Elon Musk on Advisory Team to Trump

[Quetzal]

He's big on getting government subisdies

Only because his competitors do the same.

 

[Revoltingest]

Only because his competitors do the same.

But there is the question of whether he'd influence Trump in the direction of unnecessarily subsidized industry.

 

[Quetzal]

But there is the question of whether he'd influence Trump in the direction of unnecessarily subsidized industry.

Depends how you would define necessary.

 

[Sultan Of Swing]

But there is the question of whether he'd influence Trump in the direction of unnecessarily subsidized industry.

Yeah, if private space industry isn't profitable, he shouldn't expect subsidies to keep them afloat.

Though if it isn't profitable for the private sector, would you support more government space programs and spending?

 

[Revoltingest]

Depends how you would define necessary.

I'm in favor of ensuring that stratgeic industries do well, eg, military contractors.
Without them, we'd have a national defense problem.
But spend sports cars for the wealthy?
Nah!
If we want green technology to advance, that's a poor "return on investment".

 

[Revoltingest]

Yeah, if private space industry isn't profitable, he shouldn't expect subsidies to keep them afloat.

Though if it isn't profitable for the private sector, would you support more government space programs and spending?

Private contractors have always been involved in space exploration.
It's only lately that they've moved from small roles to prime mover.
If government decides to accomplish a particular task, eg, launch a new probe,
then I'm OK with either NASA or a private company doing it. The latter should
need no subsidy if they can do it profitably at a lower cost than NASA.

But I do support tax $ for space exploration.
Some reasons....
- Scientific advancement
- Military competitiveness

 

[Underhill]

I don't doubt Musk's motives are good. He seems to be an upstanding individual. It's Trump who bothers me.

That's what I was referring to.

 

[Quetzal]

But spend sports cars for the wealthy?

I am more interested in SpaceX and Solar City myself.

 

[Underhill]

Not a fan of Musk....
- He's big on getting government subisdies.

I don't know anyone who isn't personally. It's when other people get them that we get bent out of shape.

 

[Nietzsche]

That's what I was referring to.

Oh, my mistake.

 

[Revoltingest]

I don't know anyone who isn't personally. It's when other people get them that we get bent out of shape.

Musk, like the rest of us, don't create our economic environment.
So I don't fault him for playing the game.
Instead, I blame government for wasting tax dollars on this.

I don't know where Musk stands on this public policy.
But I see it as a risk factor, ie, he might be pro-subsidy
because he is so enmeshed in it.

 

[Quetzal]

Musk, like the rest of us, don't create our economic environment.
So I don't fault him for playing the game.
Instead, I blame government for wasting tax dollars on this.

I don't know where Musk stands on this public policy.
But I see it as a risk factor, ie, he might be pro-subsidy
because he is so enmeshed in it.

I see, I follow you now. I do see your point in Tesla subsidies even if I may not agree with ya. To be fair, it is getting more affordable. You can have a Tesla soon!

 

[Revoltingest]

I see, I follow you now. I do see your point in Tesla subsidies even if I may not agree with ya. To be fair, it is getting more affordable. You can have a Tesla soon!

If I wanted an electric car, there are far cheaper ones around.
And plug in hybrids look more practical for me.

 

[Quetzal]

If I wanted an electric car, there are far cheaper ones around.
And plug in hybrids look more practical for me.

I drive a prius myself. I am tempted to drive it in for a H2 or something though. Something that says "Screw you" and "My penis is small" in the same package.

 

[Revoltingest]

I drive a prius myself. I am tempted to drive it in for a H2 or something though. Something that says "Screw you" and "My penis is small" in the same package.

Big honking clanking machinery is fun.
The envious will attack their betters by making it about genital inadequacy.
But they secretly they want one.
Alas, their wives won't give them permission, eh.

 

[Quetzal]

The envious will attack their betters by making it about genital inadequacy.

What other defense do we have?

 

[Underhill]

Big honking clanking machinery is fun.
The envious will attack their betters by making it about genital inadequacy.
But they secretly they want one.
Alas, their wives won't give them permission, eh.

Fun maybe, intelligent, not so much. I work in a place where the ratio of trucks to cars is about 90/10. So a bunch of 15mpg trucks and most of them use them as actual trucks maybe twice a year. As for the whole 'feel good' thing, most men won't admit it but there is definitely something to be said for sitting up above the lesser mortals in their wimply little cars.

I like the drive-train design of the Volt. But they need to apply it to more practical vehicles. Put a Volt style drive-train in a mid-sized wagon or small suv and I would buy it tomorrow. The fact that nobody else would doesn't faze me at all...

I am looking at newish vehicles to replace my aging VW right now. And I am vacillating between the Ford Cmax and a small suv like a nissan rogue or subaru forester. The mileage of the cmax hybrid would be nice year round, but all wheel drive is really nice this time of year.

 

[Underhill]

Musk, like the rest of us, don't create our economic environment.
So I don't fault him for playing the game.
Instead, I blame government for wasting tax dollars on this.

I don't know where Musk stands on this public policy.
But I see it as a risk factor, ie, he might be pro-subsidy
because he is so enmeshed in it.

Subsidies and/or tax cuts are coming. If I read the signs correctly we will see more of both for corporate America. For the rest of us, not so much.

 

[Underhill]

This is off topic but if GM really wanted to throw a wrench in the works, release a Truck with an uprated Volt drive-train. Electric motors front and rear driving all 4 wheels, probably would need a 200hp generator. Could probably hit 30+mpg... instant torque from 0 rpm... towing monster and fuel efficiency of a mid-sized car.

 

[Revoltingest]

Fun maybe, intelligent, not so much. I work in a place where the ratio of trucks to cars is about 90/10. So a bunch of 15mpg trucks and most of them use them as actual trucks maybe twice a year. As for the whole 'feel good' thing, most men won't admit it but there is definitely something to be said for sitting up above the lesser mortals in their wimply little cars.

I like the drive-train design of the Volt. But they need to apply it to more practical vehicles. Put a Volt style drive-train in a mid-sized wagon or small suv and I would buy it tomorrow. The fact that nobody else would doesn't faze me at all...

I am looking at newish vehicles to replace my aging VW right now. And I am vacillating between the Ford Cmax and a small suv like a nissan rogue or subaru forester. The mileage of the cmax hybrid would be nice year round, but all wheel drive is really nice this time of year.

FWIW.....
I use my truck or van only when necessary.
The rest of the time it's walking, biking or a teensy weensy very unmanly car.
And with my big machinery (over 10K#), it actually spends little time running.
This one is 35 HP at 190 RPM.

(I'm the one wearing the pineapple shirt.)