Oct 303 min read

Elon Musk: Political Activist?

Why is Elon Musk So Political? Let’s Dig In

Hey there! So, let’s talk about this big question a lot of people are asking: why is Elon Musk – you know, the guy with rockets, electric cars, and some of the most ambitious ideas out there – suddenly so political? Bradford Ferguson recently sat down with Alexandra Merz (aka TeslaBoomerMama), who’s one of the most vocal advocates for Tesla shareholders, to dive into it. And let me tell you, it’s a wild ride.

A Quick Recap of Musk’s Political Backstory

Elon wasn’t always this politically fired up. He’s been here since 2002, and back then, he leaned left – voted for Obama, Hillary, Biden. He even called himself a Democrat at one point. Then Biden came into office, and things got... weird. Like, there was this EV summit in 2021, where every automaker except Tesla got invited. I mean, Tesla practically owns the EV market in the U.S., and they weren’t even mentioned? Seriously, that felt like someone forgetting to invite Apple to a tech conference.

Elon didn’t exactly shrug it off, either. He tweeted, he called it out – classic Elon style. And then came the Twitter buyout.

The Twitter Buyout That Changed Everything

So, Elon buys Twitter (now X). And boom – it’s like he set off a political fireworks show. A lot of folks in government, especially Biden’s crew, started raising eyebrows. Federal investigations were called, and suddenly everyone wanted to know who Elon was texting, what he was planning, and why he seemed to be everywhere at once. There were murmurs about him being too cozy with foreign officials, even whispers of "national security risks" floating around(AI Edits from Lawfare)(AI Edits from Lawfare). But here’s the kicker: two years have passed, and nothing’s really come of it. No charges, no "smoking gun." Just a lot of noise and drama.

But Elon didn’t just sit back. Nope. He took it up a notch, using Twitter as his megaphone, openly challenging the government on everything from free speech to regulations. You gotta love his guts – or at least respect them.

And It’s Not Just Talk—The Costs Are Real

These investigations? They’re not just paper-pushing. They’re expensive. SpaceX, for instance, was told to start hiring asylum seekers – a company that literally works with classified rocket tech(AI Edits from Lawfare). Makes sense, right? But these kinds of bureaucratic moves don’t just hurt SpaceX; they hit our wallets too. Every delay or restriction ups the costs, which eventually trickle down to anyone who relies on this tech. And let’s be real, innovation at Elon-speed doesn’t exactly jive with government red tape.

Musk and the Fight for Free Speech

Then there’s X. To Elon, this wasn’t just a social media platform – it was a place where anyone could speak up. That might sound trivial, but it made a lot of folks in power uncomfortable. And for good reason. Alexandra pointed out that under Elon, X now pays creators, letting people make a living without bending to traditional media(AI Edits from Lawfare). It’s a shake-up, no doubt. Imagine if everyone could just publish directly and get paid for good content, no middlemen. Some people love it; others... not so much.

Is Elon an Asset or a Liability?

So, here’s the real question: is Musk an asset to the U.S. or just a pain in the government’s side? Alexandra, like many, sees him as a massive asset – someone who challenges norms and pushes the envelope. But with the administration watching him closely, it feels like every move he makes is under a microscope. Elon doesn’t seem to mind, though. If anything, he thrives in this space.

What do you think? Should Elon just keep doing his thing, or does he need to dial it back?

Sources from Video: