musk also told Fox News last week that he'll have accomplished most of what he set out to do by when his 130-day special employee status expires.
So maybe he'll declare "mission accomplished" and hope that gets protestors to leave Tesla alone.
posted by smelendez at 11:50 AM on April 2 [8 favorites]
But they may have realized that Trump fans are inclined to believe Trump will do what they want, so Musk stalwarts will believe he's staying and people who blame Musk will be glad to hear Trump's pushing him out.
> Practically what would any of this mean? Will the nominal DOGE administrator stop taking DOGE's calls? Will Marko Elez be re-fired?
Yeah. It seems likely that if the DOGE guys stick around they'll still listen to Musk, and even if they leave with him, Musk will still throw his weight around on Twitter and probably private meetings with the president.
NBC News reports that Trump told the Cabinet that Musk was leaving "in the coming months" and points out that Musk also told Fox News last week that he'll have accomplished most of what he set out to do by when his 130-day special employee status expires.
So maybe he'll declare "mission accomplished" and hope that gets protestors to leave Tesla alone.
posted by smelendez at 11:50 AM on April 2 [8 favorites]
Yeah, I heard about this in the chat.
posted by Capt. Renault at 11:50 AM on April 2 [26 favorites]
posted by Capt. Renault at 11:50 AM on April 2 [26 favorites]
I worry that people will see Musk leaving as some sort of victory or improvement. It's not. It's the status quo. All the agencies will still be wrecked. All the policy will still be in place. Musk's unique skill at sabotaging organizations will be withdrawn, that might improve things a bit on that score.
This news was released to coincide with Tesla's disastrous sales numbers. Despite sales falling far below estimates the stock is actually up today. I guess investors are excited that Musk may go back to working part time at Tesla.
posted by Nelson at 11:51 AM on April 2 [33 favorites]
This news was released to coincide with Tesla's disastrous sales numbers. Despite sales falling far below estimates the stock is actually up today. I guess investors are excited that Musk may go back to working part time at Tesla.
posted by Nelson at 11:51 AM on April 2 [33 favorites]
He can't stay longer than 130 days as a SGE without having to report all sorts of stuff, anyways.
Surely the least rules-conscious executive branch in history will observe this bit of arcana that definitely everyday people know and/or care about. On another topic, would you like to buy this bridge?
posted by axiom at 11:53 AM on April 2 [21 favorites]
Surely the least rules-conscious executive branch in history will observe this bit of arcana that definitely everyday people know and/or care about. On another topic, would you like to buy this bridge?
posted by axiom at 11:53 AM on April 2 [21 favorites]
How many 100s of thousands of people are going to die directly because of USAID cuts?
Lots. content warning for very grim statistics
posted by BungaDunga at 12:02 PM on April 2 [11 favorites]
Lots. content warning for very grim statistics
posted by BungaDunga at 12:02 PM on April 2 [11 favorites]
> musk
even if the man leaves nothing will ever get rid of the smell.
posted by Sperry Topsider at 12:07 PM on April 2 [9 favorites]
even if the man leaves nothing will ever get rid of the smell.
posted by Sperry Topsider at 12:07 PM on April 2 [9 favorites]
As a side note: Tesla reported dismal sales for Q1 today (i.e. "Tesla reported deliveries of 336,681 globally in the January to March quarter. The figure was down from sales of 387,000 in the same period a year ago. (A drop of 13%) The decline came despite deep discounts, zero financing and other incentives. Analysts polled by FactSet expected much higher deliveries of 408,000.") The stock was tanking until news that Musk was getting canned by Trump appeared.
But I agree that whatever happens to the man himself or his companies is a sideshow compared to the irreparable harm he and his "team" have caused to federal agencies and by extension, the American people.
posted by gwint at 12:08 PM on April 2 [7 favorites]
But I agree that whatever happens to the man himself or his companies is a sideshow compared to the irreparable harm he and his "team" have caused to federal agencies and by extension, the American people.
posted by gwint at 12:08 PM on April 2 [7 favorites]
even if the man leaves nothing will ever remove the smell.
