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The Global Left Is Coming for Elon Musk

Posted on Friday, October 13, 2023
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by Shane Harris
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AMAC Exclusive –By Shane Harris

European Union Commissioner Thierry Breton and Elon Musk

Just a few years ago, entrepreneur and self-made billionaire Elon Musk was a darling of the international liberal establishment for leading advancements in electric vehicle and rocket technology. Now, Musk’s self-professed “free speech absolutism” and questioning of progressive orthodoxy has made him one of the most reviled figures among the global left – and they’re doing everything they can to take him down.

The most recent barrage began earlier this week with European Union Commissioner Thierry Breton threatening litigation against X, formerly Twitter, over supposed “illegal content” on the platform related to the ongoing hostilities in Israel.

In a public letter addressed to Musk, who purchased Twitter last year for $44 billion, Breton alleged that X “is being used to disseminate illegal content and disinformation in the EU” in violation of the Digital Services Act (DSA). The DSA is part of sweeping changes to European regulations which took effect last year that allow the EU to impose billions of dollars in fines on tech platforms that, in the judgement of EU regulators, don’t do enough to combat so-called “misinformation.”

But in an exchange with Musk on X, Breton failed to identify even one specific example of “illegal” content that the platform was not doing enough to address. “Our policy is that everything is open source and transparent, an approach that I know the EU supports,” Musk responded to Breton’s post sharing the letter. “Please list the violations you allude to on X, so that that the public can see them.”

“You are well aware of your users’ — and authorities’— reports on fake content and glorification of violence,” Breton replied. “Up to you to demonstrate that you walk the talk.”

Many censorship watchdogs warned ahead of the DSA’s passage that the law was nothing more than legal cover for left-wing EU bureaucrats to target conservatives and anyone who challenges the liberal establishment. Musk appears to be proving those fears correct.

Musk’s other business ventures are also at risk of becoming collateral damage in the left’s crusade against him. In August, the Biden Justice Department announced that it was suing SpaceX, a rocket company Musk founded that has worked with NASA to return American astronauts to space, over supposed discriminatory hiring practices.

The Biden administration claimed that SpaceX “routinely discouraged asylees and refugees from applying and refused to hire or consider them, because of their citizenship status, in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act.”

Once again, Musk exposed the allegations against his company as a thinly veiled personal attack. “SpaceX was told repeatedly that hiring anyone who was not a permanent resident of the United States would violate international arms trafficking law, which would be a criminal offense,” he wrote on X. “We couldn’t even hire Canadian citizens, despite Canada being part of NORAD! This is yet another case of weaponization of the DOJ for political purposes.”

As another X user pointed out, the Department of Justice website lists “U.S. citizenship” as a requirement for its own applicants. “DOJ needs to sue themselves,” Musk joking responded.

Biden’s DOJ has also gone after Musk personally. Late last month, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York announced that it was pursuing criminal charges against Musk for supposedly failing to disclose personal benefits he received as Tesla’s CEO. Those “benefits” allegedly included a house that Musk talked about constructing but never actually built.

Musk is also being harassed by Biden’s Securities and Exchange Commission over his purchase of Twitter last October. In an unusual move, the SEC reportedly is trying to force Musk to testify in person, bogging him and X down with a mountain of legal paperwork.

The liberal media has, of course, dutifully piled on, declaring Musk to be persona non grata. “Elon Musk has become the villain liberals always imagined him to be,” announced Politico Magazine shortly after Musk began publicly criticizing Democrats last year. “Elon Musk wades deeper into antisemitic propaganda” Rolling Stone proclaimed after Musk criticized the notoriously partisan Anti-Defamation League. Business Insider even ran a shoddily-researched hit piece claiming that Musk – who helped create PayPal, has led the design of rockets, and completely revamped a major social media platform – is a “grifter” who “has trouble running basic code.”

Elon Musk is arguably the individual most responsible for bringing the electric car into mainstream consumer culture. He has ambitions to build a network of high-speed trains throughout the United States. He is perhaps the world’s greatest champion of commercial renewable energy technology. All of these achievements should make him a hero to an ideological movement that claims the “climate crisis” is the most urgent and existential threat facing humanity.

