Elon Musk didn't build that

[ksen]

http://angrybearblog.com/2015/06/elon-musk-has-received-billions-in-subsidies.html

While receiving subsidies is nothing new for the Forbes 400 or even multi-hundred millionaire pikers like Mitt Romney, a recent story in the Los Angeles Times (via Good Jobs First) shows that Elon Musk (#34 in the Forbes 400) is a champion at getting subsidies for his companies. According to the Times article, Musk’s three companies, Tesla, Solar City, and SpaceX, have received a total of $4.9 billion (nominal value) in subsidies over the years. The article says that Tesla and Solar City stand out in the importance of the subsidies relative to the size of the company.

Just putting that out here.

"Self-made" billionaire Elon Musk.

 

[GenesisNemesis]

I've read he doesn't treat his workers well either, but I'll have to look more into that.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Well, if his companies are doing cutting edge work that will benefit society, the military, etc, as the recipients of the subsidies could be argued to be doing, then this could be a good investment.

If we get quality solar power, batteries and electric cars sooner as a result, I'm cool with a billionaire getting a few extra billions.

 

[ksen]

I never said anything about the quality of the investments or the benefits to society.

I simply said Elon Musk didn't do this by himself.

"This" could be great things for society or terrible or somewhere in between but none of that has any bearing on the OP.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

I never said anything about the quality of the investments or the benefits to society.

I simply said Elon Musk didn't do this by himself.

"This" could be great things for society or terrible or somewhere in between but none of that has any bearing on the OP.

Well, you may as well just say that Tony Stark didn't build the Iron Man suit because all the parts were pulled together from the various military-funded projects being done by Stark Industries.

Musk is still doing it and is the main driving force behind the projects, regardless of whether he gets public funding to help him along. Aside from lone dudes in their garages, nobody builds anything by themselves.

 

[ksen]

Musk is still doing it and is the main driving force behind the projects, regardless of whether he gets public funding to help him along.

There would be no projects without public funding.

Without public funding it would be Elon who?

 

[dismal]

I never said anything about the quality of the investments or the benefits to society.

I simply said Elon Musk didn't do this by himself.

"This" could be great things for society or terrible or somewhere in between but none of that has any bearing on the OP.

OK, he didn't do it by himself. Thread over?

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Musk is still doing it and is the main driving force behind the projects, regardless of whether he gets public funding to help him along.

There would be no projects without public funding.

Without public funding it would be Elon who?

OK ...

If he'd been born with a vagina instead of a penis, my uncle would be my aunt.

I'm really not sure what your point is here. Is it some kind of anti-libertarian thing? If so, I probably agree with your regardless of the specifics of your point because libertarianism is stupid.

 

[repoman]

My take is that Teslas are status symbols instead of actually being as green as they are touted.

I wonder what the full lifecycle costs (include the electricity for power) of them are to other gasoline powered cars. How to they compare to the low frills electric cars?

It sucks that we have huge 18 wheelers sharing the road with commuters who feel the need to have much larger cars around them than is truly needed.

 

[dismal]

There would be no projects without public funding.

Without public funding it would be Elon who?

OK ...

If he'd been born with a vagina instead of a penis, my uncle would be my aunt.

I'm really not sure what your point is here. Is it some kind of anti-libertarian thing? If so, I probably agree with your regardless of the specifics of your point because libertarianism is stupid.

Yeah, libertarians and their damn electric car subsidies are responsible for this.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

http://angrybearblog.com/2015/06/elon-musk-has-received-billions-in-subsidies.html

While receiving subsidies is nothing new for the Forbes 400 or even multi-hundred millionaire pikers like Mitt Romney, a recent story in the Los Angeles Times (via Good Jobs First) shows that Elon Musk (#34 in the Forbes 400) is a champion at getting subsidies for his companies. According to the Times article, Musk’s three companies, Tesla, Solar City, and SpaceX, have received a total of $4.9 billion (nominal value) in subsidies over the years. The article says that Tesla and Solar City stand out in the importance of the subsidies relative to the size of the company.

Just putting that out here.

"Self-made" billionaire Elon Musk.

He did Paypal. That is why he is rich. Tesla and the like are his hobbies.

 

[arkirk]

There would be no projects without public funding.

Without public funding it would be Elon who?

OK ...

If he'd been born with a vagina instead of a penis, my uncle would be my aunt.

I'm really not sure what your point is here. Is it some kind of anti-libertarian thing? If so, I probably agree with your regardless of the specifics of your point because libertarianism is stupid.

Repoman's point is good also...how about subsidies for projects that produce things for all of America. Teslas are status symbols....subsidized at that! I am sure there are better approaches to electrifying the automotive world. Some of the work they are doing is of value however as they are really pouring resources into making better batteries. Of course these batteries to not need to go into overpriced oversized and oversexed things like Teslas.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

OK ...

If he'd been born with a vagina instead of a penis, my uncle would be my aunt.

I'm really not sure what your point is here. Is it some kind of anti-libertarian thing? If so, I probably agree with your regardless of the specifics of your point because libertarianism is stupid.

Repoman's point is good also...how about subsidies for projects that produce things for all of America. Teslas are status symbols....subsidized at that! I am sure there are better approaches to electrifying the automotive world.

Tesla, to my knowledge is the only true electric car that can be used like a car. And for a few billion, he created a car company from scratch. That is an exercise of unparalleled frugality!

Some of the work they are doing is of value however as they are really pouring resources into making better batteries. Of course these batteries to not need to go into overpriced oversized and oversexed things like Teslas.

They are working on a battery pack for homes.

 

[ZiprHead]

I never said anything about the quality of the investments or the benefits to society.

I simply said Elon Musk didn't do this by himself.

"This" could be great things for society or terrible or somewhere in between but none of that has any bearing on the OP.

OK, he didn't do it by himself. Thread over?

No, I'll bet he molests Yorkshire terriers too.

Obviously he's referring to the wrenching and gnashing of teeth the right-wing displayed when BO made the "They didn't build that." comment, although I suspect you already knew that.

 

[barbos]

Musk is a lot like Steve Jobs. From engineering point of view Tesla is not as remarkable as they hyped to be.

 

[dismal]

OK, he didn't do it by himself. Thread over?

No, I'll bet he molests Yorkshire terriers too.

Obviously he's referring to the wrenching and gnashing of teeth the right-wing displayed when BO made the "They didn't build that." comment, although I suspect you already knew that.

"he didn't guild that" not equal "he didn't build that by himself"

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Musk is a lot like Steve Jobs. From engineering point of view Tesla is not as remarkable as they hyped to be.

Plenty of companies sell cheaper, as capable products like Apple. Who does likewise with electric cars?

 

[ksen]

He did Paypal. That is why he is rich. Tesla and the like are his hobbies.

He didn't build PayPal either. That was created by  Confinity.

 

[barbos]

Musk is a lot like Steve Jobs. From engineering point of view Tesla is not as remarkable as they hyped to be.

Plenty of companies sell cheaper, as capable products like Apple.

Now, but in the yearly days Apple was kinda alone in the market.

Who does likewise with electric cars?

Nobody for now.
And again I was talking about technology, Both iPhone and tesla use ordinary tech just nicely packaged.
And that home battery from tesla is actually garbage because for practical home use there are better battery chemistries than the same one they use in cars.

 

[barbos]

He did Paypal. That is why he is rich. Tesla and the like are his hobbies.

He didn't build PayPal either. That was created by  Confinity.

Damn, I really thought he built something.