We admire the billionaires for their achievements. But we must consider carefully their advice, especially on social and political problems, when Democracy, the safe and protective heaven for the ordinary people, is at stake.
Many billionaires support the former president. But that does not mean we will do the same. They think differently of course. But they pursue interests different from, and in many situations opposite to ours, ordinary people’s.
Billionaire Peter Thiel, an early supporter and advisor of former president Trump, has said that competition is for losers. What he meant is that one should not try to compete with an existing business but rather build something new and monopolize it. It sounds profound. But does it serve our society at large?
Had Mr. Thiel’s idea become a policy, the automobile industry would have been Henry Ford’s monopoly with no competition from GMC or the Japanese. It would not be too difficult to imagine that the Pintos (the car that exploded and killed Lilly Gray when it was rear-ended by another car) would be everywhere today on U.S. highways. Mr. Thiel’s friend, Elon Musk, would not have become ultra-rich by building another car, an electric one, to compete with so many other car builders who had already been in business. So, Mr. Thiel’s opinion may be good for him and some others, but definitely is not good for ordinary folks who want to own an affordable and safe car.
Mr. Musk came to the State of California and received the hospitality and support of its people and government. From this nurturing society, Mr. Musk’s businesses had sprouted up and thrived, not just one but six or seven (if you count X, formerly Twitter) hugely successful companies.
Then he got into fights with the state regulators, notably the County of San Mateo during COVID. He has been angry with California, just like he was angry with Delaware and threatened to change his incorporating state from Delaware when the court there ruled against his Tesla’s compensation package. He has acted compulsively out of anger and impatience.
In July 2022, Mr. Musk said this about Mr. Trump, “it’s time for Trump to hang up his hat and sail into the sunset.” He said that when he was in a calm mood and clear mind. Mr. Musk’s support of Mr. Trump therefore has very little to do with ideology or his favorable opinion about Mr. Trump as a leader but out of his anger and frustration with the Democrats’ regulations, meaning laws.
He and a few other billionaires endorse Mr. Trump, but that does mean we should follow suit and vote for him too. We must take the billionaires’ endorsement or statements relating to this year elections with a grain of salt when we enter the voting booth this November 5. We must vote for the candidate who will fight to protect Democracy. It has been made clear by no other than Mr. Trump himself that he is not that candidate.
JOHN P. LE PHONG