Throw a Cinnabon in there!
posted by Furnace of Doubt at 12:09 PM on April 2 [4 favorites]
Throw a Cinnabon in there!
posted by Furnace of Doubt at 12:09 PM on April 2 [4 favorites]
I worry that people will see Musk leaving as some sort of victory or improvement. It's not. It's the status quo. All the agencies will still be wrecked. All the policy will still be in place. Musk's unique skill at sabotaging organizations will be withdrawn, that might improve things a bit on that score.
If Musk actually left especially if he were out as a sacrifice/because of a falling out, I think that would be good, because I think it would weaken the administration's interest in demolishing everything. Trump isn't a bright or focused guy. He wants to bully people about tariffs!! and bombs!!! and so on, but left to his own devices, I personally doubt he'd have the focus or the interest in really smashing up existing services. And I don't think his crew of grifters truly do either. I think a lot of the drive for this stuff is Elon Musk, not least because he is the world's richest human and therefore there isn't much leverage except his companies falling apart and mass hatred. Most of these other people simply aren't truly rich enough to think, "let's completely crash the country and burn every traditional ally, foreign and domestic, it will be awesome".
Like, smashing up USAID entirely, to the total detriment of American soft power, and smashing up our research infrastructure ditto, that's not something that would be happening if not for the world's richest trashpile. Bad things would be happening, definitely, and a lot of stuff would get destroyed, but only Mr. Video Game Brain would be rampaging around like this.
posted by Frowner at 12:11 PM on April 2 [12 favorites]
If Musk actually left especially if he were out as a sacrifice/because of a falling out, I think that would be good, because I think it would weaken the administration's interest in demolishing everything. Trump isn't a bright or focused guy. He wants to bully people about tariffs!! and bombs!!! and so on, but left to his own devices, I personally doubt he'd have the focus or the interest in really smashing up existing services. And I don't think his crew of grifters truly do either. I think a lot of the drive for this stuff is Elon Musk, not least because he is the world's richest human and therefore there isn't much leverage except his companies falling apart and mass hatred. Most of these other people simply aren't truly rich enough to think, "let's completely crash the country and burn every traditional ally, foreign and domestic, it will be awesome".
Like, smashing up USAID entirely, to the total detriment of American soft power, and smashing up our research infrastructure ditto, that's not something that would be happening if not for the world's richest trashpile. Bad things would be happening, definitely, and a lot of stuff would get destroyed, but only Mr. Video Game Brain would be rampaging around like this.
posted by Frowner at 12:11 PM on April 2 [12 favorites]
Musk can physically be out of DC but what about all the DOGE kids he brought in to smash windows? Is BigBalls a 130-day special contractor as well, or an employee of the Digital Service after it got renamed? I would fully expect this cohort to keep listening to him indefinitely.
posted by JoeZydeco at 12:35 PM on April 2 [8 favorites]
posted by JoeZydeco at 12:35 PM on April 2 [8 favorites]
Unfortunately, I think the wholesale destruction of everything useful about the US government is right there in Project 2025 -- it's not Musk's idea and it won't end with him.
posted by ourobouros at 12:38 PM on April 2 [33 favorites]
posted by ourobouros at 12:38 PM on April 2 [33 favorites]
Frowner I'm afraid I disagree. So much of the destruction is straight from the project 2025 playbook. A good chunk of the right wing is quite invested in the agenda to destroy the federal government and replace it with oligarchy.
posted by being_quiet at 12:40 PM on April 2 [18 favorites]
posted by being_quiet at 12:40 PM on April 2 [18 favorites]
Even if Musk leaves, his people have (deliberately and accidentally) put backdoors into federal computer systems that will enable third-parties to perpetuate and worsen the damage done to what parts of government still remain.
