A new proposal calls for halting federal contracts with Elon Musk’s companies. The Freedom Forward organization has launched a national campaign to get U.S. senators to block all taxpayer funding for Musk.
SUNJEEV BERY; @sunjeev_bery, sunjeevkb@gmail.com
Bery is a foreign policy analyst and human rights advocate.
Bery told the Institute for Public Accuracy: “This is a new plan of action. In the world of organizations that are concerned about Elon Musk, there are protests and calls to divest in stock. But there has been no clear call for elected Democrats in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives to fight to insert language in funding bills that would block any contracts for Musk’s companies. It just hasn’t been talked about as a possibility.
“This is an opportunity for senators to filibuster and block funding for Musk’s companies. It is also an opportunity for state legislators to introduce legislation affirming that their states will not engage in contracts or buy equipment or services from Musk’s companies, including SpaceX, Tesla, and other ventures.
“SpaceX in particular has a $350 billion valuation in significant part due to Musk’s relationship to [President] Trump. SpaceX has received billions in federal contracts. There needs to be a push to divest America from SpaceX contracts and to broaden the basket of companies that America relies on for space exploration. We need to end the dynamic where America is heavily funding a billionaire who is using his wealth to destroy the federal government. The U.S. is engaging in a suicidal strategy: funding the very person who is trying to destroy the government. We have an opportunity to cut down that valuation dramatically. Musk stands to lose a lot. We can start holding these billionaire oligarchs accountable… Right now, a billionaire clique is tightening its noose on effective government and free and open public discourse.”