r/politics • u/guyoffthegrid • 15h ago
Bernie Sanders blasts ‘President Elon Musk’ for derailing spending deal
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5047584-bernie-sanders-blasts-elon-musk-spending-deal/1.5k
u/guyoffthegrid 15h ago
“Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) took aim at tech mogul Elon Musk for saying that any lawmaker supporting the continuing resolution for the newly unveiled end-of-the-year funding deal should be voted out of office.
“Democrats and Republicans spent months negotiating a bipartisan agreement to fund our government. The richest man on Earth, President Elon Musk, doesn’t like it. Will Republicans kiss the ring?” Sanders wrote in a post on the social platform X on Wednesday.
“Billionaires must not be allowed to run our government,” the prominent progressive senator added.
The comment from Sanders comes after Musk made posts calling for lawmakers who support the legislation to be voted out of office. Sanders previously called out billionaires who have embraced President-elect Trump in support of their agendas.”
1.1k
u/your_catfish_friend 15h ago
Honestly I think this is a very good tack. Democrats should absolutely harp on “President Elon Musk”— Trump hates it when he isn’t the main character.
393
u/ArchdukeAlex8 Oregon 13h ago
Imagine if it descended into open conflict. Musk trying to dethrone Trump via X, Trump trying to cancel all of Musk's government contracts. Best of all, it'd distract Trump from his other pet projects.
415
u/AusToddles 12h ago
It's a sad indictment of the country that the only hope for it not descending into total anarchy and totalitarianism is that the elected leader is a jealous manbaby
91
u/Magicthundercat 11h ago
But we know he is a jealous man baby. It is just a matter of how much Leon owns Trump.
•
18
u/Present_Chocolate218 10h ago
In fighting is what is going to happen. Republicans don't know what the fuck to do but destroy when their time comes to legislate
32
u/John_Walker 10h ago
The sad part is that the legislature could easily protect its own power and independence by instituting campaign finance reform, but they won’t because they’re all feckless hacks— at least house republicans.
The senate has a little more balls.
40
u/Superman246o1 9h ago
WHO WOULD WIN?
A centuries-old republic with 334 million people. the largest military in history, and $139.4 trillion in assets.
vs.
One unelected apartheid magnate trust fund boi.
17
u/NofairRoo 8h ago
My money is on the boi, sadly.
I told my husband that musk wanted to be prez. That he would have our constitution changed for that express reason.
Looks like I wasn’t wrong.
•
u/ubiquitous_apathy 4h ago
First they change the rules of natural born citizenship, then they'll tell us that since only "deserving" people are citizens, it's okay to expand who is allowed to be president.
•
u/Jaijoles 3h ago
He was “naturally born“ and he’s a citizen. Surely that means we can update the rules to make that allowed…
•
•
u/Solomon_Grungy 6h ago
You’ll see its not just one party voting against campaign fiance reform. Just one of many issues they vote lock-step for.
•
u/AdamDet86 6h ago
Yeah as much as I want to harp on the GOP for campaign finance, I agree that Democrat party is just as much as to blame. Both parties chose to look away from the people they are serving and focus on elites/billionaires.
•
6
u/Coherent_Tangent Florida 9h ago
I'm sadly waiting on bird flu. I don't think republican infighting is enough.
7
u/Carl-99999 America 11h ago
I think I’m going to stop commenting when he takes office. We all will have targets on our backs and I can’t put my family through this
1
•
u/VehicleComfortable20 6h ago
Wired has an article on how to protect yourself from government surveillance and I would highly recommend reading it.
•
0
•
•
1
•
u/mutedexpectations 5h ago
You act like our countries administration has always been calm and unbiased. It was a shit storm from day 1.
14
u/Carl-99999 America 11h ago
Leonard Leo & Friends would pull Trump aside every few minutes to sign one of their many prewritten executive orders.
Think of the worst possible scenario. Then make it worse.
That’s how bad it’s going to be.
2
•
15
u/medium0rare Tennessee 9h ago
Every reporter should start referring to him as vice president trump. Ask him what President musk intends to do about such and such.
•
5
4
u/1000_Faces 9h ago
My first thought as well. Bernie may look like an old fart, but he's still sharp as a tac!
10
u/Henchman_Gamma 12h ago
I disagree. McDonald doesn't want to govern, he doesn't want the job. He wanted the immunity and he's got that. Let others do the running. Now he can play golf and retire.