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 12:42 PM on April 2 [12 favorites]
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 12:42 PM on April 2 [12 favorites]
oh come on!! Do you really think this is going to happen? Can you not hear it now: "Ive got to keep Musk on he is an American hero and is necessary for us to make America great" blah blah blah blah blan
posted by robbyrobs at 12:47 PM on April 2 [4 favorites]
posted by robbyrobs at 12:47 PM on April 2 [4 favorites]
I'm not so sure - Project 2025 is extremely unpopular and has received a lot of pushback AND a lot of it is nonsense if you're just a regular rich person, like the stuff about research funding. The thing about Musk and his lackeys is that they are so rich (or so connected to Musk's wealth) that merely saying, "huh, crashing the economy would also harm you" isn't actually true. Merely saying, "crashing the economy by destroying American biomedical research is going to piss off a lot of rich people who will be mad at you" doesn't do anything. Whereas for a lot of these Project 2025 people, they simply aren't rich enough to be immune to all pressure, and they need the backing of Republican politicians who are responsible to voters back home.
And don't tell me "oh we will never have another election" - it's pretty clear that we're going to have some more elections, and what will be contested is whether they are free and fair. Orban, Pinochet, Franco all faced elections. Little fish like state level Republicans will all face elections, and they don't want to lose their cushy jobs and grift.
There are a lot of competing interests here, and there's still the need for ideological hegemony/a quiescent populace. It is possible but difficult (maybe almost impossible in this country since we're still rich, very large and have many centers of power) to truly achieve quiescence through force alone. It's much easier to achieve it by soothing people or simply Not Doing Things That People Really Hate, while still doing as much as you can of the things people aren't paying attention to or don't care about much.
Like, Trump could go in and say, "I abollish Medicaid for everyone under 65" and just dare the courts to stop him, and the courts would do fuck all in the long run. Trump could say, "protesting Tesla is a federal crime and you will be sent to El Salvador if you show up at a Tesla Takedown". He doesn't refrain from these things out of love of country or love of justice; he refrains because his handlers know that it will be a real mess to try to rule that way and that there are many, many powerful interests who would be hurt by the Medicaid thing. In theory, the easiest way to rule is just to shoot the opposition, and yet how rarely people do this. That's because it takes more to rule than brute force, it takes ideological hegemony. (I believe this is all in Gramsci.)
Someone who "wants" Project 2025 may not in fact want it more than they want their stock portfolio to do well or to be on the think tank gravy train for life. After all, the Democrats "wanted" to keep Roe v Wade, right, and yet they had many years to secure it legally and didn't. They wanted other things more.
These people are evil but they are not magic. They are doing terrible, monstrous things to helpless people around the world, but that doesn't mean that their powers are limitless.
posted by Frowner at 12:52 PM on April 2 [36 favorites]
And don't tell me "oh we will never have another election" - it's pretty clear that we're going to have some more elections, and what will be contested is whether they are free and fair. Orban, Pinochet, Franco all faced elections. Little fish like state level Republicans will all face elections, and they don't want to lose their cushy jobs and grift.
There are a lot of competing interests here, and there's still the need for ideological hegemony/a quiescent populace. It is possible but difficult (maybe almost impossible in this country since we're still rich, very large and have many centers of power) to truly achieve quiescence through force alone. It's much easier to achieve it by soothing people or simply Not Doing Things That People Really Hate, while still doing as much as you can of the things people aren't paying attention to or don't care about much.
Like, Trump could go in and say, "I abollish Medicaid for everyone under 65" and just dare the courts to stop him, and the courts would do fuck all in the long run. Trump could say, "protesting Tesla is a federal crime and you will be sent to El Salvador if you show up at a Tesla Takedown". He doesn't refrain from these things out of love of country or love of justice; he refrains because his handlers know that it will be a real mess to try to rule that way and that there are many, many powerful interests who would be hurt by the Medicaid thing. In theory, the easiest way to rule is just to shoot the opposition, and yet how rarely people do this. That's because it takes more to rule than brute force, it takes ideological hegemony. (I believe this is all in Gramsci.)
Someone who "wants" Project 2025 may not in fact want it more than they want their stock portfolio to do well or to be on the think tank gravy train for life. After all, the Democrats "wanted" to keep Roe v Wade, right, and yet they had many years to secure it legally and didn't. They wanted other things more.
