146 Comments
User's avatar
Jenell Mahoney's avatar

Simon, you need to fix the second sentence in the third bullet point...should be about Musk NOT being able to be redeemed

Expand full comment
Simon Rosenberg's avatar

Fixed, thank you.

Expand full comment
Janice Fahy's avatar

Musk is a very bad man, but even a bad blind hog roots out a truffle every now and again. If he can help tank the revolting reconciliation bill that will do further damage to this country, great - but I don’t trust him for one single second.

Expand full comment
ArcticStones's avatar

I hear some Democrats are dreaming of recruiting Elon Musk as an ally. Sorry, this is delusional, despite the misguided idiom that "the enemy of my enemy is my friend". Someone on the Bulwark said it best:

"Sometime the enemy of your enemy is just a jackass."

Expand full comment
Patrick's avatar

Just give him some space and see what he can wreck as he flames out.

Expand full comment
Kat Hudy's avatar

Exactly. Never to Musk!!!

Expand full comment
Howard Park's avatar

my price? just a billion, upfront, and not in bitcoin

Expand full comment
GeorgeC's avatar

F’in brilliant!!

Expand full comment
Annie Bear's avatar

oh, yes, we want the Nazi salute guy

Expand full comment
Purobi Phillips's avatar

They are going to patch things up soon. They both have everything to lose. It seems the Presidential election was stolen by Musk. Even if hand recounts in a couple of swing states prove it, then what?

Expand full comment
Janet HB's avatar

God help us if Elon “wins”. We’ll have Jd Vance and his broligarch/technocrat buddies like Peter Thiel and Curtis Yarvin.

Expand full comment
Lyn Gerry's avatar

The Democratic leadership I hope is coming to to terms with this: there a no "good guys" in the GOP only: Christofascists, Technofeudalists, Neonazis/neoConfederates and crooks

Expand full comment
ArcticStones's avatar

My take? From the sidelines, Democratic politicians should throw as much fuel on the fire of this feud as possible.

TACO + PopCorn emojis

Expand full comment
Lauren's avatar

Don't trust him. elon will turn this into a mememmememem/we need to make bigger cuts/be even worse movement.

Expand full comment
Michael Salzillo's avatar

A blessing in disguise. Perfect time to ratchet up the pressure on Senators and members of the House to stop the Big, Fat, Ugly Bill.

Expand full comment
Shrimant Mishra's avatar

Hope Musk tanks the bill and then Trump deports Musk.

Expand full comment
Annie Bear's avatar

I like the cut of your jib.

Expand full comment
ArcticStones's avatar

My hope is that Musk:

1) Convinces enough Congressional Republicans to vote No and tank Trump’s bill.

2) Follows through on his threat to establish a third party, and pours lots of money into opposing Republican candidates that have angered him.

3) That Musk is forced to sell Tesla, for instance to Toyota, a quality-minded company.

Expand full comment
Shrimant Mishra's avatar

My hope is that with any Musk demise, it breaks the myth of the all knowing, all powerful, ruthless tech bro of unmatched capacity to lead in all areas of interest/economy. The fever needs to be broken.

Expand full comment
Meg Voorhes's avatar

Maybe this relates to your point 3, but I really want to see Tesla's stock price drop well below $200 a share. Today's drop was a good start, though. A few more days of 14 or 15 percent drops and we're there. Keep doing those Tesla Takedown, everyone!

Expand full comment
Purobi Phillips's avatar

May I add a number 4 please? That Musk is forced to explain under oath how he stole the election for Trump.

Expand full comment
Suzanna George's avatar

He could be the first impeachment witness?

Expand full comment
Elizabeth Freeman's avatar

Staying the course with my daily phone calls to my Electeds. Kill the bill is always my first comment. Bring back the aid for children around the world is my second. Are you protecting my data? Is my third. Rather amusing to see Bannon suggesting that Musk be deported because his citizenship is fraudulent. We already knew that.

Expand full comment
Carleton Palmer's avatar

There is video, shown on MSNBC, of Trump at a social occasion answering a reporter's question about Epstein, "He likes 'em young." New Yorkers knew what we were dealing with a very long time ago.

