ChrisWeigant.com

President Elon Musk

[ Posted Thursday, December 19th, 2024 – 16:22 UTC ]

Well, that was quick. Donald Trump has already been eclipsed. His signature bomb-throwing style has now been outdone by the man who seemingly refuses to leave Trump's side, and who is a much bigger bomb-thrower than even Trump himself. Elon Musk is now running the government -- or, at the very least, the Republican Party's part of it. This has relegated Trump to being an afterthought, something that he's not usually very comfortable with. Will this begin to chafe? Will Trump decide to sideline Musk at some point, for the sin of overshadowing him on the political stage? We'll have to see, but we do have one suggestion for Democrats who might wish for this to happen.

It's not original. Here's what Bernie Sanders had to say, after Musk started chucking grenades into the budget deal yesterday (which may well lead to a government shutdown tomorrow night):

Democrats and Republicans spent months negotiating a bipartisan agreement to fund our government. The richest man on Earth, President Elon Musk, doesn't like it. Will Republicans kiss the ring? Billionaires must not be allowed to run our government.

This is brilliant, and echoes what people have already been saying on social media and comments on political articles of late: Musk isn't merely a "co-president" or (as we amusingly read in one article) "a virtual first lady," he has taken the reins and shoved Trump into a supporting role. Which is eventually going to start eating at Trump, who never likes anyone stealing his spotlight. So use the one term that hammers this home in the most taunting and extra-snarky fashion: President Elon Musk.

A quick review is in order, for anyone who has been dealing with real life during the past 24 hours or so (it being the week before the holidays really get going, with few paying much attention to the drama playing out in Washington).

The last time Congress punted the budget football, they only funded the government until tomorrow. The funding expires at midnight, Friday night. This is a rather standard maneuver, since it leverages the fact that all the congresscritters want to flee D.C. to spend the holidays with their families. This pressure forces them to get their act together, and usually works pretty well.

Things were on track up until yesterday. The "continuing resolution" they had hashed out was a compromise between Democratic and Republican priorities, as usual in a divided Congress (Democrats still hold the Senate, until the end of the year). It started out as a "clean C.R." which just punted all the budgetary footballs another three months into the future -- enough time for the incoming Congress to put some sort of budget together with Trump's priorities (which they would have had to do by mid-March).

They then added on a few things, again as usual. The biggest item was disaster relief to cover the costs of the recent hurricanes and other natural disasters. There was also a huge bailout for farmers included as well. The Democrats got full funding to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, as well as a few other things on their wish list. There were other changes as well, some major and some minor, but the dust had settled -- both Democrats and Republicans (enough of them, at any rate) were on board and the bill was scheduled to be passed and put on President Joe Biden's desk before the shutdown actually happened.

Enter Elon Musk, stage right. Musk decided to tank the compromise. He sent out an absolute flood of disparaging messages on his own social media platform, trashing the deal. Not unlike Trump himself, he spread all kinds of lies about what was in the bill. He stated that there was $60 billion in military aid to Ukraine, which wasn't even remotely true. He complained that Congress was giving itself a 40 percent raise, when the actual raise contained in the bill was less than four percent (Musk was off by more than a whole order of magnitude). These were just the biggest lies Musk disseminated -- there were plenty of others as well, none of which were based in reality. Musk denounced them all in the most scathing language possible (calling the deal, among other things: "terrible"... "criminal"... "crazy"... "an insane crime").

Musk had also previously threatened all GOP members of Congress who wind up on his (or Trump's) naughty list. Musk spent over $250 million in the 2024 election, and he threatened to spend whatever it takes to "primary" any Republicans who don't fall in line. Seeing as how the entire campaign budget for most House races is only a few million dollars, this is a very real threat -- for what to Musk is pocket change found in the couch cushions, he could indeed probably take out any House members he feels like in the Republican primaries.

The effect of all of this was to blow up the deal. With House (and Senate) Republicans rushing to fall into line with Elon's demands, the votes simply didn't exist to pass the deal as it stood.