These people are evil but they are not magic. They are doing terrible, monstrous things to helpless people around the world, but that doesn't mean that their powers are limitless.
posted by Frowner at 12:52 PM on April 2 [36 favorites]
Project 2025 is extremely unpopular and has received a lot of pushback…
Pushback? From whom? Certainly not anyone in a position to substantially do anything to stop it. Its popularity (or lack thereof) is inconsequential. The people in power want it.
posted by Thorzdad at 1:04 PM on April 2 [5 favorites]
Pushback? From whom? Certainly not anyone in a position to substantially do anything to stop it. Its popularity (or lack thereof) is inconsequential. The people in power want it.
posted by Thorzdad at 1:04 PM on April 2 [5 favorites]
The transition, the insiders said, is likely to correspond to the end of Musk’s time as a “special government employee,” a special status that temporarily exempts him from some ethics and conflict-of-interest rules.
Sigh. The media still refuses to believe that we are under fascism and that rules are whatever those with power say they are. They just come up with new "special" statuses or "temporary" exemptions. If you press them too closely, they will abruptly fall silent, loftily indicating by some phrase that the time for argument is past.
That 130-day period is expected to expire in late May or early June.
The fact that this journalism outlet doesn't even know the exact day tells you all you need about how tightly this administration will adhere to this supposed limit.
posted by AlSweigart at 1:11 PM on April 2 [13 favorites]
Sigh. The media still refuses to believe that we are under fascism and that rules are whatever those with power say they are. They just come up with new "special" statuses or "temporary" exemptions. If you press them too closely, they will abruptly fall silent, loftily indicating by some phrase that the time for argument is past.
That 130-day period is expected to expire in late May or early June.
The fact that this journalism outlet doesn't even know the exact day tells you all you need about how tightly this administration will adhere to this supposed limit.
posted by AlSweigart at 1:11 PM on April 2 [13 favorites]
robbyrobs: "oh come on!! Do you really think this is going to happen? Can you not hear it now: "Ive got to keep Musk on he is an American hero and is necessary for us to make America great" blah blah blah blah blan"
Yeah, I don't believe Musk will leave or that he and Trump will break up, because DARKEST TIMELINE. They will make up some BS excuse and then go, "yeah, well, who's gonna stop me?" and keep on going. Also, ain't no way in hell Elon's giving up the presidency.
posted by jenfullmoon at 1:13 PM on April 2 [2 favorites]
Yeah, I don't believe Musk will leave or that he and Trump will break up, because DARKEST TIMELINE. They will make up some BS excuse and then go, "yeah, well, who's gonna stop me?" and keep on going. Also, ain't no way in hell Elon's giving up the presidency.
posted by jenfullmoon at 1:13 PM on April 2 [2 favorites]
Even if he leaves, Doge is still in place. They're all Musk fanatics. The Signal lines will be buzzing with requests on what to cut next
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 1:17 PM on April 2 [1 favorite]
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 1:17 PM on April 2 [1 favorite]
This reminds me of this article from about a month ago:
What 130-day cap? Musk is ‘here to stay’ in the Trump admin, adviser says
If I remember correctly, some Republicans were claiming that he was only working like four hours a week, and so his term could even be stretched out for a couple of years!
posted by rambling wanderlust at 1:44 PM on April 2 [2 favorites]
What 130-day cap? Musk is ‘here to stay’ in the Trump admin, adviser says
If I remember correctly, some Republicans were claiming that he was only working like four hours a week, and so his term could even be stretched out for a couple of years!
posted by rambling wanderlust at 1:44 PM on April 2 [2 favorites]
As long as he keeps his appointment with the tricoteuses, who am I to quibble about the exact details?
posted by Nerd of the North at 1:45 PM on April 2 [5 favorites]
posted by Nerd of the North at 1:45 PM on April 2 [5 favorites]
I'll believe Musk is "out" when he has a twitter meltdown about TYRANT TRUMP!!! and doxxes Ivanka's kids, or something equally mad. Until then, it just seems like another float in the Crazy Bullshit Parade the White House has going on.
posted by BetaRayBiff at 1:51 PM on April 2 [14 favorites]
posted by BetaRayBiff at 1:51 PM on April 2 [14 favorites]
He can't stay longer than 130 days as a SGE without having to report all sorts of stuff, anyways.
Or what? They’ll put him in jail? [derisive snort]
posted by Lemkin at 1:56 PM on April 2 [9 favorites]
Or what? They’ll put him in jail? [derisive snort]
posted by Lemkin at 1:56 PM on April 2 [9 favorites]
Tesla stock is overvalued because it’s a meme stock (or, as close to a meme stock as a real, functioning company can get, albeit a sick and dysfunctional company). Tesla is going to get readjusted at some point, but right now it’s still massively over-valued. Part of that value is seen as Musk, probably because finance bros recognise one of their own.
posted by The River Ivel at 1:57 PM on April 2 [6 favorites]
posted by The River Ivel at 1:57 PM on April 2 [6 favorites]
A brief take from Josh Marshall at TPM with a good framing: “Musk ‘Stepping Back’? Don’t Bet on It.” (shared, no paywall)
posted by Going To Maine at 2:09 PM on April 2 [1 favorite]
posted by Going To Maine at 2:09 PM on April 2 [1 favorite]
Tesla stock is overvalued because it’s a meme stock (or, as close to a meme stock as a real, functioning company can get, albeit a sick and dysfunctional company).
No, it was a real company with one vehicle in the top 10 in sales in the US, and one just outside and a dominating market position in electric vehicles until the CEO decided to throw all that away. None of the other major car companies are anywhere close to what Tesla was with their electric vehicle portfolio, most had to be dragged kicking and screaming to make any at all, and that's why its stock was worth a lot.
posted by The_Vegetables at 2:22 PM on April 2 [7 favorites]
No, it was a real company with one vehicle in the top 10 in sales in the US, and one just outside and a dominating market position in electric vehicles until the CEO decided to throw all that away. None of the other major car companies are anywhere close to what Tesla was with their electric vehicle portfolio, most had to be dragged kicking and screaming to make any at all, and that's why its stock was worth a lot.
posted by The_Vegetables at 2:22 PM on April 2 [7 favorites]
No, it was a real company with one vehicle in the top 10 in sales in the US, and one just outside and a dominating market position in electric vehicles until the CEO decided to throw all that away. None of the other major car companies are anywhere close to what Tesla was with their electric vehicle portfolio, most had to be dragged kicking and screaming to make any at all, and that's why its stock was worth a lot.
Hamilton Nolan, “Tesla is More Vulnerable Than You Think”:
Hamilton Nolan, “Tesla is More Vulnerable Than You Think”:
[I]t is important to know this about Tesla’s stock price: It is insanely high. Meaning that it is much, much higher than the economic fundamentals of the company would dictate. (Which is why it has long been one of the most shorted stocks, although that trade has mostly not paid off for those who have been betting on its price to collapse for years now.) Tesla’s price-to-earnings ratio is currently 166, meaning that its stock price is 166 times the value of its earnings per share. How high is that? Well, the average PE ratio of the top 500 companies in America right now is 30—and that is high, by historic standards. The second most valuable auto company after Tesla is Toyota, which has a PE ratio of 7. General Motors also has a PE ratio of 7. What if you compare Tesla, instead, to tech companies, which investors assign a premium to? Well, the PE ratio of Apple is 39; the PE ratio of Amazon is 39; the PE ratio of Google parent Alphabet is 23. What I am saying here is that, even by giving Tesla every benefit of the doubt, the company’s stock price is irrationally high. This is well known on Wall Street. Tesla’s stock price—and by extension, the largest part of Elon Musk’s net worth—is almost purely a product of investor sentiment. It is not based so much on the company’s financial performance as on a magical belief that Musk will make it the biggest automaker in the world.posted by Going To Maine at 2:42 PM on April 2 [16 favorites]
It is entirely true (I think) that Tesla has been the symbol of dragging the luxury car into the age of the electric engine. It is also true that its stock price is crazy high compared to competitors.
