The American state needs an overhaul, and Donald Trump has a mandate for disruption. But Musk-led reform risks creating a new problem for the country: the emergence of a combustible, corrupt oligarchy https://econ.st/3Z7r6sO
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Donald Trump does not have a mandate. He has one of the slimmest leads in American history and a psychological make-up, experts say, that result in cruelty and bully behavior.
"Risks"-- The "risk" has already come to pass. Musk will harm a lot of people while lining his already fat pockets. The poor and middle class will pay. It's too bad voters didn't understand that "disruption" meant hurting them.
A lesson I wish media would internalize is “many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many more people see the whimsical, fawning cover art than read the fair, critical article.”
So many people have never even learned about which media orgs and corporations enabled the nazi party and hitler. I wonder how long that took? I guess some people are going to find out. I don't know if I'll get the chance to find out, my crew are enemy #1 apparently when that should be the oligarchs
Ruthlessly exercising power is one thing, having a mandate is another. The “doesn’t give af about people” qualifier explicitly means he doesn’t have a mandate.
I know what the word mandate means, thanks. I also know that musk and trump will claim it anyway because they have power, and to them that means they have a mandate
Musk has never and will never be in any way a great businessman or leader. His blind self-entitled, short-sighted hubris guarantees that. We can only hope his downfall doesn't take the rest of us with him.
I’m disappointed in this take. As a subscriber, we have come to expect better than making Musk look less dangerous. Many people won’t go past the cover or headline. How about: Musk’s dangerous reforms will cause a crash?
Lincoln had the power of the federal government behind him in protecting the principle of human equality, as asserted in our Declaration.
This month we gave Trump the reins of our government, to rule by the whims and wiles of wealth—not by law, not by the Constitution.
This is misinformation by a conservative media site. There is no mandate. Trump won by a margin of 1.62 percent (as of Nov.20, 2024), making his win the 4th smallest since 1960. In addition, his electoral college win was not even close to top past winners. No, the state does not need an overhaul.
Ugh, such an irresponsible headline. He’s not “disrupting” anything. He’s unelected and has set a course to help destroy democracy using his billions, and the power he’s attained through his obscene wealth.
Hello, what's is your evidence for "American state needs an overhaul." Could you explain which government agencies, what functions, and which personnel?
The fuck are you talking about with “mandate”. Words still mean things you know? You’re supposed to be in the business of knowing how to use them correctly but managed to fuck that up too
You are sanewashing the destruction of global democracy and the impending mass widespread suffering these avaricious clowns are about to cause just to prove they can enrich themselves doing it. That makes you an enemy.
1.5% popular vote victory is not a mandate to destroy the federal gov't and replace it with a permanent kkkristofascist minority rule crony capitalism hegemony that operates as a protection racket.
History proves that however long it lasts, it eventually ends with shit like the Mussolini Treatment.
It is corruption. A huge benefactor of Federal funds , now leading a unaccountable, outside of power structures "government efficiency" program, with a joke name?
This is a cynical and corrupt ploy by Trump.
Musk will be cutting agencies that regulate his businesses. His conflicts of interest are as big as Trumps, if not bigger.
Thank you for reminding me why it was smart to cancel my subscription to your publication last year. I'll support real journalism not this weak tea bullshit you've been peddling the last few years. You think you're being cute and edgy. It's just being yet another pathetic publication.
“the emergence of a combustible, corrupt oligarchy?” We already have a corrupt oligarchy and have had that form of governance since Reagan and his lies of wealth “trickling” down.
The CyberTruck was wholly his idea, and it has had numerous recalls, engineering problems, can't be driven outside of a desert environment, and is reportedly uninsurable.
Meanwhile, he nominally owns SpaceX but the only reason he hasn't killed anyone yet is it's actually run by actual engineers.
"The American state needs an overhaul," says the people who, not coincidentally, have never read the Constitution, can't describe the functions of the different branches of government, have no concept of the rule of law, and voted for "daddy" to be mean to their imaginary enemies.
It does need an overhaul in my humble opinion, but not by guys like musk. It needs a fairer rebalance of money. Greater taxes for the higher earners and higher salaries for the lower earners.
“NEEDS an overhaul”? “Has a mandate for disruption”? That’s just regurgitating propaganda. And Musk isn’t risking creating a corrupt oligarchy - it’s the main aim of their whole agenda.
