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Musk-Trump dispute includes threats to SpaceX contracts

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Re: Musk-Trump dispute includes threats to SpaceX contracts

#391
post #18

It's wild to me how many conspiracy theories I've seen about how this is all staged, like it's a distraction or it's just Elon repairing his image and trying to rescue Tesla (whose sales are cratering). Psychologically, I think this is reflective of cognitive dissonance. The two conflicting ideas are that two people with much to lose would get in the dumbest fight imaginable and the myth of meritocracy [1]. You see,…

>For starters, Trump can simply revoke Elon's security clearance. There's no recourse for this. And that makes SpaceX's military contracts real awkward. This isn't an issue. Execs nor shareholders are required to have clearance and even the ones that have clearance aren't read in to top secret stuff without a need to know. Elon's focus was starship which is quite far removed from any of those contracts (falcon gov la…

> Execs nor shareholders are required to have clearance and even the ones that have clearance aren't read in to top secret stuff without a need to know

No clearance would absolutely compromise Musk’s ability to control SpaceX. (I think that’s a good thing.)

Re: Musk-Trump dispute includes threats to SpaceX contracts

#392
post #374
post #18

It's wild to me how many conspiracy theories I've seen about how this is all staged, like it's a distraction or it's just Elon repairing his image and trying to rescue Tesla (whose sales are cratering). Psychologically, I think this is reflective of cognitive dissonance. The two conflicting ideas are that two people with much to lose would get in the dumbest fight imaginable and the myth of meritocracy [1]. You see,…

Why wouldn’t it be staged? There is a much simpler explanation than “this is cope for people who think life is based on merit”. To underestimate your enemy is the most common mistake.

You think a carefully staged spat between two men with long track records of impulsive idiocy is the simple solution?

I mean, there is a sense where a conspiracy is always the simplest explanation for public affairs, in the same way "a wizard did it" is simple. But that's not usually what people mean when they talk about Occam's razor.

Re: Musk-Trump dispute includes threats to SpaceX contracts

#393

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is what Trump is doing to Harvard right now. He even is pushing legislation to tax their endowment and also has an executive order to deny them and on them foreign students.

...and to law firms before then, US government contractors (worldwide[1]). If OP thinks thinks this is a nee Trump play, they haven't been paying attention. 2. The US embassy tried to get a Swedish city to agree to some anti-DEI clause in a vendor agreement. Using government money to win ideological arguments is S.O.P. for the Trump II admin.

> Using government money to win ideological arguments is S.O.P. for the Trump II admin.

This is literally also what the dems were doing with USAID discrediting gamergate and funding bias news networks, neither party is above it.

Re: Musk-Trump dispute includes threats to SpaceX contracts

#395

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> corruption is actually considered a benefit! This is because the loyalists interpret this as "we" are winning and "they" are losing. I think the end goal is domination. From https://mastodon.social/@JuliusGoat/109551955251655267 : It’s best to understand that fascists see hypocrisy as a virtue. It’s how they signal that the things they are doing to people were never meant to be equally applied. It’s not an inconsis…

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The Democratic Governor of California denounced them publicly and stopped the effort.

Despite Musk raising millions and campaigning viciously against the Democrats the administration kept all of SpaceX contracts and Tesla ev subsidies. In fact the IRA benefited Tesla disproportionately.

Both sides are NOT the same. One is fascist and the other is not

Re: Musk-Trump dispute includes threats to SpaceX contracts

#396

It's wild that a president can say, "I don't like Elon anymore, so out of retaliation, I'm canceling all his government contracts," and ~40% of the country doesn't see that as corruption in any way, shape, or form. Government contracts should not be based on whether or not the president likes the CEO, and the CEO says enough good things about the president. If you can cancel contacts not based on merit, then it shoul…

It turns out that when elections are fought on the basis of identity (race, religion) etc corruption is actually considered a benefit! This is because the loyalists interpret this as "we" are winning and "they" are losing. I witnessed this up close in India where parties openly exist to benefit certain constituencies based on caste, language, religion and so on. It is horrifying to see this attitude take root in my a…

In that case, it would be neat if corruption were illegal!

Re: Musk-Trump dispute includes threats to SpaceX contracts

#397
post #387
post #356

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If it’s not an insurrection what it is? What is the organization of thousands of individuals to invade the capital building in protest of election results? Just because it failed, doesn’t mean it wasn’t an insurrection.

Words like "protest" or "riot" leap to mind. It is more comparable to something like CHAZ in 2020 which could technically be called an insurrection or rebellion, but realistically was more of an unruly protest. An insurrection would traditionally involve a little planning and a little more seriousness in the attempt. Maybe a plan that could conceivably lead to a change in government.

It was also a protest and a riot. These things are not mutually exclusive.

Re: Musk-Trump dispute includes threats to SpaceX contracts

#398

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The world is no longer a serious place. Everybody is turbo-infantilised via social media. I don't know if that's indeed the root cause or if it's a combination of factors, but the fact remains that people don't even feel the need to _ pretend to care _ about honesty, character, seriousness, etc.

I think they might have figured out that a lot of that honesty and character was a facade. Is the false appearance of morality better than just showing yourself as you really are?

That always brings to mind this comic: https://condenaststore.com/featured/he-tells-it-like-it-is-p...

Re: Musk-Trump dispute includes threats to SpaceX contracts

#399

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hot take: they're both baddies, and they always will be.

Was he when he was saving the world from climate change? Was trump a baddie when he was a B-tier celeb on Apprentice?

Yes. Obviously.

Re: Musk-Trump dispute includes threats to SpaceX contracts

#400

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It turns out that when elections are fought on the basis of identity (race, religion) etc corruption is actually considered a benefit! This is because the loyalists interpret this as "we" are winning and "they" are losing. I witnessed this up close in India where parties openly exist to benefit certain constituencies based on caste, language, religion and so on. It is horrifying to see this attitude take root in my a…

In that case, it would be neat if corruption were illegal!

Or just more accessible, so the average person can get a piece of the benefits that cartels and megacorp executives already get.
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