Anyone listen to TFG's tariff speech? This is all getting so July 27th 1914 anymore.
posted by y2karl at 2:48 PM on April 2 [4 favorites]
posted by y2karl at 2:48 PM on April 2 [4 favorites]
He's already set in place or enacted all of the changes that will benefit him; he is coming out with a win at this point. And, certainly he'll continue to call the Putin game-playbook even when he's not officially there.
posted by mightshould at 2:55 PM on April 2 [2 favorites]
posted by mightshould at 2:55 PM on April 2 [2 favorites]
Will he take his minions with him?
posted by brookeb at 2:57 PM on April 2 [2 favorites]
posted by brookeb at 2:57 PM on April 2 [2 favorites]
Sounds like there's still a chance for a Night of the Long Knives with Musk on the pointy end [steeples fingers, exxxxxcelent]
posted by kokaku at 3:06 PM on April 2 [3 favorites]
posted by kokaku at 3:06 PM on April 2 [3 favorites]
One assumes that Musk cannot stomach merely a "supporting" role, so it this it?
Or the star can't stand being upstaged. Remember how much Trump is a creature of tv.
posted by doctornemo at 4:29 PM on April 2 [3 favorites]
Or the star can't stand being upstaged. Remember how much Trump is a creature of tv.
posted by doctornemo at 4:29 PM on April 2 [3 favorites]
the company’s stock price is irrationally high
Like Tinkerbell, is in the air because everyone believes. As soon as that stops...
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 4:47 PM on April 2 [3 favorites]
Like Tinkerbell, is in the air because everyone believes. As soon as that stops...
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 4:47 PM on April 2 [3 favorites]
Perhaps it would fairer to say that Musk’s post-twitter career has been willed into existence by people who share a similar world-view - as long as he continues to act as the id to the financial class’s ego, he remains rich.
posted by The River Ivel at 4:55 PM on April 2 [3 favorites]
posted by The River Ivel at 4:55 PM on April 2 [3 favorites]
the Spin Doctors were the answer on a trivia question 3 weeks ago then they appeared in a thread on the Blue following that, now this what is happening
(Still annoyed that they didn't title the song "Go Ahead Now")
posted by Lemkin at 5:09 PM on April 2 [2 favorites]
(Still annoyed that they didn't title the song "Go Ahead Now")
posted by Lemkin at 5:09 PM on April 2 [2 favorites]
(Still annoyed that they didn't title the song "Go Ahead Now")
A brief derail: Now That's What I Call Songs Sung To The Tune Of "Two Princes" By The Spin Doctors 5
posted by HeroZero at 5:39 PM on April 2 [3 favorites]
A brief derail: Now That's What I Call Songs Sung To The Tune Of "Two Princes" By The Spin Doctors 5
posted by HeroZero at 5:39 PM on April 2 [3 favorites]
For what it's worth, Elon wasn't there today when Donald did his "You get a tariff! You get a tariff!" announcement today. Probably because he was trying to level up his Path of Exile character.
posted by LostInUbe at 6:12 PM on April 2 [4 favorites]
posted by LostInUbe at 6:12 PM on April 2 [4 favorites]
Like, smashing up USAID entirely, to the total detriment of American soft power, and smashing up our research infrastructure ditto, that's not something that would be happening if not for the world's richest trashpile.
No, this would all be happening anyway. This is all stuff that was in the Project 2025 brief. This is what the ultraconservative base wants and what the moderate conservative wing of the party doesn't care to fight for.
posted by mightygodking at 6:50 PM on April 2 [4 favorites]
No, this would all be happening anyway. This is all stuff that was in the Project 2025 brief. This is what the ultraconservative base wants and what the moderate conservative wing of the party doesn't care to fight for.
posted by mightygodking at 6:50 PM on April 2 [4 favorites]
If they weaken the dollar as the reserve currency, does it benefit crypto?
Is this a season of Mr Robot?
posted by eustatic at 9:13 PM on April 2 [4 favorites]
Is this a season of Mr Robot?
posted by eustatic at 9:13 PM on April 2 [4 favorites]
It really wasn't that long ago that Musk was in Herzog's "Lo and Behold," where Werner asked him if he "loved the Internet" -- presuming we all wanted to know what our Howard Hughes thought.
