Billionaire Elon Musk will reportedly spend $180 million to encourage former President Donald Trump supporters in swing states to vote absentee, a practice Musk has publicly described as "insane," "too risky," and a recipe for "large-scale fraud."
Not exactly, the problem is that they became billionaires because they live in a free market society. It never occurs them that they would not be billionaires without democracy. Also, they are sure they did it all themselves and so people should LISTEN TO THEM and they should be able to protect their billions any way they want. It gets to be a disease.
Money in and of itself isn’t an inevitability to inhumane practices, but I will note that since the creation of the railroads or the slavocracy of the South, behind every great fortune has laid a series of crimes. Mellon, Carnegie, Rockefeller, Kennedy, JP Morgan, Ford, on and on, they all engaged in crimes against humanity to expand their fortunes.
I know some very wealthy people, and while you can’t simply wave a broad brush to explain their sensibilities, it is indeed a sickness as you suggest. I know a man who is 86 years old, worth perhaps 400 million, and he spends every waking moment obsessing about growing his wealth. I know a family of multi millionaires who told me that democracy has simply been a fad, and that the sooner people realize their lot in life is to work until they die, the better off society will be. It is very much “let them eat cake” economics, and all these people are staunch Republicans.
There is no such thing as a "free" market. In fact, people make policies and regulations all to constrain markets. In the past 40 years, the oligarch class has worked to ensure the markets don't work "freely" but instead work to send money up to the few to the detriment of the most. You might want to read Robert Reich's 10 part "class" on the free market. Here's a good start: https://open.substack.com/pub/robertreich/p/the-biggest-myth-of-all
Vote Blue up and down ballot, take the Congress and White House, and then insist, demand that Dems institute top down reform. See some suggestions for ridding us of corruption from these folks. Any meaningful reform has always come at the state level. It takes 13% of the population to advocate for meaningful change, we have precedent.
When you realize that the hyper wealthy have fever dreams of extending their lives artificially and are planning their survival bunkers, escaping to another planet after the climate crisis makes life on earth unsustainable, etc., it shows just how dangerous wealth for wealth’s sake is.
It's called public financing of all elections. It used to be a 'thing' way back in the 1990s and earlier. I haven't heard that mentioned in a very long time.
Once again, you are the real reporter in the room covering issues of immense importance that the MSM ignores or downplays. I am so grateful to substack in these perilous times for giving voice to amazing thinkers, writers and journalists and providing an alternative for those of us who can no longer stomach main stream news. Being able to hear directly from real journalists has given us an alternative to the misinformation and deceit spewed by the MSM, which seeks to sow discord and chaos for ratings. Meanwhile, the news goes unreported but for you and those like you. Thank you Judd.
Or stealing elections, more like. They hardly ever win the popular vote…haven’t in 7 of 8 past presidential elections. In other words, the voice of THE PEOPLE is quashed!
I'm in favor of posting the ten commandments in classrooms only if they are in Aramaic. Put the Declaration of Independence in bold on bulletin boards.
Sounds like Ms. Linden Baum is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. This is something I have had concerns about for a while. People would run for office as democrats and once in, show their true colors of being of GOP persuasion.
She (Dara Lindenbaum) never ran for office. She was appointed by Biden to be on the FEC after showing her concern for protecting people who needed protection. What caused her shift? I'd like to know.
Vote BLUE all the way so that we may fix what has become bastardized, like Campaign Finance (reform), voting rights, human rights, women's rights, the SCOTUS, drug prices, and all the other injustices to Americans.
Musk is a fascist from way back. His guiding theory of long-termism is all about doing everything he can to pave the way for sending a hand-picked elite to colonize other planets, while assuming that the rest of us should be abandoned to a decaying, eventually unlivable planet. Trump is only the set-up guy. It’s Musk, Vance, and their ilk who are the closers.
The definition of evil includes CHAOS and CONFUSION. Thank you, Judd and team for doing such a powerful job in uncovering all that makes no sense. This task, to educate the misinformed public, has never been more necessary.
I do not understand th convoluted thinking of Dara Lindenbaum--she used to work for Stacey Abrams! Biden hired her after she had proven her clarity in good causes. Thank you, for exposing her misuse of power.
“That has changed in recent months as Commissioner Dara Lindenbaum, a Democrat appointed by President Biden in 2022, has repeatedly sided with the three Republican commissioners to weaken campaign finance regulations.”
I dunno man. I work at the SEC and Gary Gensler is the most anti-labor Chair I’ve ever worked under BY FAR and I’ve been here for almost 20 years now. Like dude is a wannabe union buster almost.
I know that’s all anectdotal but when all of my experiences with/about commissioners of agencies is that they are republicans, it’s hard not to conclude that this is what the White House wanted/wants. These folks can’t all be Manchurian candidates.
This is more upsetting than anything Trump has ever done. It is the inevitable result of Citizens United which has shoved real citizens to the rear of the line. Project 2025.