This right here. I don't understand The Economist hedging on what is happening. Musk has been pretty explicit about what he's planning-- deregulation, lowering taxes on the rich, and having the lower classes pay for it by cutting programs that help them.
WTF pro-oligarch bullshit is this?
Don’t call it a disruption, this is a takeover of American government by those who can trash 45+ billion dollars to elect themselves kings of this nation.
Mandate?? He didn’t get 50% of the vote in his win. Not a mandate. Disrupt isn’t what you do for the people’s work and that’s what govt is, the people’s work. You reform, not disrupt. Musk is unelected, a populist, racist, sexist, and a weirdo. Read his tweets before you promote him.
Donald Trump also received less that 50% of the popular vote. If anyone even hints that he received a mandate then they are on the side of the new oligarchy and should be either fought or ignored.
Trump doesn’t have a mandate for anything. And NOBODY voted for Musk! What does this even mean? You’re normalizing STEALING people’s Medicare away from them. Do people understand that’s what we’re talking about here? Not from you, they won’t. Shameful pandering.
What bullshit is this? Nobody in American government has a "mandate for disruption."
Trump and Musk certainly *intend* disruption, but they're doing it to further the aims of their boss Putin, who wishes to see the United States dismantled and wishes to put billionaire mafiosi beyond the law.
A 1.7% difference in popular vote isn’t a mandate, it’s one of the closest elections in US history. And his campaign was run on misinformation and complete avoidance of policy discussion.
You make me despair for objective, even handed, fact based journalism. Pathetic puff pieces like this just show how perverted and compromised journalism has become
This is a pathetic and dangerously charitable painting of what this utterly unqualified moron is going to try. Shame on you and I will be ending my subscription.
Fuck the fuck right off. A 1.62% spread in the popular vote is no fucking mandate, you assholes. And no one wants Elon Musk to do shit. This is so dumb.
The American state needs more funding. At the levels it had in the 1950s. When the highest tax rate was well above 80%. That's what the American state needs.
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Their destructive methods align with the Christian Right’s wish to hasten Armageddon.
Putin also supports this agenda.
Together, they all fit under the umbrella of accelerationism.
#accelerationism
Trump will dump Musk within weeks if Musk doesn't do everything Trump tells him to do.
This month we gave Trump the reins of our government, to rule by the whims and wiles of wealth—not by law, not by the Constitution.
Oh and fuck you, E.
Everyone: Fuck. You.
How is that not what any oligarch does?
It'll definitely be disrupted in the next 4 years, though. The American empire will end. Not sad about it.
You are sanewashing the destruction of global democracy and the impending mass widespread suffering these avaricious clowns are about to cause just to prove they can enrich themselves doing it. That makes you an enemy.
History proves that however long it lasts, it eventually ends with shit like the Mussolini Treatment.
That is corruption, right out in the open.
Musk will be cutting agencies that regulate his businesses. His conflicts of interest are as big as Trumps, if not bigger.
He bought a controlling share in Tesla, then usurped it from the actual founders & buried their history.
He CO-founded PayPal with Peter Theil.
The Boring Company is just a subsidies sucking company.
Meanwhile, he nominally owns SpaceX but the only reason he hasn't killed anyone yet is it's actually run by actual engineers.
Elon is a symptom of that, not the cause or genesis
We need to reduce our national debt, but we just voted for the party who will increase it 🤷
Using words like overhaul is feeding into maga-ville fascism.
This is an oligarchy.
This is a very disappointing piece of sane washing by The Economist.
Don’t call it a disruption, this is a takeover of American government by those who can trash 45+ billion dollars to elect themselves kings of this nation.
More simply: if you’re serious, you can’t be taken seriously.
Do you also do economics with that brain?
Normalizing fascism
Trump and Musk certainly *intend* disruption, but they're doing it to further the aims of their boss Putin, who wishes to see the United States dismantled and wishes to put billionaire mafiosi beyond the law.
Where is this “mandate for disruption” you are taking about?
Is it in the room with you now?
The hell is wrong with you?
oh barf
and there's no mandate
Viscount Rothermere would be proud!
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And of course the editor is on twitter
Tell the truth or go to hell. This is how you sold the Brits out on brexit. By fucking lying.
Mandate is more like a shrug