(Are we? —Toys R’ Us might disagree)
Inmates at Helm
Misters M and T (& Co), and A Streak that Crosses Aisles
MUSK Contributions to Donald Trump
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Musk Personal contribution
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$130 million+
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Musk “America PAC”
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$200 million+
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US Government Contributions to Musk
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$21 billion
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Promised or Awarded
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Since 2008 (still flowing-Feb 2025)
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$76.7 million
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Promised
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Since 47th’s Inauguration
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WHAT FOR
National Aeronautics and Space Administration: “Flying NASA to the moon” US government-exorbitantly funds, via “federal contracts,” Elon Musk’s “private space company… ‘SpaceX.’”
Since the start of recordkeeping in this area, money promised to SpaceX
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PROMISED in US government contracts, research grants, and other forms of
public assistance
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$20.7 billion
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|
|
|
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NASA (contracts with) in above
promised
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$14.6 billion
|
|
|
|
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PROJECTED (if NASA exercises all options in every contract
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$56.4 billion
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|
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|
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US government Paid out to date
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$8.7 billion
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US Government in Debt to Musk
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US Government in Debt to
Musk
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US Department of Defense (promised) contracts
with Musk’s SpaceX
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$5.6 billion
Up to max future payout $32.8 billion
|
|
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US Department of State subsidiary US
Agency for International Development (USAID) PROMISED TO Musk’s SpaceX
subsidiary Starlink
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(circa) $2.3 million
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US Department of Commerce owed to Musk’s
SpaceX
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$1.4 million
|
|
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US Department of Veterans Affairs
owed to Musk’s SpaceX
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$578,875
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Money to Tesla Electric Vehicle Company Run by Musk
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US Government boost of Tesla
income via tax credits to Tesla-buying customers
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$3.4 billion
|
|
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US Department of Energy low-interest
loan to Tesla for help developing new electric vehicles
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$465 million
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US government contract with Tesla for
“‘armored electric vehicles’” (under current scrutiny)
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$400 million
|
|
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US government purchases solar and
vehicles
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$4.5 million
|
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(Federal data analyzed by The Independent)
Independent UK: “Here’s how many billions Elon Musk’s companies are making from U.S. taxpayers: While their boss takes a sledgehammer to federal agencies, SpaceX and Tesla are earning big money from government contracts,” writes Io Dodds February 23, 2025, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/musk-government-contracts-spacex-tesla-taxes-b2703141.html
US Government Spending in Top 50 Recipients
Source USA Spending FY 2008 through FY 2025 – Five area Recipients
*(Akb = Also Known By)
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$30.2 Billion
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LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP akb* 22 other names
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Five US Gov Awarding Agencies
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Department of Defense
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Department of Homeland Security
Department of Transportation
Department of Justice
|
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$21.9 Billion
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ROCKWELL COLLINS AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED
Akb 52 other names
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Five US Gov Awarding Agencies
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Department of Defense
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Department of Homeland Security
Department of Transportation
General Services Administration
|
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$20.1 Billion
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THE BOEING COMPANY
Akb 23 other names
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Five US Gov Awarding
Agencies
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Department of
Defense
National Aeronautics
and Space Administration Department of
Homeland Security
General Services
Administration
Department of Energy
|
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$10.2 Billion
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LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION
Akb 3 other names
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Three US Gov Awarding Agencies
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Department of Defense
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Department of Homeland Security
|
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$9.3 Billion
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LEIDOS HOLDINGS,
INC.
Akb 45 other names
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Five US Gov Awarding
Agencies
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Department of
Defense Department of Veterans Affairs
Department of Health
and Human Services
Department of Transportation
Department of Energy
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USA Spending dot Gov “Recipient Profiles.” https://www.usaspending.gov/recipient “Which Inmate Is Running the Asylum?”
Electoral Vote https://www.electoral-vote.com/
Trump, “Musk and his Band of Bros”
“With Trump, way back in 2016 (campaign) or 2017 (commencement of his administration), we kept looking for the underlying plan, the logic, the chess moves. And it turns out those things weren't there.
“We are not inclined to make that mistake again with Musk. It is possible he is brilliant in other domains, but in this domain, he's lost.”
An Infamous, Callous 5 Bullet Electronic Missive
People “who work for the federal government, either as regular employees or as contractors, are, by and large, loyal and hardworking public servants who—in many cases—left money on the table by agreeing to work in the public sector. They have families (and) mortgages…. They have lives. They are human beings.
“To make them jump through stupid, insulting hoops—like they are trained seals begging for a treat—is just reprehensible.”
The infamous electronic mail arrives and “quite a few high-ranking Trumpers (tell) their underlings to ignore (it).” Among the Trump-appointed high-rankers casting doubt on or putting a spanner in the bulleted missive are “FBI Director Kash Patel and DNI Tulsi Gabbard.”
The careless, callous creature then appeals to his would-be master (?) who then posts an apparent ‘I’m with you- keep pitching’ message via “his very sad little social media platform.” And the callous bulleted missive returns threatening immediate termination of service of those failing to respond to said missive. The sitting president’s I’m with you- keep pitching, my boy, apparently turned to
comme ci, comme ça or you’re on your own, partner.