This put Speaker Mike Johnson in a very precarious place. He's basically got three choices now: he could let the government shut down and push the whole thing into January, when Republicans take over both chambers of Congress, he could try to jam through the deal he already agreed to with the Democrats, or he could try to pass a truly "clean" bill which didn't have all the extras (like farm aid or disaster aid) in it. Any of these paths is perilous for Johnson, because the first thing the incoming House will have to do is vote on who is going to be speaker for the next two years. If Johnson does anything that enrages Musk (or, to a lesser degree, Trump) then he will quite likely not have the votes to continue as speaker.

Trump was late to the entire party, it bears mentioning. He let Musk rant and rave for a while before offering up his own message in support of tanking the deal and shutting the government down. And then he threw his own curveball into the mix, as he demanded that any deal include extending (or abolishing) the debt ceiling limit.

Trump seems to now be in agreement with plenty of Democrats that the debt ceiling should just go away for good. Here is what he's saying about it now:

On Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump said of the government spending deal: "Can anyone imagine passing it without either terminating, or extending, the Debt Ceiling guillotine coming up in June?"

Trump later told NBC News of the debt limit: "The Democrats have said they want to get rid of it. If they want to get rid of it, I would lead the charge." He said getting rid of the debt ceiling entirely would be "the smartest thing" Congress could do.

As I am writing this, the news just broke that Johnson has cobbled together a deal for a mostly-clean C.R., with the farm and disaster aid added in (but without most of the other things that had been negotiated). It will also extend the debt ceiling limit for a whopping two years, which would mean the incoming Congress wouldn't have to vote to do so at all. So we'll see where it all goes from here.

No matter how the impasse is resolved, however, it has made one thing clear. Trump is now second banana in his own circus. He is not driving the MAGA bus anymore -- Musk is. And sooner or later, this is going to enrage Trump, no matter how much he craves the approval of the richest man in the world.

Democrats are already taunting Trump, and they need to keep the pressure up. Representative Zoe Lofgren tweeted out an image of Musk pulling the puppet strings of a Trump doll, which I have to say is both pretty funny and also will likely be pretty effective in getting under Trump's skin. Remember him exploding on the debate stage when Hillary Clinton accused him of being Putin's puppet?

All other Democrats should jump on board this messaging train. Trump should now be referred to (at most) as the incoming vice president. He should be ridiculed for allowing himself to be shoved aside while Musk takes the spotlight. The one thing Trump hates more than anything else is to be seen as being weak -- and that's precisely what this does to him. Any Democrat speaking to the press from this point on should point this out, while laughing. "Oh, you mean President Elon Musk? Because as far as I can see, he's the one pulling Trump's strings, not the other way around."

Who knows? Maybe it'll work so well Trump will get so enraged he'll send Musk packing. It's certainly worth a try.

-- Chris Weigant

 

Follow Chris on Twitter: @ChrisWeigant

 

19 Comments on “President Elon Musk”

  1. [1] 
    BashiBazouk wrote:

    House Democrats should troll the repubs. Offer a bill to fix the Citizens United ruling anytime Musk threatens to primary any house repubs by funding their opponents...

  2. [2] 
    Michale wrote:

    Laughable...

    President Trump assigned a job to Musk and let Musk run with it..

    That is EXACTLY what a GOOD leader does..

    Hire good subordinates, assign tasks to said subordinates and let them do their assigned jobs..

    It's called LEADERSHIP, people..

    I realize that you Democrats are not used to having competent and GOOD leaders, so ya'all can't recognize GOOD leadership when it's displayed..

    And where was ya'all's Basement Biden when President Trump was being presidential??

    Asleep at nappy time.. :eyeroll:

    Ya'all better get used to seeing REAL leadership at work..

    Because THAT is how it's going to be for the next 12 years... :D

    I know, I know.. Ya'all are hoping that America fails..

    So typical of Demon Rats.. :eyeroll:

    0157

  3. [3] 
    John M from Ct. wrote:

    Although I agree that Trump will not like being referred to as VP or as Musk's puppet, I'm not sure how likely it is that he will dismiss Musk or cut his ties to the zillionaire. Trump's in a difficult place now that Musk has gone completely political, and is using his wealth to interfere in domestic politics.
    As the phrase goes, do you want the problem child inside the tent, pissing out, or outside the tent, pissing in?
    If Trump alienates or insults Musk, Musk may then turn on Trump in turn - and Musk has a lot of resources that he can deploy against the incoming president, starting with X-Twitter and continuing with his newly-revealed willingness to pressure Republican representatives with threats of primarying, etc.
    Trump has a monkey on his back and may not be able to get rid of it now.

