There are a number of parallels between the careers of these two billionaires.
Why Is Musk Acquiring Twitter?
Probably only Musk himself knows the answer to this question. The possibilities range from philanthropic altruism (his stated purpose is to “restore free speech”) to profiteering as a “maverick investor” (the cold-hearted capitalist), to simply having a little fun at the expense of his various critics (witness his own Twitter jabs at people like Democrat Sen. Elizabeth Warren), to something potentially much, much more that most people are missing.Business Empire
Both Trump and Musk built business empires worth billions of dollars. Both are risk-takers and deal makers in the United States and overseas. Trump was a maverick long before Musk acquired the label. Even their enemies acknowledge that both have been successful in their business endeavors.Celebrity Status
Both have achieved celebrity status in American culture. Trump has licensed his name to casinos, hotels, resorts, golf courses, and other commercial ventures; nearly all Americans know his brand name.
Feted by Democrats
As billionaires, both Trump and Musk walked in similar circles and rubbed elbows with members of the political class—especially Democrats—over the years.Challenging the Left’s Orthodoxy
The Democratic Party has sold itself for decades as the party representing the consensus view of how the country should be governed. The party has captured virtually all major institutions along the way, including labor unions, Hollywood, much of the music industry, academia, legacy media, and federal government bureaucracy.Trump’s declaration for president in 2015 began a process in which he has confronted all of those institutions ever since then on topics such as globalism versus nationalism, control of the federal judiciary, constitutional government, taxes, trade policies, and the veracity of the legacy media.
Musk’s major break with Democrat orthodoxy came when he announced his intention to acquire Twitter. The Democrat-controlled institutions turned on a dime from praising to attacking Musk ever since, just as they did with Trump beginning in June 2015.
Lastly, Trump tweaked the left on a full range of topics on Twitter for years until his account was abruptly suspended; his directness put off some people (for example, those who still feel that his confrontation with his political enemies was “unpresidential”).
Exposing the Media
While the legacy media had long been losing credibility with the American people since the Vietnam War era, Trump has performed an amazing service to the country in exposing the media’s political corruption and lies committed during and since his presidency. Many Americans were not aware of the extent to which the legacy media had been supporting false Democrat narratives, but he “red-pilled” many people as they realized that the vast majority of the Democrat-controlled media’s relentless attacks on Trump were bogus. The Trump-Russia and Alfa Bank hoaxes are examples playing out during the Sussmann trial.
Musk is performing a similar service to the American people by exposing the political corruption of Twitter, and he is beginning to endure the same sort of rage and wrath from the Democrats and their legacy media stenographers.
Giving Back to Society
Most people can only imagine what it is like to be a billionaire, but we can nevertheless observe and analyze the actions of what the billionaire class says and does. Billionaires have “all the money in the world.” What they choose to do with it ultimately determines their morality and character.Real Public Service
Trump chose to enter the political fray in 2015. At his age, he could easily have enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren and his money while playing golf to his heart’s content. Instead, he pursued the presidency to help make America great again after having watched its decline during most of his adult life.
His campaign to acquire Twitter may be just the start, as his libertarian political views become more hardened by combatting the leftists who ferociously attack him every day.
• Head “minister of truth” in a future Republican (Trump) administration: Assuming the DHS disinformation board survives a Republican-led Congress, he is a natural for this billet given his pro-First Amendment proclivities. • U.S. senator: He is now a resident of Texas and would make a great replacement for the RINO John Cornyn. • U.S. representative from Texas: He would make a great representative from the state of Texas and could probably garner consideration as a future Speaker of the House (which would put him a couple of heartbeats away from the presidency). • Cabinet officer: He would be an outstanding member of a future Republican president’s cabinet—preferably the Commerce Department—or the head of a sub-cabinet-level agency such as the Federal Communications Commission. • U.S. president: Okay, he was born in South Africa, but then Barack Obama could set the precedent if his birth certificate is fake–so anything is possible.
Whether he chooses to enter the political arena or influence public policy as a private citizen, Musk has great potential to deliver lasting services to the American people just like Trump has done. Musk’s advocacy of the First Amendment as evinced by his pending acquisition of Twitter could be just the start of his long-term altruistic philanthropy and public service.