That he and his cohort are rich and cruel is over-studied. I would like to know more about their journey *to* that place. I have no love for the rich, but taking a chainsaw to "the West" is an odd stance for the American right.
Some piece of this story hasn't been told yet. And I remember when Musk was a nerd, Trump was a Mark Burnett invention, Zuckerberg was an incel and Putin was the bridge to the West.
Life moves pretty fast!
posted by mathjus at 9:54 PM on April 2 [4 favorites]
That he and his cohort are rich and cruel is over-studied. I would like to know more about their journey *to* that place. I have no love for the rich, but taking a chainsaw to "the West" is an odd stance for the American right.
Some piece of this story hasn't been told yet. And I remember when Musk was a nerd, Trump was a Mark Burnett invention, Zuckerberg was an incel and Putin was the bridge to the West.
Life moves pretty fast!
posted by mathjus at 9:54 PM on April 2 [4 favorites]
Frowner: "Trump isn't a bright or focused guy. He wants to bully people about tariffs!! and bombs!!! and so on, but left to his own devices, I personally doubt he'd have the focus or the interest in really smashing up existing services."
Well, there's a couple of possibilities, I think. It's possible the same things would be happening if Musk weren't around, but they wouldn't be plastered all over the media, because someone more capable would have been in the same position - someone who knows that mass treachery is best done under the cover of darkness and who knows how to wield an axe quietly.
It's also possible there are a bunch of people carefully orchestrating the whole thing by painting a huge chaotic picture of seemingly random acts so that, when Musk gets thrown out on his ear (as I believe is inevitable), nothing that comes after will seem as bad as it would have otherwise. Neither Trump nor Musk is a competent politician and neither of them is capable of accomplishing anything more than shouting incoherently without smarter people prodding them in the back with a stick (eg handing Trump executive orders to sign - orders he has no understanding of except the talking points he's given).
The architects of Project 2025 are all sitting back saying 'this is going exactly as we planned it'.
posted by dg at 10:00 PM on April 2 [6 favorites]
Well, there's a couple of possibilities, I think. It's possible the same things would be happening if Musk weren't around, but they wouldn't be plastered all over the media, because someone more capable would have been in the same position - someone who knows that mass treachery is best done under the cover of darkness and who knows how to wield an axe quietly.
It's also possible there are a bunch of people carefully orchestrating the whole thing by painting a huge chaotic picture of seemingly random acts so that, when Musk gets thrown out on his ear (as I believe is inevitable), nothing that comes after will seem as bad as it would have otherwise. Neither Trump nor Musk is a competent politician and neither of them is capable of accomplishing anything more than shouting incoherently without smarter people prodding them in the back with a stick (eg handing Trump executive orders to sign - orders he has no understanding of except the talking points he's given).
The architects of Project 2025 are all sitting back saying 'this is going exactly as we planned it'.
posted by dg at 10:00 PM on April 2 [6 favorites]
/r/47chaos has mostly been a series of Biden appointee dismissals, rather than the good old schadenfreude days of Chief of Staff Prince Reibus and the Mooch effectively fueding one another so hard they both got fired (and set a record in the process). The Politco report mentions the current chief of staff, so hopefully this marks a return to form, with one clown after another shoving their way towards the golf cart steering wheel at the center of the world's worst Weekend at Bernie's sequel.
posted by pwnguin at 10:31 PM on April 2 [2 favorites]
posted by pwnguin at 10:31 PM on April 2 [2 favorites]
This is what the ultraconservative base wants
It is indeed. I'm in the camp of people who think this is all brainless chaos, there is no real "master plan". People are stumbling from slogan to slogan based on what's popular in the meme-o-sphere, unless the Great Leader pulls an old obsession out of his dementia fog, and then everyone ends up chasing after that.
