Sam Butler is our guest on KK&F this week, discussing his fascinating (and chilling) article for Drop Site News about Elon Musk’s shadowy, ominous plan to turn his immense capital into political power.
Watch our conversation below:
In our conversation with Sam about how Elon Musk amassed the wealth and influence to make a play for political power, he gives us necessary context about why this plan seems feasible in the first place. Elon is, in fact, following a path charted by people like Peter Thiel and other tech giants before him — the idea of organizing society around big, powerful tech companies and the political whims of the men who run them is not new. And in places like Texas, where Elon has moved both his personal residence and the headquarters of some of the companies he owns, corporations have far more political sway, far fewer financial constraints. This analysis reveals Elon’s strategic thinking as he moves his operations from the blue state of California to conservative Texas, enabling the companies he controls to exert more power on the lives of both workers and local communities.
It’s more than a little scary to think about where Elon’s power play is headed, and what degree of influence over society will be enough. Sam does a great job of taking us through how the political conditions Trump created have been favorable for Musk’s business ambitions and how their unholy alliance holds benefits for each. Now, as the election approaches (less than two weeks away!), our conversation turns toward the role Musk has played in the 2024 presidential race and, depending on the result, what his political involvement will look like going forward.
You can listen to this episode as a podcast when it’s released tomorrow on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, and other major streaming platforms.