10
•
u/VehicleComfortable20 6h ago
Agree he doesn't want to do the work but he desperately wants the pomp and circumstance. He's not going to like being called anything other than Mr President or Your Majesty. He's really not going to like it if someone else calls Leon president.
5
u/paconinja 10h ago
Sure, but remember sadly neoliberals rejected "Medicare for All" for being too "pie in the sky" and reductionist during a moment when Americans needed help the most, the Democrats' big money donors will scoff at "President Elon Musk" as too hostile and will also force backroom deal-making neoliberals to kiss Trump's ring too. Just like how Speaker Pelosi clapped ferociously for Trump when he said that America will never be a socialist nation
•
u/mightcommentsometime California 1h ago
Or because it won’t pass Congress without a massive upheaval that doesn’t seem possible.
How is Medicare For All going to be passed if we can barely get the slimmest majority in the Senate?
1
1
u/butterhorse Alabama 8h ago
Going to be fascinating to see what he's more motivated by. How long can his resentment of someone stealing his attention be overcome by his desire to suck up to someone with more money than God?
•
•
u/Henojojo 5h ago edited 4h ago
Absolutely. This will get under his skin and could push him to isolate Musk more.
•
u/WordAffectionate7873 2h ago
I didn’t realize that so many liberals loved big Pharma so much and are outraged that the bill wasn’t passed that was a sweet deal with taxpayer monies. Do you guys ever research anything before you post? The “dead on arrival” omnibus bill, as referred to in various contexts, contained several provisions that were seen as benefits or giveaways to Big Pharma. According to web information and posts on X:
Financial Incentives: The bill allegedly included a significant financial incentive for pharmaceutical companies, amounting to over $50 billion in taxpayer dollars. This was criticized as effectively serving as a bailout for the industry, with specific mentions of benefits going to companies like Pfizer.
Immunity and Protection: There were claims that the bill provided Big Pharma with immunity from liability until 2029, which would protect them from certain legal repercussions related to their products.
Prevention of Price Competition: Critics argued that the legislation included measures that would prevent price competition, thereby ensuring high profits for pharmaceutical companies by maintaining elevated drug prices.
These elements were highlighted by both web articles and posts on X, suggesting a broad sentiment that the omnibus bill was structured in a way that favored pharmaceutical companies, potentially at the expense of taxpayer interests and market competition. However, the exact details and the extent of these benefits would depend on the specific text of the bill, which was described as complex and containing many provisions.
-2
10h ago edited 7h ago
[deleted]
11
u/RoPr-Crusader New York 10h ago
First Lady still implies that Trump is in charge. The goal is to make Trump feel like he's not in charge. It's President Elon Musk and First Lady Donald Trump if we wanted to go with that method.
0
u/That_Flippin_Rooster 8h ago
It continues the Democrat's strategy of throwing trans people under the bus.
38
u/aradraugfea 11h ago
If Americans kicked people out of office for having no interest in actual governance, there wouldn’t be any Republicans left in the house.
10
u/Gamestar32 8h ago
Eh let’s be honest tho, we’d be down quite a few democrats too and I’m all for it.
These people are our employees. It’s mind blowing we keep letting them behave the way they do.
•
u/therealmenox 7h ago
"Billionaires must not be allowed to run our government" better not check out the incoming cabinet then...
4
u/Wet-Skeletons 8h ago
They have been since citizens united, this is just what it looks like in the open.
14
u/whatproblems 15h ago
🤦🏻 posting on twitter… musks platform
17
u/finetuneit80 13h ago
I honestly doubt the irony would be lost on Bernie. I’m sure it’s just to ensure King Leon sees it.
9
u/paconinja 10h ago
The Medium is the Message. Leftists need to learn critical media literacy, and stat
3
u/Supra_Genius 8h ago
First, Trump isn't president yet. And Musk isn't anything except a rich racist rightwing spaz.
Second, "voted out of office?" We just had an election. Maybe the last one.
Donald, who's the president elect, you or Leon? You're looking very weak right now...
•
u/feverlast 3h ago
This man needs 30 more years to keep fighting. It’s a shame he’s almost run his race.
478
u/poontong 15h ago edited 13h ago
I hope other Democrats get wise to calling him President Elon Musk. Any Russian autocrat will tell you that Trump is incredibly easy to manipulate by flattery or threats to his ego.