Does anyone have any contact info for Lindenbaum? We need to bombard the office with our collective outrage. I have to run, or I'd try to find it now. I'll check back in later. Thanks.
I live in Florida where I can vote by mail. I like it. I have lived here only a few years and am still getting adjusted to the politics, which is very different from Virginia. Having the ballot in front of me gives me a chance to look up the judges and other candidates to learn more about them. Otherwise, I walk in a polling place and see a ballot issue I didn't know about. With mail in, I can learn more about the items on the ballot and feel like I made the choice I wanted.
Why are billionaires donating? 1) It's the highly conservative big daddies because they KNOW that Trump is broke and he will do ANYTHING they want and 2) to control the government and make government decisions better for them. Billionaires have no thought for the ordinary people who actually made them rich by supporting a democratic government that allows people to BECOME billionaires. 3) Far too many of the ultra wealthy are dominating people, so SURE they are right and that they EARNED everything they made. Except they have forgotten that they became rich by living in a free country.
The very wealthy are lining up in both parties trying to control who gets on the ballot, who serves in the administration and what the WH agenda will be. I’m not sure they can count on oligarchs under trump being any safer than the ones around Putin. Once a dictator is in office the balance of power changes.
Billionaires are bad for democracy.
Not exactly, the problem is that they became billionaires because they live in a free market society. It never occurs them that they would not be billionaires without democracy. Also, they are sure they did it all themselves and so people should LISTEN TO THEM and they should be able to protect their billions any way they want. It gets to be a disease.
Money in and of itself isn’t an inevitability to inhumane practices, but I will note that since the creation of the railroads or the slavocracy of the South, behind every great fortune has laid a series of crimes. Mellon, Carnegie, Rockefeller, Kennedy, JP Morgan, Ford, on and on, they all engaged in crimes against humanity to expand their fortunes.
I know some very wealthy people, and while you can’t simply wave a broad brush to explain their sensibilities, it is indeed a sickness as you suggest. I know a man who is 86 years old, worth perhaps 400 million, and he spends every waking moment obsessing about growing his wealth. I know a family of multi millionaires who told me that democracy has simply been a fad, and that the sooner people realize their lot in life is to work until they die, the better off society will be. It is very much “let them eat cake” economics, and all these people are staunch Republicans.
And they likely inherited a large portion of their wealth.
There is no such thing as a "free" market. In fact, people make policies and regulations all to constrain markets. In the past 40 years, the oligarch class has worked to ensure the markets don't work "freely" but instead work to send money up to the few to the detriment of the most. You might want to read Robert Reich's 10 part "class" on the free market. Here's a good start: https://open.substack.com/pub/robertreich/p/the-biggest-myth-of-all
Thank you. I just printed up part 3.
How can we get donated money out of elections, i.e. paying for votes?
Vote Blue up and down ballot, take the Congress and White House, and then insist, demand that Dems institute top down reform. See some suggestions for ridding us of corruption from these folks. Any meaningful reform has always come at the state level. It takes 13% of the population to advocate for meaningful change, we have precedent.
https://represent.us/unbreaking-america/
Thank you, Buck. More and more I'm convinced that the adage, money is the root of all evil, is true.
Camels, eye of a needle, rich men, etc.
When you realize that the hyper wealthy have fever dreams of extending their lives artificially and are planning their survival bunkers, escaping to another planet after the climate crisis makes life on earth unsustainable, etc., it shows just how dangerous wealth for wealth’s sake is.
Arrest corrupt Supreme Court members. They have violated their Constitutional duty.
It's called public financing of all elections. It used to be a 'thing' way back in the 1990s and earlier. I haven't heard that mentioned in a very long time.
The For Our Freedoms Amendment has been proposed as a way to lessen the oligarchs influence in U.S. elections.
Buck, that is a fact. 👍🏼
Once again, you are the real reporter in the room covering issues of immense importance that the MSM ignores or downplays. I am so grateful to substack in these perilous times for giving voice to amazing thinkers, writers and journalists and providing an alternative for those of us who can no longer stomach main stream news. Being able to hear directly from real journalists has given us an alternative to the misinformation and deceit spewed by the MSM, which seeks to sow discord and chaos for ratings. Meanwhile, the news goes unreported but for you and those like you. Thank you Judd.
X100. Thank you Judd. You pick the important issues and write detailed reports that are packed with useful information.
Me, too, Becky.
Thanks for a great report, Judd. One thing I notice about the GOP is their lack of consistency on any point of principle. Crime today, law tomorrow.
Republicans should introduce a new party motto at the close of their convention.
“It’s not a lie if you believe it.” - George Costanza
On top of the Ten Commandments they should also require schools to teach terms such as cognitive dissonance and hypocrisy.
The 11th commandment: "It doesn't matter how you play the game, it's whether you win."
As my late father would say: "Republicans are not good for anything except winning elections." I've mentioned this before.
Thanks PI.
Or stealing elections, more like. They hardly ever win the popular vote…haven’t in 7 of 8 past presidential elections. In other words, the voice of THE PEOPLE is quashed!