  4. [4] 
    nypoet22 wrote:

    the best people.

  5. [5] 
    John From Censornati wrote:

    Lame Donald Duck is old and lazy. It seems likely that he's OK with President Musk. Beta Trump stills gets to golf and play president on TV. He won't even have to lie about being a billionaire anymore if Musk buys his fake Twitter to cement the arrangement.

  6. [6] 
    Michale wrote:

    Hay JFC..

    Didn't you say that President ELECT Trump was going to LOSE the election!??

    Whaa happened??

    Not only did President ELECT Trump sweep ALL of the Swing States, but President ELECT Trump won THE POPULAR VOTE by a considerably GREAT margin!!

    So, why did you LIE when you said that Basement Biden would beat President Trump?? Hell, Basement Biden couldn't even FINISH his own campaign!!

    BBBBBWWWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

    It's hilarious that you actually believe you have a SMIDGEN of credibility here...

    Why don't you take the hint that all the OTHER Weigantia Trolls got??

    Yer a joke, JFC.. Always has been.. Always will be.. :D

    0159

  7. [7] 
    Michale wrote:

    And for those MORONS (you know who you are) who lie and claim NO girls have been hurt by males playing in girl's sports??

    Google Payton McNabb...

    Hopefully you lying morons will have an IOTA of integrity to feel ashamed about ya'all's lies..

    Hopefully we'll see that commentary about all the trans lies that Democrats tell.

    Then we can really get deep into the shame ya'all Democrats should feel..

    0160

  8. [8] 
    Michale wrote:

    But, let's get back to this new bullshit talking point that, somehow, Elon Musk is President...

    Apparently, ya'all forgot about all the times that Basement Biden ACTUALLY SAID that Token DEI Hire Headboard Has Been Hooker Harris was "President"...

    So.. Once again... Demon Rats are accusing President ELECT Trump of what they themselves have done and are doing... :eyeroll:

    Ya'all have apparently forgotten what LEADERSHIP is all about...

    Not surprising since ya'all haven't seen ANY real leadership at all since Basement Biden stole the 2020 election..

    Having served in the US Army in a leadership position (MI EllTee during Desert Storm) allow me to educate ya'all about what leadership is really all about..

    GOOD leadership... REAL Leadership is not about doing everything yourself..

    GOOD leadership... REAL Leadership is about hiring the best people and letting them do their jobs..

    And THAT is exactly what happened here.. The budget fight is EXACTLY why President ELECT Trump HIRED Musk!!

    I mean.. DUH!!! OF COURSE President ELECT Trump was going to LET Musk take the lead...

    It's called LEADERSHIP, people!! :eyeroll:

    Why don't ya'all worry less about how President ELECT Trump is making America GREAT again and instead, worry about why YA'ALL'S so-called "President" is not even INVOLVED!!??

    Where has ya'all's Basement Biden been???

    THAT is the REAL question ya'all should be concerned about...

    But, as is typical with ya'all, yer PTDS and yer Trump/America hate is running ya'all's lives.. :eyeroll:

    0161

  9. [9] 
    Michale wrote:

    "Elon Musk, the guy who really runs things. He's not just Trump's co-president. I think that's way too low a title. He's the head dude in charge and House Republicans certainly know who they are taking their marching orders from."
    -MSNBC Chris Hayes

    Here's the MORON from MSNBC who got EVERYTHING about the election WRONG...

    Once again, moron Demon Rats are making a mountain out of NOTHING... All this is a huge NOTHING BURGER...

    President ELECT Trump hired Musk to handle budget issues...

    THIS is a budget issue.. Ergo... Musk handled it.. And handled it VERY well from all the facts...

    You Democrats are simply embarrassing yerselves by being so hysterical about it.. :eyeroll:

    0162

  10. [10] 
    Michale wrote:

    And now along comes ANOTHER MSNBC moron Jen Saki to put her ignorant 2 cents worth in.. :eyeroll:

    "Elon Musk is around Trump all the time. He was in that picture that you referenced, that was at the Army-Navy game, creepily kind of right over his shoulder. He seems to be living at Mar-a-Lago. I don't know how Trump feels about that. Maybe he's enjoying it currently. Will he still? And he's also getting credit for having power over Congress, over Trump. How does that sit with Trump? We know from history, typically doesn't sit well."
    MSNBC Jen Saki

    This coming from the network who lost OVER 60% of their viewership after they made a BONEHEAD call about the 2024 election...