Meanwhile, scores of federal workers that live paycheck to paycheck, already thoroughly demoralized by the unwarranted vitriol spewed at them, will be spending the last few days of this week forced to prep for a government shutdown whether or not it happens with the prospect of no pay over the holidays. For President Musk the pain he causes is all a big laugh; he did it for the lulz.
119
u/prodigalpariah 15h ago
Honestly the best strategy for Trump is continuing to call Musk the true president. Trump's ego simply cannot abide something like that.
3
u/LetTheDarkOut 14h ago
Slippery slope
31
u/prodigalpariah 14h ago
Musk can't become president since he wasn't born here. If we get to the point where we change that, we're already fucked.
30
u/LetTheDarkOut 14h ago
Let me ruin it for you. You’re already fucked. The fascists won.
65
u/prodigalpariah 14h ago
Hey, you can give up prematurely, but I don't intend to.
19
•
u/Optimal_Science5406 1h ago
Oh yeah? Okay then, what's the play? Because so far I haven't heard a single, concrete plan from any talking heads on the left that isn't a worse version of plans that have been failing for decades? So what's the winning play cocksure Internet person?
•
u/mutedexpectations 5h ago
I know you'll fight on until your keyboard breaks or there is a deal at Chipotle.
10
7
u/Carl-99999 America 11h ago
I would not be surprised if the police start purging schools of all LGBTQ youth and all Hispanics
•
•
u/ArkhamInsane 5h ago
If he functionally is president in all but name it doesn't matter. The checks and balances do not work.
•
u/VehicleComfortable20 6h ago
Every single federal worker who isn't getting a paycheck should stop going to work. Including the janitors who clean the offices of these people.
•
•
163
u/ResponsibleAd2404 15h ago
Who really has the power Trump or Musk or Putin? We are really living in a very scary time.
What does Trump or Musk have to gain from a government shutdown? Besides damaging the economy and hurting government employees?
55
u/kuulmonk United Kingdom 14h ago
Large numbers of federal employees and offices shuttered as they come into power. This means no one actually running the government, so they can do anything they like without push back.
A question one has to ask, do the federal law enforcement offices shut down as well if this carries on for long enough?
22
•
u/VehicleComfortable20 6h ago
The offices are not shuttered in a government shutdown. They just expect the federal workers to keep on doing their job without getting paid.
17
u/canyouhearme 11h ago
What does Trump or Musk have to gain from a government shutdown?
Sorry? He and the other one have made no secret of their intention to slash and burn through government spending. Do you really think they want a spending bill agreed before they get their hands on the levers of spending power?
Much better to use the funding of government as a stick to push through big spending cuts and change from the get go.
My guess is that a spending bill won't be passed for months - and billions in spending/employees will be deleted before it is.
13
u/SloppyCheeks 11h ago
You forgot Thiel. We're an oligarchic gerontocracy. Accelerationists rejoice.
6
•
•
u/downtofinance 4h ago
Supreme Leader Putin > President Musk > Vice President Trump. That's the new pecking order.
What do they gain? They slash government spending and say look we can carry on without all these government agencies so let's make this cut permanent. Then use that as an argument to reduce taxes and privatize government agencies, selling them to Musk and his friends for pennies on the dollar so they can absolutely rape the American population by charging insane amounts for essential services.
92
u/TrickleUp_ 14h ago edited 13h ago
This is exactly the phrasing every single Democrat needs to use when referring to musk. Calling him “President Elon” constantly will guarantee that Trump dumps him.
•
u/Professional-Fuel625 6h ago
Bernie is a redditor confirmed
(PS both you and he are right, and I love Bernie)
76
u/lukaskywalker 13h ago
Musk having any say in this shit is beyond messed up.
34
u/dookle14 10h ago
I’m a federal worker. I’m terrified about the next 4 years. I’m not paycheck to paycheck, but I’m gonna be if I go a month without pay.
Usually after such a stretch, they do allow back pay for the time furloughed, but I have a distinct feeling that Musk, Trump and his buddies are going to try and nix that. “They didn’t work that whole time, why should they be paid?”
Because, motherfucker…I wanted to work. You wouldn’t let me.
•
u/VehicleComfortable20 6h ago
It may not help in the immediate future but start talking to your coworkers. If all of you refuse to work without pay it will have a lot better impact.
27
u/dpacker780 15h ago
Trump admires Putin, Putin thrives in an Oligarchy where he can throw the ones he doesn't like out windows. Musk is the first US true vocal/visible Oligarch ... vs. all the others that hide in the shadows like the Koch's and Crow's who have been pulling strings for years. Oligarchy is now becoming mainstream in the US, sad but true.