But Musk has repeatedly committed the cardinal sin of leftism: he has pointed out how ridiculous and absurd “progressive” ideology is.

Elon Musk is what scares the left the most – someone with money and a platform who calls out their hypocrisy. It’s one thing if a relatively obscure X account with a few thousand followers points out how bad the border crisis is, how hypocritical the mainstream media is, or how rampant left-wing indoctrination is in schools. But when Musk shares those sentiments to his 157 million followers, it becomes a legitimate threat to the left’s narrative control.

The crusade against Musk isn’t just about one man. It’s about intimidating any other wealthy and powerful people who might think about stepping out of line. Because the left knows that if more influential voices find the courage (and wisdom) to stand up against them, their hold on power will be in serious jeopardy.

Shane Harris is a writer and political consultant from Southwest Ohio. You can follow him on Twitter @ShaneHarris513.

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PaulE
PaulE
1 year ago

In the case of Elon Musk, as long as he focused solely on his businesses (EVs, space, and solar) and espoused his libertarian views of society and life, the left generally viewed him as a non-threat to their globalist agenda. Just another billionaire who wouldn’t stand in the way of their transformational policies. However, once he came out in favor of both free speech and in opposition to organized censorship, announcing he would buy Twitter (now X), the so-called crown jewel of the inside the Washington beltway crowd, the left immediately flipped their view of Musk. They reclassified him as an existential threat to their agenda and someone who had to be vilified non-stop and stopped at any cost. Thus, the 180 degree turn in both the left’s perception of Musk and everything he touches. That’s what the left does constantly, so it’s not just what they did with Musk. He is simply one of their more visible targets.

Does Musk care what the left thinks? No, to him they are just what used to be called the chattering class that the Marxists in our society periodically get fired up to scream whatever nonsense they scream. He will ignore them and continue to run his businesses and live his life as he has always done. Which of course will only serve to antagonize the left more.

Sure, the attacks on Musk are also designed to intimidate other billionaires and even just regular millionaires into silence and compliance with the left’s agenda. That may work on a lot of them, as many are hungry to be included in the social circles of the Washington elite, Hollywood or the New York City old money crowd, but there is nothing you can do about that. Weak willed or guilt-ridden types of any economic class are easy to push around using these sorts of tactics.

Dave
Dave
1 year ago

This is a very well Written Article.
It goes straight to the Core of the Sideways Path of American Culture since the 1960’s. The Left wants Total Control of Messaging to Folks Living in Free Societies. It is So interesting Their Lack of Tolerance. A Few People Speaking Outside of Their Opinions and They Collectively Mobilize to Silence Them. Folks That Preached For Years to Others about Their Lack of Tolerance! They Turn Out to Be The One’s With None!
This is All a Fabulous Example of The Amazing Power the Founding Fathers Gave American and Americans Guaranteeing Freedom of Speech!

Mike
Mike
1 year ago

Soon the left will be after Elon Musk the same way they are now attacking Donald Trump! He will spend much of his fortune fighting off attacks from all angles of made up charges.

Lloyd Grisham
Lloyd Grisham
1 year ago

Great article. Just proves that you are with them or against them. Mr. Musk has a platform to reveal the insanity of the left and they don’t like it. They must be exposed but I fear most still won’t pay attention or care. SAD!

J. FARLEY
J. FARLEY
1 year ago

Boy he has caused the Left to get their Panties all Bunched Up, I love it when a person not born in this country, has more love for America than all the Democrats combined!
He understands what freedom is and what it takes to be innovative and what it takes to make a payroll, he signs the front of a paycheck, he is not on same bureaucratic, payroll sucking at the public trough living off the public coffers.

Robert Zuccaro
Robert Zuccaro
1 year ago

Democrats love the rich so long as they stay lockstep in their camp. I hear Christine Ford says Elon molested her at a party once…

David Millikan
David Millikan
1 year ago

Down with the LOSERS Global Establishment.
They think they are better and smarter than we are. WRONG!