Expand full comment
Marybeth Saari's avatar

Yup! He didn’t have to tell us he was in the files. We already knew that!

Expand full comment
Anne Jordan-Baker's avatar

Right?! We already knew this, I thought. Whatever. It’s great the world’s two most horrible people are trying to destroy each other.

Expand full comment
BeeBeeinNYC's avatar

And yet, didn't the recent polling data reveal that he had more gains in NYC than in his previous election? I mean, aside from Staten Island?

Expand full comment
Carleton Palmer's avatar

'don't know polls, but the last Presidential election demonstrated the astonishing proportion of a-holes in the electorate. NY is not exempt.

Expand full comment
BeeBeeinNYC's avatar

Aha! No, we are not exempt (albeit I have a mental block when it comes to admitting this to myself unless forced to).

And, let me correct myself: he gained more VOTES in NYC this time around.

Expand full comment
Sheryl Lynn Sochoka's avatar

They’re beginning to reap what they’ve sown. Nothing like watching two malignant narcissists destroy one another, like Godzilla and King Kong, or, in this case, Fraudzilla & Ding Dong.

Expand full comment
John Payne's avatar

Or big blubbery baby man vs. farquaad

Expand full comment
GeorgeC's avatar

Predator vs. Alien. Hopefully they both get slaughtered.

Expand full comment
Jon L's avatar

Was wondering when their egos were going to clash.

So yea, govt ain’t like running a business. It’s for serious people and them two ain’t it

Expand full comment
Michael G Baer's avatar

Let 'em pound each other for awhile. Maybe Trump will stroke out. I hope Musk keeps his promise to primary those who voted for this deficit exploding killer bill, but he will likely fizzle out once the ketamine wears off.

Speaking of promise, I'm taking Simon's encouragement last night to heart. I've been calling reps 2 or 3 days a week, but beginning today, I'm calling every day until the "Well We Are All Gonna Die Bill" is defeated'

It doesn't take long at all, so let's ALL GET LOUDER and do it!!! 5calls.org is an easy way to find the numbers. Apparently, there is a hard deadline of July 15 from what someone in the chat was saying, so that is a biblical 40 days from now. I'd like to hear more about this deadline.

Expand full comment
Winter Green's avatar

Things to Consider

1. DOGE is now being run by Russell Vought (project 2025)

RUSSEL VOUGHT NOW HEAD OF DOGE https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/trump-advisor-russell-vought-doge/?utm_campaign=14390844-News&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--eeMM5vXhpdivqX4yzJwhJaBbGMpabmSIsRLSCj1FvVNMEuJ6cKVu0wux4bGrDkfGKblOPaFSOX82OLidEX_cuEL048kmkbHcywD65rCaQfB5Lr48&_hsmi=365282762&utm_content=365282762&utm_source=hs_email

2. Musk wants the tax breaks but wants public spending to be cut further. Do not be fooled. Musk wants more CUTS.

3. We'll find out more about Musk's relationship to Theil (Panatir data mining in our Government and Starlink). They were Techie Bros together. Pay attention.

Expand full comment
Lucy Johnson's avatar

As bad as Muck is, Vought is even scarier. Musk has no clue how the government works, but Vought does, and he wants it to go away. He is embedding DOGE people in every federal system, to carry on the work Musk started.

https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/trump-advisor-russell-vought-doge/?utm_campaign=14390844-News&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--eeMM5vXhpdivqX4yzJwhJaBbGMpabmSIsRLSCj1FvVNMEuJ6cKVu0wux4bGrDkfGKblOPaFSOX82OLidEX_cuEL048kmkbHcywD65rCaQfB5Lr48&_hsmi=365282762&utm_content=365282762&utm_source=hs_email

Expand full comment
Peggy Hendrickson's avatar

It was not unexpected. Narcissists attract and then explode. But I sure hope it helps to defeat the big bad bill.

Expand full comment
Annie Bear's avatar

I have spent the better part of two weeks trying to get my son's benefits worked out, and am in an impossible position where i need to provide information, but can't get anyone in the county to call me back. Some of the information I need to provide is on the SSA website, which I cannot access. Also, we just found out our kitty has cancer. Bad day.

