skylaughs.bsky.social
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Nice analysis. Daring people to play chicken, to race towards a cliff to see who backs off is really dumb. Even worse is the bet is using America's economic prosperity.
A devious reason would be he knows the dead-end outcome but wants an excuse to take over Greenland, but let's not go there yet.
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Drugs in the U.S. are already often 2X the price of those overseas. Add a tariff and that price would soar even more.
Depending on one's copays, deductibles, and if it is chronic or a specialized expensive drug, it could make medical tourism into Canada, pay cash for treatment, a cheaper option.
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Is that Ronald Reagan being clairvoyant, sending a message into the future to tell Trump he's an idiot?
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The old corporate raider playbook.
- talk a big game of growth
- assume control
- then dismantle the controls
- take on massive bank loans
- extract cash payouts (the tax cut)
- declare success
- exit
- result: a hollowed entity, now burdened with debt
- shareholder left with bill (the taxpayers)
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Those that celebrate Trump Liberation Day are basking in his big pot of warm water.
Ahh tariffs the...
- liberation from allies, friends, and rules-based international order...
- liberation from money, freedom, and societal norms...
Nothing to see here, just a comfortable, slow rising temperature.
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Ulterior motive is $$$. Tesla and SpaceX/Starlink have global customers and tariffs are making their customers into non-customers, and potentially into customers to their competitors.
Would have happened anyway after Musk gave several nazi salutes.
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Exactly. For example when trust in rules-based order fails, this happens:
- less trust in follow thru
- shorter term agreements
- weakened customer loyalty
- no more "best" pricing
- less dependability
- so, more diversification in supply chain
- and purchase smaller quantities
- at higher prices.
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You would think. Except recessions creates its own extremists and downward spirals.
You are right too. Until then, Trump is giving peoples of democracies a heads up that his type of extremism, thinking and policies will destroy their economy.
We have to see how this all plays out.
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Musk's goal all along was to make Tesla and SpaceX/Starlink global monopolies.
He miscalculated w/ nazi salute. Add tariffs and world is polarized, sees him as threat.
Competitors will gain ie
* EV: Ford, GM
* AI human robots: Hyundai (Boston Dynamics)
* Space launch / satellites: Rocket Labs USA
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One certainty, Trump is polarizing the world (economy, security, military). The "global dominant company" may not exist later. Example the EU may support the competitors to Musk's monopoly "to-be" firms.
Thought: hold cash and look for the #2 and #3 companies in an industry and their global reach.
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Thanks for sharing. Cancer is horrible as well as the mental stress and burden it puts on family, friends, and patient.
I have been following NWBO for years, and I believe they have truly come up with a novel breakthrough for cancer therapy. I am optimistic for an approval soon. Best.
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Trump supporters will be shocked. Predict: stagflation (inflation + recession).
The hope for lower int rates and money printing to drive up stock values become hard with tariffs and inflation going up. Inflation is bad for politicians in power. The quest to stay in power will override all, IMO.
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Makes sense. Tariffs will be a major hit on families.
- To save money, buy things now
- To spend w/ purpose, support good companies (Costco good choice)
- To invest w/ purpose, buy competitors to Musk:
* AI human robots - Hyundai (Boston Dynamics)
* Space launch / satellites - Rocket Labs (RKLB)
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DeSantis' character will be revealed over time and has been every time he acts and legislates.
The big test is whether Floridians that currently support him can see thru the manufactured anger for politics and for them to realize that not only when it affects them directly (lose job, pay more tax).
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Florida already has no state income tax. Eliminate property taxes? That fools who?
Truth is mush higher sales taxes. Pushes the tax from people that earn income, from people that own houses, onto the people that spend the largest % of their discretionary income on consumption, the working people.
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Fair point. At same time, every $ we spend has a butterfly effect. Early in the game, large economy, many good companies.
At countries level and for critical tech like AI, robots, satellites, energy... nobody wants to be dependent on a dictator monopoly. Competitors will also be good investments.
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In a democracy, each of us can also spend and invest with purpose. In mass, we can make a difference.
Example: competitors to Tesla and SpaceX
- AI human robots - Hyundai (Boston Dynamics)
- EVs - sell your Tesla, keeps buyer from directly purchasing
- Space launch / satellites - Rocket Labs (RKLB)
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Agree. The tricky part starts as who controls who? Then after awhile it gets confusing, for people or billionaires. That's where we are today.
Massive wealth inequality, yet people vote for billionaires. And the billionaires are not pausing a second to squeeze the competition and grab all for self.
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Decades: Economy / tech dramatically improved, yet breadth & depth of society's wealth inequality grew instead.