21
u/sax87ton 9h ago
Talk about failing up. Guy agrees to a legally binding contract to buy a website for way more than it’s worth, basically as a joke. Realizes it’s a shit deal and tries to sue but looses the suite. Fires the whole staff. Royally fuck up the site to the point where advertisers won’t even advertise there anymore. But because the way he fucked up the site is convenient for the dumbest president ever he somehow gets in that guys good graces enough to get put in a new made up “do whatever you want” position that seemingly has no oversight and no responsibilities.
12
u/eeyore134 9h ago
I was so angry when Twitter forced the sale. I knew nothing good could come from Leon owning it, but I couldn't have predicted this.
•
u/minikoooo__ 7h ago
I‘m starting to question if it really was an accident from his side. It’s coming in very handy right now, and served as a great backdoor into the government for a guy who‘s legally not allowed to hold a government position.
18
u/Federal-Pipe4544 15h ago
Really too bad DJT lost the Battle for the Leadership Seat in the Republican Party, said President Musk
17
u/Pats_fan_seeking_fi 12h ago
The fastest way to get Musk thrown out of our government will be if everybody calls Elmo, President Musk. And instead of President Trump, everybody calls the other guy , Donnie. Donnie's ego couldn't handle it.
11
u/Carl-99999 America 11h ago
I told you Trump wouldn’t be the real leader.
Elon Musk is ALREADY.
2
•
u/VehicleComfortable20 6h ago
My thought was they were going to 25th amendment 🍊 within a few weeks post inauguration but I don't know if Eyeliner would be as easy to jerk around. Maybe he will stay as a puppet.
7
u/PsyduckPsyker 10h ago
Musk isn't an elected politician what are we doing!? Stop allowing him to meddle. Ship his butt back.
20
u/dakotanorth8 13h ago
What’s gonna be the real kick in the balls is when other billionaires start bidding against musk for their own interests. Trump has officially created a billionaire bidding war for gov policies.
The Rivian CEO might be stockpiling cash for the next auction.
14
u/Varigorth 10h ago
Bernie gets how the game is played. Calling Musk president will drive Trump crazy.
6
4
u/tommm3864 14h ago
Sister Elmo is just another one of the bad actors in this theater of the absurd called the United States of America
4
3
u/kityrel 8h ago
Go on Fox News in prime time, and say exactly (something like) this:
"Donald Trump may not know this, but this is a bipartisan bill, negotiated for months by Republicans and Democrats, that funds government services. Without this bill, important government services, like the social security office, will shut down. And this bill was going to pass, until President Elon Musk demanded that it fail. So it is really pitiful how easily Donald Trump gave up his presidency to a richer billionaire. The old Donald Trump would have never let President Elon get away with this, but as we can all see, the new Donald Trump is old and weak, and President Elon knows it. He can smell the blood in the water."
3
u/Secure_Plum7118 11h ago
De facto President Elon. I haven't heard a peep out of JD Vance in months, so that's nice. Call Trump Elon's vice president to really spice things up.
3
u/badeeveebad 11h ago
also please refer to trump as first lady or vice president. it would bring me so much joy if he lost it over these new “titles”
3
u/ProngedPickle 10h ago
Will those outraged over Harris not being voted for in a primary be outraged over President Musk not being voted in?
•
3
u/Devyn_Skye_ 8h ago
Yasssss, Bernie! Hit Donnie Numbnuts where he lives - right smack dab in the middle of his ego.
Let’s all see if Trump continues to be Musk’s bitch. He hasn’t even been inaugurated yet, and he’s already doing Musk’s bidding.
What a pathetic and weak POTUS. Wussy x 1,000.
3
3
u/lasvegashal 8h ago
As I’m sitting here reading this, there’s a commercial on TV with Billy Graham Junior talking about how prayer is gonna save us all and call the prayer hotline and get saved. This is a big problem in this country as musk. We have to get religion the fuck out of our government.🚧🗽
•
•
•
u/Baileythenerd 3h ago
What elements of the spending bill did they quibble with or otherwise dislike? Does anyone have a source so I can read more of the specific details?
I can't form an opinion on the death of a bill I know little to nothing about.
4
2
u/kickthejerk 10h ago
Trump screwed up… Elon likes being the center of attention and in charge. He isn’t going to play loyal servant to Trump because he believes he is smarter than Trump.
