Naresh777/Shutterstock, CNBC/YouTube
September 3, 2021, 6:32 am
With high profile people across the country weighing in about the new abortion restrictions in Texas, one remains conspicuously quiet for the most part — Elon Musk.
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While Musk normally wouldn’t be one that the people would look to for an opinion on politics or, specifically, abortion laws, Texas Governor Greg Abbott changed that when he brought Musk into the conversation himself.
Abbott bragged to CNBC’s Squawk on the Street that businesses are leaving California and fleeing to Texas thanks to the difference in various policies. Of course, a rational person would assume it has less to do with social policies and more to do with things directly impacting businesses, as Texas is better set up for low wages and opportunities to take advantage of employees. But Abbott wants to tout his new abortion law as a positive, so that’s what he tried to do.
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“I gotta tell you, whether it be Elon Musk, who I talk to frequently — Elon had to get out of California, because, in part, of the social policies in California and Elon consistently tells me that he likes the social policies in the state of Texas,” Abbott rambled.
Musk did, in fact, relocate to Texas personally last year. His businesses are still headquartered in California, although Tesla and SpaceX have components in Texas.
People looked to the tech billionaire for a response, to determine whether he really is a fan of everything happening in Texas, or at least to find out what he thinks of the new law SB8, which bans abortions after a “fetal heartbeat” can be detected — usually just six weeks after conception.
But Musk opted to give a wishy-washy answer that ultimately gives him just the right amount of denial on either side.
“In general, I believe government should rarely impose its will upon the people, and, when doing so, should aspire to maximize their cumulative happiness,” he wrote. “That said, I would prefer to stay out of politics.”
Musk’s sudden decision to “stay out of politics” when he’s had no trouble going off about things in the past is troubling. And even though he seemed to weigh his words carefully, people aren’t stupid, nor are they thrilled with the lackluster response to such an important issue.
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Elon Musk is a right-wing fraud. “Prefers to stay out of politics” but regularly talks with far right nuts like Abbott. Sprouting cheap libertarian shit but Tesla is purely built on government subsidies and monetizing environmental policies. https://t.co/4PQYzu6lzG
— ©as Mudde
(@CasMudde) September 2, 2021
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Tech companies are born in CA and take advantage of our intellectual capital. They then move to the South for cheaper labor and lax regulations
— Ryan
(@Ecoguy4431) September 2, 2021
Of course, not every person needs to weigh in on every issue, but with something so important — and when your name is specifically dropped by the guy who signed the bill everyone is angry about into law — opting to “stay out of” it just isn’t a viable option. Musk’s half-hearted attempted at silence will likely only be remembered as cowardice in vague support of Abbott’s oppressive policies, because that’s ultimately what it is.
*First Published: September 3, 2021, 6:32 am
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