Today, let’s look at the curious case of why American liberals hate Elon Musk so much.
Ever since the days of the Apollo Program, the Left has decried the amount of money the federal government allocated to NASA for space travel. In 2002, Musk founded SpaceX with the stated goal of achieving private sector space launch capabilities and travel. To reduce costs, SpaceX developed reusable first stage rockets that return to their launch site. NASA has since contracted with SpaceX to provide missions to the International Space Station, and to place communications and research satellites into orbit–at a lower cost than the expendable rockets that had been used for decades before–meaning NASA gets more done with less money.
Speaking of space, Apollo itself and most other NASA endeavors have been criticized for being “too white male-centric”. When Musk announced plans to send a manned spacecraft to orbit the moon and return to earth, he did not select a bunch of Air Force and Navy fighter and test pilots or Ivy League-educated engineers to be on-board. Instead he chose some Japanese artist–who claims the trip will be used to spread “a message of peace” (provided nothing goes wrong with any of the propulsion, life support, computer, or navigation systems, or he will be spreading a message of “too much reliance on technology and not enough thought given to the need for human ingenuity in times of crisis”).
For decades, climate alarmists have claimed that all gas-powered, internal combustion engine vehicles need to be removed from the road and replaced by electric vehicles. In 2004, Musk joined Tesla Motors, becoming the CEO two years later. Since then, the company has become the most-successful electric vehicle maker in the world–producing cars that can actually outperform gas powered vehicles and feature cutting edge technology like self-driving and self-diagnosis of mechanical issues.
For the same amount of time, those climate alarmists have demanded greater investment in solar power generation to replace coal-fired power plants. In 2006, Musk helped create SolarCity–which was later folded into Tesla. It provides the technology for the solar-powered super-chargers used by Tesla vehicles, while installing generating systems and battery storage products for residential, commercial, and industrial customers.
For decades, liberals have demanded greater investment in transit systems to take vehicles off of roads and to make getting around easier for people of all socio-economic statuses. In 2016, Musk founded The Boring Company, which creates underground, closed-loop transportation systems that will provide electric vehicle transport below cities and even between cities. One is already in operation in Las Vegas, with the next looking to connect Vegas with Los Angeles–augmenting one of the busiest interstate routes in the country.
Democratic candidates for many elected offices say providing high-speed internet to rural areas and underserved urban areas is the key to “equitable” growth in the future economy. In 2018, Musk launched StarLink–which will place hundreds of satellites into orbit around the planet that will not only provide broadband-quality internet to all of America–but to potentially every person on earth.
Anti-capitalists claim cryptocurrency is the key to toppling bank and corporate control of the economy–and it’s use will “set the people free”. Tesla was among the first major companies to accept crypto as payment for their products–and Musk actively promoted Dogecoin on social media platforms. (That’s the one that was made up as a joke by some guy with its logo being a dog with a stupid look on its face. It’s now worth more than half the Fortune 500 companies.)
And yet despite doing many of the things that those on the Left say are beneficial for society and for the planet, they cannot contain their hatred for Elon Musk. Yesterday’s announcement that Musk was buying Twitter led nearly every user with their pronouns in their bio to claim they were deleting the app and never using it again. Left-wing news sites called for advertisers to stop putting their ads on Twitter feeds. And support for repealing Section 230 of US Code providing protections for website platforms that rely on third-party content suddenly went from a “Republican issue” to a “Democratic issue” almost overnight.
What is it that drives that hatred? Basically it boils down to two things: Elon Musk is the “wrong guy” to accomplish these things–and he is doing it the “wrong way”.
First, Elon Musk is white and the son of rich parents. His father made his money in Apartheid-era South Africa. Therefore, it is nothing more than riches accumulated through colonialism, racism, and exploitation of indigenous peoples. And no matter how Elon uses that wealth, it is forever “dirty money”.
Secondly, Elon Musk is turning that cash into a lot more money–like Richest Man on the Planet money. The Left believes that the products and services SpaceX, StarLink, The Boring Company, and Tesla are providing should “redistribute wealth”–not further concentrate it! “Saving the planet” should come from government mandates and controls, not free market invention and private industry innovation. “The Green New Deal” is supposed to destroy capitalism and enrich those selected by the Government, not give the nerdy tech boys more yacht-buying money.
Contrast that with the idolization of someone like Senator Bernie Sanders, who has spent his entire life just talking about changing everything about government and the economy–but hasn’t put a penny of his own money, or an ounce of his own sweat into actually doing them. He has a legion of dedicated acolytes that are willing to talk your ear off or physically fight you to defend their guy.
Do I feel sorry for Elon Musk that he doesn’t get adulation for providing the very things his harshest critics demand? Not at all. But I hope he realizes what many a politician. bleeding heart celebrity, and other “good corporate citizen” has or will find out: When it comes to pleasing the Left, you can never do enough.