Dennis Math
Dennis Math
1 year ago

One is almost led to pray that Mr. Musk holds firm against the tyrannical “Euro Trash” out to destroy the freedom of expression. I guess citizens of Great Britain and the poor folks in Continental western Europe are too stupid to turn off something they dislike or are completely dependent on un elected nobodies that make up the EU to determine what is or isnt what they wish to see or hear………..or even themselves to mention.
I find it increasingly hilarious when morons like Ursela Von Der Crazy speak of “fighting for democracy” against the “evil Russia”, when in the EU nations as well as in most of the US, it is all but impossible to access media coming out of Russia but in Russia their televisions can freely broadcast the despicable lies spewing from say, CNN or MSNBC and now FOX. Newstands (yep, people in Russia still read), are everywhere in the larger cities in Russia and they are always fully stocked with parakeet lining material such as the NY Times or the Washington Post……….but TRY to find a copy of TASS anywhere in the US other than with difficulty, online.
We are living in a clown world I never thought I would live to see. One thing I am glad of is my age. I am about to click over to 70 on my bio odometer so I wont have to endure too long a period of time in what is becoming an Orwellan nightmare of a dystopia that should never have been allowed to get as far as it already has.
So,yeah, if you ever get on your knees in prayer, perhaps say one for Mr. Musk as what is left of western society in large part is heavily dependent on some choices he will soon it seems have to make.

Garyk
Garyk
1 year ago

Sadly it was only a matter of time until the marxist democrat party and the self serving elite globalist decided that Musk and free speech will exposes their LIES!
Not they can’t allow anyone to destroy the fake narratives and control of their false statements.
These people are greedy,power hungry and destructive to all free societies.
We must continue exposes and defeating their lies and activities!
America first by saving Our God Given Rights and FREE speech.
DAMN the groups seeking to destroy it!

Donna
Donna
1 year ago

Excellent article, Shane.

Rik
Rik
1 year ago

Yeah Right! . . . They’d ALL be overjoyed if he had taken the exact opposite stance too! . . . Maybe it’s just their wacky lunacy that turns him off! They’re just against Free Speech! . . . Unless, it favors them, of course!

afhack62
afhack62
1 year ago

The left’s criticism of Musk to forestall their loss of the “narrative” is a classic example of shutting the barn door after the horses have escaped.

Kyle Buy you some guns,and learn how to shoot
Kyle Buy you some guns,and learn how to shoot
1 year ago

Any man has a rite to speak his opinion. Kyle L.

jocko
jocko
1 year ago

HOPEFULLY, HE WILL SLAY ALL OF them, STAT, TO MAGA

james carlyle
james carlyle
1 year ago

I see no difference between the United Nations political bias on all international issues and the Socialism nee Communism that drives the current EU agenda.

anna hubert
anna hubert
1 year ago

He became suddenly a threat to the stagnate and comfy tyrants and that is unheard of If you do not play with us you are against us and must be dealt with Free thought will not be tolerated

bear
bear
1 year ago

The left is a mess, displayed hurtful, inept, and with a self egolarger that wanted by the rest of humanity who find you disgusting. Live and let live, or shut up!
Musk is who he is, as are all of us. Your nose is becoming a pinocchio of massive proportions.

John Adams
John Adams
1 year ago

Free speech and tolerance are not left-wing values, and it’s getting close to where they don’t even have to pretend anymore. They are totalitarians, and treat non-conformists as heretics and mentally ill. They are dangerous.

BerthaLovesRick
BerthaLovesRick
1 year ago

We love you, Joe! Your going to win by a lanslide!
PERSIST & RESIST!

Girot
Girot
1 year ago

One must hope this is true. Musk is despicable.

Daniel Penny
biden and harris speaking in black and white
A row of supercomputers running simulations of quantum cryptography algorithms to test their efficiency and effectiveness
President Joe Biden, son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden walk across the South Lawn of The White House on July 28, 2024 in Washington, DC. President Biden is returning from a weekend trip to Camp David. (Photo by Michael A. McCoy/Getty Images)

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