BUT: this is GIVING ME LIVE. WE DESERVE THIS.

I am self-soothing with Bulwark videos. They are having a fine time over there, and it is delightful.

Expand full comment
Myrtis Meyer's avatar

I am not sure which benefits you mean but my sister was having difficulty with her application for Social Security benefits and we reached out to our congressman (Mike Quigley in Chicago). This is considered constituent services and they are supposed to help. Quigley's office was wonderful and my sister got her benefits. Good luck!

Expand full comment
KBH's avatar

So sorry for all your troubles with your son's benefits; and now the cancer diagnosis for your kitty! But hope today's news soothes your soul and give you a sense that karma/justice sometimes end up in the right place.

Expand full comment
BeeBeeinNYC's avatar

So, sorry, Annie. Many families I work with expend endless resources fighting for their kids (old and young). Esp as parents age, there are fears about who will do this sort of advocacy for their loved ones. Hang in there. Be good to yourself.

Expand full comment
Annie Bear's avatar

That’s so kind of you. I expressed this fear to the social worker doing his evaluation for waiver services and she said, “You should probably just get him a guardianship when you’re old because the county won’t be able to help him.”

Expand full comment
BeeBeeinNYC's avatar

Yeah, it's distressing beyond my imagination as a support team member. I hear you. I deal with it all the time. I have several cases where the parents, some in their 70s, who are instrumental in managing the benefits of their "kids" -- even those "kids" who are living in their own apartments or who are considered "self-advocates" -- struggle to ensure a future that maintains a semblance of independent living. It's difficult, expensive, and resource-consuming in the best of times.

Expand full comment
BeeBeeinNYC's avatar

I don't know how it works in your state, but you should check with your Care Coordinator/Agency about assistance with legal fees associated with guardianship.

Expand full comment
Bryn Thenell's avatar

I believe we are seeing the first of many implosions in Trump’s circle. I can only hope this sets off a cascade of damage and defections leading not only to the failure of the awful bill but of the whole GOP strategy. I think Simon’s comment about people not wanting to have buyer’s remorse right away and not wanting to feel stupid is prescient. They have now had enough time to see that they made a bad deal and will abandon him because they now stand to be hurt. This gives me renewed hope and energy to keep fighting.

Expand full comment
Bea's avatar
2dEdited

It is interesting that the data harvesting guy guy who probably has all the receipts on the whole party is standing here with the gas can and just threw the match.

Expand full comment
Lyn Rucker's avatar

While there is much to be celebrated as this clown vs. drug addict embarrassment unfolds, it is a distraction from the real issues. At least one question becomes, ‘how do we capitalize on this fight in a way that has long term measurable negative impact in areas which actually help, not entertain, people?’

Expand full comment
Simon Rosenberg's avatar

Lyn, with respect, 1) this is not a distraction, it is an event that is seriously undermining Trump's ability to govern 2) the whole point of my post was to encourage all of us to double down on using this to kill the reconciliation bill. It's as if you didn't actually read the post.

Expand full comment
Lyn Rucker's avatar

I did read your post and, as always, agree with your focus. I have been properly slapped.

Expand full comment
Emily H's avatar
2dEdited

Lyn, for what it's worth, I, too thought about "distraction" as in, Don't let this sideshow distract us from playing our hand toward the main gig, which is to take down this MAGA Death Bill. Simon's point is, I think, that the boys' tantrum is damaging to Trump and to the Bill and so is germane to our fight against both, hence not a distraction in the usual sense of Trump's distractions.

Expand full comment
Simon Rosenberg's avatar

Yes, this is not a distraction. It is a seminal and serious event in the early Trump 2nd term.

Expand full comment
Emily H's avatar

Totally!

Expand full comment
Gaylen Morgan's avatar

Calling everyday again. Took a break for a while. Does anyone have thoughts on Resistbot? I tried it out with a few letters last week but don’t know if its effectiveness is reduced by its identity as a bot!😆

Expand full comment
Jayne M's avatar

Have not used that but 5 Calls app is helpful.

Expand full comment