Now: political takeover by billionaires
- orig thought $$$, "a corp raid", hollow out economy, then leave
- now looks like power grab, to never let go
Early: in fight for US institutions
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Makes me think of a "corporate raid" but on our government. Exert control, to then extract $$$, and finally leave a hollowed out entity.
Instead of buying shares for control, it is gangster political pressure on law firms, those who should otherwise be on the front line defending laws and rules.
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That is actually the most important point.
"United we stand, divided we fall" is also applicable. We are living in a moment of history that can turn either way.
There are hundreds of reasons why people do not do the right thing. But like what we teach our children, those are not justifications.
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Every policy has a direct or quiet sponsor in background. Who wins in all of this chaos?
"The company led by President Trump’s confidant Elon Musk builds all the cars it sells in the United States domestically and will be exempt from tariffs on finished vehicles."
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/26/b...
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Invest and spend wisely and with purpose.
1. Sell your Tesla - it removes a buyer that would otherwise buy directly from Tesla
2. Invest with purpose (Competitors)
EV: Ford, GM (not Tesla)
Space launch/satellite: Rocket Labs USA (RKLB)
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Seems we are starting a game of musical chairs. Countries are realigning themselves into a new world order, not lead by USA, but multi-polar. Regional economic power, likely. But maybe driven and organized by today's national interests, values, and security concerns.
Likely: USA, Europe, and China
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Financial actions
1. Sell your Tesla - it removes a buyer that would otherwise buy directly from Tesla
2. Invest with purpose (Competitors)
EV: Ford, GM (not Tesla)
Space launch/satellite: Rocket Labs USA (RKLB)
3. Spend smart
Cash reserves for a potential 2025 recession?
Support good companies
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Thank you!
Against a bully using gangster tactics and for taking a clear stand to protect America's democracy and its institutions, the idea of "If not now when, if not me who" comes to mind.
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They are even worse. Tesla is the leader in recalls.
www.autoblog.com/news/tesla-l...
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It's a paradox. Overnight cure of diabetes cuts out a vertical industry from GDP, but long term reallocation of resources should be a net plus, for society too.
Interesting video was why GDP growth does not necessarily increase prosperity for the general population. That is the paradox of our time.
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A nice video to challenge us to look outside the box.
For example: discovering a cure for diabetes would shrink GDP, yet we would all be better off.
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Or maybe just the start. I'm thinking Argentinian President Milei tweets to pump a crypto, then rug pull, as another example. Tweets. That ruins trust. Agree on us entering a new era, a financial scene of tutes and nations. Let's see how it all plays out.
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Also Bitcoin's trust can be ruined if meddled with by a distrusted world leader.
Example: online stock forum. Built on community sharing and some degree of trust. Add bots, fake accounts, and agenda to manipulate price for personal gain, that erodes trust. It becomes a tool, not something of value.
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Trump is playing 2D chess. Tariffs on friends, playing-chicken, is all short term "Kim Jong Un strategy".
American…
consumers will pay higher prices
exporters will lose market share
companies will not invest
economy recession
Global economy lives 3D chess. Countries will always divest from chaos.
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We can both support causes and build wealth if we act and invest intelligently.
EV: Ford, GM (not Tesla)
Space: Rocket Labs USA (not SpaceX, Starlink)
Media: Post on Bluesky (not X)
Cancer: NWBO (a cancer vaccine using dendritic cells, nontoxic profile, immune memory, DCVax, likely approval soon)
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Agree. To the rest of the world, it is easy to see the cloak of chaos is not a strategy but actually a sabotage of democracy instead.
Americans may one day peel back this version of the "Made in the USA" label and realize it was made in Russia and not for the good of Americans.
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Scientist: Transgenic mice for research...
T: Making mice transgender?
Scientist: Transgenic is modified genes.
T: Mice transgendered, then woke, and realize they're wearing pink jeans?!
Scientist: Orange
T: Orange what?
Scientist: Orange you supposed to help people?
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(sarcasm) If Trump were to takes an idle asset like the gold sitting in Fort Knox, make it productive by using it as collateral on a loan, put that $ into the USA Sovereign Wealth Fund, and then invest it into a family controlled business, would that count as an economic productivity statistic?
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Doge has itemized $10bn in savings; but all of those were revised down to $19m due to errors and now have been removed from the list.
So essentially there are zero itemized savings from DOGE as of today.
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That is the accumulation of wealth inequality.
But sadly the chaotic policies of this administration likely make things much worse for the 90% of Americans as we go forward. This is the worse combination, uncertainty, global distrust, higher inflation, layoffs, and decreasing consumer spending.