USAID cuts are dead easy to understand. The Republican base doesn't want their money to go to brown people. That's all. That's all they're capable of understanding, and that's all that's important to them. There's no thought process in place beyond that, no analysis, no big strategy, no next step. And, note that this sort of knuckle-dragging, drooling discourse pre-dates Trump, he's just the pustule bursting.
There may be some specific grudges thrown in (maybe somebody loosely associated with the program once said something mean about Elon, or whatever), but those are just frosting and garnish.
posted by gimonca at 4:02 AM on April 3 [8 favorites]
It is indeed. I'm in the camp of people who think this is all brainless chaos, there is no real "master plan". People are stumbling from slogan to slogan based on what's popular in the meme-o-sphere, unless the Great Leader pulls an old obsession out of his dementia fog, and then everyone ends up chasing after that.
USAID cuts are dead easy to understand. The Republican base doesn't want their money to go to brown people. That's all. That's all they're capable of understanding, and that's all that's important to them. There's no thought process in place beyond that, no analysis, no big strategy, no next step. And, note that this sort of knuckle-dragging, drooling discourse pre-dates Trump, he's just the pustule bursting.
There may be some specific grudges thrown in (maybe somebody loosely associated with the program once said something mean about Elon, or whatever), but those are just frosting and garnish.
posted by gimonca at 4:02 AM on April 3 [8 favorites]
The last two months have done enormous harm to Musk's money and reputation. Trump has seen a drop in his popularity, but Musk has seen his popularity crater. Even republicans don't like him. I'm not one of those people who believes Trump is secretly smart, but I think a base cunning motivated him to use Musk to do a lot of unpopular things so that Musk would take the hit, and eagerly. Musk has never met a set of spinning propeller blades he didn't want to charge right into with a huge smile.
posted by kittens for breakfast at 4:45 AM on April 3 [9 favorites]
posted by kittens for breakfast at 4:45 AM on April 3 [9 favorites]
Trump's strategy was inherited from Roy Cohn. Attack and deny, use the courts was a weapon and your money as leverage. It works well.
Musk's strategy is more P.T.Barnum. Always offer something shiny and new. It works a lot of the time, but fades quickly when the next new thing looks a lot like the old thing.
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 6:32 AM on April 3 [3 favorites]
Musk's strategy is more P.T.Barnum. Always offer something shiny and new. It works a lot of the time, but fades quickly when the next new thing looks a lot like the old thing.
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 6:32 AM on April 3 [3 favorites]
A brief derail: Now That's What I Call Songs Sung To The Tune Of "Two Princes" By The Spin Doctors 5
1) I can say without hyperbole that this is the greatest album in the history of civilization.
2) It's volume 5!
posted by kirkaracha at 7:23 AM on April 3 [2 favorites]
1) I can say without hyperbole that this is the greatest album in the history of civilization.
2) It's volume 5!
posted by kirkaracha at 7:23 AM on April 3 [2 favorites]
A brief derail: Now That's What I Call Songs Sung To The Tune Of "Two Princes" By The Spin Doctors 5
Knowing how vast the catalog is of the "Now That's What I Call Whatever" compilation CD empire, I honestly scrolled past this two or three times assuming it was real.
posted by wenestvedt at 10:48 AM on April 3 [1 favorite]
Knowing how vast the catalog is of the "Now That's What I Call Whatever" compilation CD empire, I honestly scrolled past this two or three times assuming it was real.
posted by wenestvedt at 10:48 AM on April 3 [1 favorite]
it's beautifully the dumbest thing I've heard/seen in a long while and it keeps making me laugh
posted by ginger.beef at 12:27 PM on April 3 [1 favorite]
posted by ginger.beef at 12:27 PM on April 3 [1 favorite]
Unfortunately, I think the wholesale destruction of everything useful about the US government is right there in Project 2025 -- it's not Musk's idea and it won't end with him.
Exactly this.
posted by thoughtful_jester at 11:55 AM on April 4 [1 favorite]
Exactly this.
posted by thoughtful_jester at 11:55 AM on April 4 [1 favorite]
« Older Work Like the Nineties | Start Spreading the Cheese Newer »
posted by wenestvedt at 11:21 AM on April 2 [9 favorites]