Billionaire Politics: A Danger to Democracy

Breaking the Sound Barrier by Amy Goodman

By Amy Goodman & Denis Moynihan Donald Trump was “interviewed” this week on the X social media platform formerly known as Twitter. The interviewer was none other than X owner Elon Musk. Musk’s questions to Trump were so deferential that End Citizens United, an election watchdog group, quickly filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission, calling the two-hour-plus livestream “a flagrant corporate in-kind contribution that violated campaign finance laws.” This event represents just one moment in a highly charged national presidential election, and highlights the increasing power of billionaires attempting to hijack the political process for their own ends. Elon Musk is the wealthiest person on the planet. The Wall Street Journal has published some of the most revelatory reporting on his increased political activity, especially his newly revealed commitment to helping Trump win in November. The _Journal_’s Dana Mattioli and colleagues wrote an article published in mid-July, exposing Musk’s plans to donate a whopping $45 million per month to elect Trump, or $180 million in all. “Formed in June, America PAC is focused on registering voters and persuading constituents to vote early and request mail-in ballots in swing states,” they reported. Mattioli’s latest article, headlined “Inside Elon Musk’s Hands-On Push to Win 800,000 Voters for Trump,” details Musk’s direct involvement in the super PAC’s operations. The article opens, “Beginning in the spring, Elon Musk quietly blocked out an hour on Fridays for a new pursuit: national politics.” “As early as a few months ago, Elon Musk said he would not be contributing any money to either presidential candidate. What we’ve seen is a complete 180,” Dana Mattioli said on the Democracy Now! news hour. “Not only did he start this super PAC with lots of money to help Donald Trump win, he is really taking on the get-out-the-vote aspect of the Trump campaign. He also had a big endorsement for Donald Trump after the assassination attempt. So he’s become a very big political player this presidential cycle.” She continued, “The super PAC is looking to get 800,000 low-propensity voters in swing states to the polls for Donald Trump. Elon also wants his workers in those states to register new voters to get them to the polls.” But, as Mattioli’s latest reporting suggests, Musk’s personal involvement has sparked chaos at the super PAC. With only months until election day, key vendors were abruptly fired and replaced with others drawn largely from the failed presidential campaign of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Since the outcome of the U.S. presidential election hinges on just a handful of swing states, the infusion of so much cash with a focus on grassroots voter mobilization in those states could prove decisive. America PAC’s efforts are up against renewed enthusiasm in the Democratic Party and the presidential campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. Democrats have their own billionaires contributing to PACs and super PACs. Reid Hoffman, founder of LinkedIn and current Microsoft board member, has already given $10 million to help Harris. He has also stated that he hopes a future President Harris would fire Federal Trade Commission chairperson Lina Khan. A Biden-appointed regulator, Khan has aggressively pursued antitrust cases. As The Lever reports, antitrust action might hinder Microsoft’s acquisition of an AI company in which Hoffman is heavily invested. Regardless of the sums that billionaires and millionaires drop into the process, whether transparently or as dark money, the election, ultimately, will be decided by voters. The Harris-Walz campaign is hoping that a reinvigorated base, with major support from organized labor, will propel them to victory in November. One of the nation’s largest and most powerful unions, the United Auto Workers, has endorsed Harris and is actively organizing its membership to ensure her victory. Following the Trump/Musk livestreamed conversation on X, the UAW filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, accusing Trump and Musk of “illegal attempts to threaten and intimidate workers.” Musk laughed as Trump praised his willingness to slash jobs: DONALD TRUMP: “You’re the greatest cutter. I mean, I look at what you do. You walk in, and you just say, ‘You want to quit?’” Elon Musk: “Yeah.” DONALD TRUMP: “They go on strike. I won’t mention the name of the company, but they go on strike. And you say, ‘That’s OK. You’re all gone. You’re all gone. So, every one of you is gone.’ And you are the greatest.” The UAW alleged the threat to fire striking workers was directed at Musk’s non-union workforce at Tesla. The UAW has more than a million members nationally, many in Michigan, a critical swing state. Come November, it may be the workers, not the billionaires, who get the last laugh.