I'm in favor of posting the ten commandments in classrooms only if they are in Aramaic. Put the Declaration of Independence in bold on bulletin boards.
In the contest for which billionaire can do the most damage to the country, Musk starting to give Murdoch a run for his money.
Supports my contention the immigrants are ruining this country. Specifically, those two immigrants.
I know you mean this as snark! 😄👍🏼
Sounds like Ms. Linden Baum is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. This is something I have had concerns about for a while. People would run for office as democrats and once in, show their true colors of being of GOP persuasion.
This happened in NC. A state rep - Tricia Cothan - ran as a Democrat, then switched to the Republicans because Democrats were "mean."
I would like to hear Cotham defend how truly " mean"many Republican leaders and party members are.
She (Dara Lindenbaum) never ran for office. She was appointed by Biden to be on the FEC after showing her concern for protecting people who needed protection. What caused her shift? I'd like to know.
Vote BLUE all the way so that we may fix what has become bastardized, like Campaign Finance (reform), voting rights, human rights, women's rights, the SCOTUS, drug prices, and all the other injustices to Americans.
Musk 45 million a month is not a donation but an investment.
Musk is a fascist from way back. His guiding theory of long-termism is all about doing everything he can to pave the way for sending a hand-picked elite to colonize other planets, while assuming that the rest of us should be abandoned to a decaying, eventually unlivable planet. Trump is only the set-up guy. It’s Musk, Vance, and their ilk who are the closers.
The definition of evil includes CHAOS and CONFUSION. Thank you, Judd and team for doing such a powerful job in uncovering all that makes no sense. This task, to educate the misinformed public, has never been more necessary.
I do not understand th convoluted thinking of Dara Lindenbaum--she used to work for Stacey Abrams! Biden hired her after she had proven her clarity in good causes. Thank you, for exposing her misuse of power.
Or she sold out.
“That has changed in recent months as Commissioner Dara Lindenbaum, a Democrat appointed by President Biden in 2022, has repeatedly sided with the three Republican commissioners to weaken campaign finance regulations.”
awesome. great work, Biden folks. JFC.
Can't blame the Biden camp. She came with a great pedigree. To wit:
https://www.fec.gov/about/leadership-and-structure/dara-lindenbaum/
So she became a turncoat.
I dunno man. I work at the SEC and Gary Gensler is the most anti-labor Chair I’ve ever worked under BY FAR and I’ve been here for almost 20 years now. Like dude is a wannabe union buster almost.
I know that’s all anectdotal but when all of my experiences with/about commissioners of agencies is that they are republicans, it’s hard not to conclude that this is what the White House wanted/wants. These folks can’t all be Manchurian candidates.
Agreed. Your point is well made.
I hate the turncoats like Manchin and Lindenbaum. You know I saw a post where someone said their dream ticket was Mancin/Harris?
I had to restrain myself
oh dear lord
Sweet Crispy Jesus!
I know, right?
This is more upsetting than anything Trump has ever done. It is the inevitable result of Citizens United which has shoved real citizens to the rear of the line. Project 2025.
Sounds like Dara Lindenbaum is a big disappointment. I already knew Elon was worse than useless, but hers seems like a waste of an appointment.
Does anyone have any contact info for Lindenbaum? We need to bombard the office with our collective outrage. I have to run, or I'd try to find it now. I'll check back in later. Thanks.
mailto:CommissionerLindenbaum@fec.gov
You're the best, janeybird!!
Thank you, I just wrote to her via the email address.
I live in Florida where I can vote by mail. I like it. I have lived here only a few years and am still getting adjusted to the politics, which is very different from Virginia. Having the ballot in front of me gives me a chance to look up the judges and other candidates to learn more about them. Otherwise, I walk in a polling place and see a ballot issue I didn't know about. With mail in, I can learn more about the items on the ballot and feel like I made the choice I wanted.
I live in Arizona and always vote by mail. My signature is required on the envelope.
And always make sure to check your supervisor of elections site to make sure it was received and counted!
In our state, you can sign in where you requested the ballot and check the status of your own ballot online. Received, etc.
Yes, I also have to sign. Just to make sure, I take it to the Supervisor of Elections office, sign it in front of them, seal it, and leave it there.
MUSK REALLY, REALLY wants those BIG Tax Breaks!
Why are billionaires donating? 1) It's the highly conservative big daddies because they KNOW that Trump is broke and he will do ANYTHING they want and 2) to control the government and make government decisions better for them. Billionaires have no thought for the ordinary people who actually made them rich by supporting a democratic government that allows people to BECOME billionaires. 3) Far too many of the ultra wealthy are dominating people, so SURE they are right and that they EARNED everything they made. Except they have forgotten that they became rich by living in a free country.
The very wealthy are lining up in both parties trying to control who gets on the ballot, who serves in the administration and what the WH agenda will be. I’m not sure they can count on oligarchs under trump being any safer than the ones around Putin. Once a dictator is in office the balance of power changes.