    MSNBC is so bad off that the network had to be SOLD because it was too much of an embarrassment...

    And then a squad member Jew Hater Pramila jumped on and said something about it being clear who is in charge...

    The funny thing is, this moron IGNORES that it's SUPPOSED to be Basement Biden who is in charge.. Until 20 Jan anyways..

    Even DEMOCRATS are ignoring Basement Biden and acknowledging that President Trump is already the REAL POTUS!!

    BBBBWWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA

    And ya'all's hysteria over Musk taking the lead on this budget related issue is just as hilarious.. :D

    This reminds me of the time ya'all jumped so fast on the "weird" claim from Demon Rats...

    Tell me.. How did THAT work out for ya'all?? :D

    I get it, people... I REALLY do..

    Ya'all have been completely decimated and ya'all's psyche is SO destroyed that ya'all will latch onto ANYTHING to cling to in hopes of saving ya'all's tortured souls..

    But this??

    Musk taking the lead on an issue that President ELECT Trump *HIRED* Musk to take the lead on???

    THAT is ya'all's current Go-To??? THAT is ya'all's "safe harbor"??

    This is just sad, people... :eyeroll:

    0163

  11. [11] 
    Michale wrote:

    END OF WATCH

    Police Officer Enrique Martinez
    Chicago Police Department, Illinois
    End of Watch: Monday, November 4, 2024

    And remind the few..
    When ill of us they speak...
    That we are all that stands between...
    The monsters and the weak...

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/13839e8d10b9303c8d9aee50576e15b15f4844be91d15073a21097a85b780c50.jpg

  12. [12] 
    Michale wrote:

    END OF WATCH

    Police Officer Evan Dunn
    Golden Police Department, Colorado
    End of Watch: Wednesday, November 6, 2024

    And remind the few..
    When ill of us they speak...
    That we are all that stands between...
    The monsters and the weak...

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/13839e8d10b9303c8d9aee50576e15b15f4844be91d15073a21097a85b780c50.jpg

  13. [13] 
    Michale wrote:

    I'll let ya'all lick yer wounds over this latest "weird" hysterical talking point..

    I need to sleep for work tonight..

    Catch up with ya'all in a bit.. :D

    0166

  14. [14] 
    BashiBazouk wrote:

    Michale [2]

    Elon Musk Suddenly Realizes He Has No Clue How to Govern
    Musk is trying to backtrack on his previous demands to shut down the government.

    https://newrepublic.com/post/189603/elon-musk-backtrack-govern-shutdown

    Leadership, eh? Blame the democrats even when 38 republicans said no as well. Not my idea of leadership...

    Then there are his recommendations for Germany. Push for the right wing party that is so extreme, they got kicked out of the European far right extremest club.

    He is not a "GOOD" leader, he is a ketamine fueled clown driving the clown car that he paid a quarter of a billion for...

  15. [15] 
    Michale wrote:

    BBVWWWWHAHAHAHA.

    "New Republic" is your source for America hating crap???

    Yea... THAT'S convincing!!! :eyeroll:

    Sad...

    Welp I am doing my long week 3-day weekend. So ya won't get much in the way of FACTS. Yunno. Objective Reality..

    But ya'all WILL get a lot of Subjective Reality. Yunno.. Yer "truth"...

    But have no fear. The FACTS will return soon enough... :D

    What is this now?? 0176?? 0178??

    Oh well, I'll finger it out.

  16. [16] 
    BashiBazouk wrote:

    Hey, it's better than FoxNews for your America hating crap...

    But it does show that if you can't dispute the point you have to trash the source. Talk about rhetorically lazy...

  17. [17] 
    nypoet22 wrote:

    well, i got everything about the election right. what do i win?

  18. [18] 
    nypoet22 wrote:

    at least two more years of chaos, drama and incompetence, that's what.

  19. [19] 
    Kick wrote:

    nypoet22
    17

    well, i got everything about the election right. what do i win?

    pie

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