His second attempt at support reportedly said something to the effect that “employees who did not follow Musk's orders would be ‘fired’ or … ‘semi-fired,’” leaving muddied the meaning of “’semi-fired.’” And post Trump the OPM messaged a declaration that employee responses to the South African’s “demands (were) optional”; and not responding “would not lead to termination.”
The consensus of opinion in some sectors, this writer observes, is that there is not only callousness and carelessness; but there is incompetence (and therefore weakness) all round.
Some “Trumpers have concluded that Musk is incompetent or … a threat, or both.” Moreover, the writer continues, the sitting US president has a habit of attracting and hiring incompetents” — as “he is himself an incompetent manager”— and questionable online content makers. The author cites the current appointment to deputy FBI director, a man whose salient qualifications are apparently “far-right, extremely whack-a-doodle, Trump-cultist podcast[ing]” heard to declare that “his mission is to ‘own the libs’ because they are ‘pure unadulterated evil.’”
The management incompetence and questionable judgment of the sitting president was evidenced in “his first term” which was “marked by all kinds of turf wars … among … underlings, usually ending in someone being (pushed out)”: vast turnover of employees and general destabilization or chaos. In his second term, “the turf wars” are seen to start “much earlier and are developing much quicker.”
Four is a long pull of years for a US President. And what happens from here to there is anybody’s guess. What is known, the writer concludes, is that the sitting president seems to be intimidated by the South African; and a general manifestation of the former’s character and behavior is spinelessness. “… Even as Musk steps on every toe in Washington, Trump doesn't have the courage to rein him in. … Will The Donald (eventually summon the courage to) impose some discipline on Musk? And, if so, will it actually come from the President, or will he send someone like Stephen Miller to do it?”
Stephen Miller, an influencer and hanger-on around media and federal government with seemingly questionable or extremist views has been in recent years a White House Director of Speechwriting (January 20, 2017 – January 20, 2021) and, serving with Jared Kushner, a Senior Advisor to the President (January 20, 2017 – January 20, 2021). His current double roles are United States Homeland Security Advisor and White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy (both since January 20, 2025).
“That's where things stood as of 2:00 a.m. PT on Tuesday. Who knows what the situation will be by, say, 2:00 p.m. PT on Tuesday?”
Source: Electoral Vote “Which Inmate Is Running the Asylum?” https://www.electoral-vote.com/ Money Plays?
Quid Pro Quo?
Revolving Door
Inmates Running the Asylum
Run amok
The Face of US Politics
Corruption, Chaos, Carelessness, Callousness, Calculated Incompetence
There is a critical difference between the Forty-sixth and
the Forty-seventh US President. And mind you, I am not one who falls in love with or holds membership in a fan club for politicians of any stripe. So, bear that in mind.
The Forty-sixth had long overstayed
his time in office. And, clearly, he was suffering a serious mental impairment.
Yet, foolishly, his political party exploited this in order to manage him. Impairment
(any kind of incompetence) weakens a person, leaving them terribly vulnerable.
Perhaps, also, he was corrupt, criminally abusive of public office. Criminality
and unethical behavior should be checked and reprimand, chastised or otherwise
subjected to the rule of law—not matter who is involved. But I believe, also,
that the forty-sixth was knowledgeable of public service and knew or should have known the proper role and functioning of government (the US Government). He knew
what government was supposed to do. His long years (in two branches of
government) would have taught him, firsthand, the difference and necessary
distinction between public service and private enterprise.
The Forty-seventh is totally
ignorant of that critical distinction and difference. In my view, he is uncaring
of that difference and distinction and has no interest learning, let alone or
honoring it. In his ignorance (ignorance also impairs, weakens, leaves
vulnerable), he is also arrogantly disrespectful of government and of public
servants. The forty-seventh is a private enterprise man, a buyer and seller of stuff,
a wheeler-dealer. A merchant centered on self: on getting more than giving. He
hasn’t a clue and cares less about Government of by and for the People.
Government, US Government, was not created
to buy and sell stuff; nor was it (or its employees or leaders) meant to be bought
and sold (or to preach a religion)—the essence and meaning of corruption,
breakdown, destruction of all that is of (We the People American cultural) value.
Government, US Government, was not intended to serve or
pander to special interests (and if it was, the system was also a work in
progress toward building a more and more perfect Union).
Government should be a vital servant of ALL the people—having the whole society
in mind, clearly cognizant of (and emotionally embracing) the principle that
the health of the whole society (society
as a whole) and government (up and down the spectrum) is dependent on the health and wellbeing of all the country’s
people.
###
PROLIFIC SOUTHERN-BORN AMERICAN WRITER DR. CAROLYN LADELLE BENNETT focuses on People, Press, Politics USA; Domestic and Foreign Affairs (no copyright claimed in direct quotes and individual image)
Latest book: Are There No Champions? Yes and No
Links: https://www.facebook.com/carolynladelle.bennett
https://insightbeyondtodaysnews.blogspot.com/
(live limited) https://www.bennettsareherenochampions.com/
https://www.xlibris.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/859250-are-there-no-champions-yes-and-no
https://www.xlibris.com
Email: Nolandanisland@hotmail.com or Authorswork@gmail.com
Gilded Age or Golden Era 