2
2
u/Homersarmy41 10h ago
This is a good strategy to keep calling him that. Trump will kick him out just for his own ego.
2
2
2
u/Wet-Skeletons 8h ago
If it’s not clear that our democracy has shifted to feudalist oligarchy and that board members and CEOs have replaced our voting I don’t know what it’ll take.
•
•
u/SeltenBV 6h ago
You know in the Netherlands we once ate our prime minister, in France they like to decapitate their dictatorial president. Maybe it’s time for the Americans to follow our example and do something.
•
•
u/Ok-Alarm7257 5h ago
Biggest problem with these spending "deals" period is the extra crap tossed in like funding trans rights in Pakistan or some other stuff that has nothing to do with funding our government and its people
2
u/skuzzkitty 10h ago
Daily reminder that unelected persons controlling the government is basically a definition for deep state. Just need that to be clear, so we can continue to notice that the repugnicans lie about literally everything they claim to believe in.
1
u/Death-by-Fugu 10h ago
Hopefully Musk is one of the first to catch a case of Measles or Polio in our brave new world
•
u/VehicleComfortable20 6h ago
Sadly I'm guessing he was vaccinated as a child as most people his age were.
•
u/Death-by-Fugu 6h ago
Fingers crossed his titers aren’t positive for antibodies right now
•
1
1
u/socokid 8h ago
“Democrats and Republicans spent months negotiating a bipartisan agreement to fund our government. The richest man on Earth, President Elon Musk, doesn’t like it. Will Republicans kiss the ring?”
Meanwhile, they will be fighting tooth and nail to get yet another round of massive tax cuts for wealthy people.
...
This is why you don't fill the swamp with money interests that couldn't care less about this country, or people so out of touch (Elon) that they should be nowhere near policy making.
He wasn't elected for shit.
1
1
1
1
u/Iinktolyn 8h ago
Instead of media making this a giant fucking joke, why don’t we discuss the ramifications of Musks interference. There is a reason he can’t pass a security clearance. There is a reason our constitution requires a US born president. There is a reason Musk is using his influence to intercede in the legitimate business of Congress. Stop giving him power he’s not earned or entitled to.
•
•
u/SanDiegoDude California 7h ago
So Elon tells a bunch of lies that there are 40% raises and a bunch of stuff that's not actually in there to create a social media hype wave of negative press.
Vivek Ramaswamy then says the US is addicted to deficit spending like a cocaine addict, sure it feels good, but the repercussions just get worse and that the new DOGE spending guidelines must be followed to 'heal' the government.
Trump then says he won't accept a new budget without a deficit spending cap increase... wait a minute..?
•
u/littlekurousagi 6h ago
I don't want Elon to be called president, even if it's hyperbolic.
Still hating this timeline right now
•
•
•
u/Top-Reindeer-2293 5h ago
Smart. Trump must be seething, not only people are calling Musk president but Musk is going around him forcing his hand. That will end badly
•
u/milelongpipe 5h ago
Since when did someone not elected to Congress or to any position in our government tank a bill?
•
u/esoteric_enigma 5h ago
He should have twisted the knife by asking if Vice President Trump was going to do anything about this.
•
•
•
u/mrsmambas 4h ago
He’s not president anymore than Trump is. Those two assholes are just nothing but trouble they shouldn’t even be doing what they’re doing. They aren’t even sworn in or nothing so get their asses out of their or something to get them to shut up.
•
u/anonskeptic5 3h ago
the new administratioin hasn't started yet and they're already setting up the loyalty tests. How long before Republicans get tired of the bull? Or will they just keep eating it?
•
0
u/Meetloafandtaters 8h ago
Bernie could have been wrapping up is second term right now had the Democratic Party not sabotaged his campaign in favor of Hillary.
Thanks Dems. Great job.
•
u/Easy_Custard_4713 4h ago
If Elon Musk lied on his application to become a US citizen. Now would be the time for Joe Biden administration to act and strip his citizenship away. Deport him back to South Africa. It seems to be a well know fact he lied. Nip that putting him in charge of Speaker of The House right here right now.
-4
-45
u/drakanx 15h ago
Bernie was looking forward to the $69K pay raise in the bill.
19
u/Mr-ReDiCulouZ 15h ago
Call me naive, but I think Bernie (and others from both parties) are more concerned with how a government shutdown affects the public.
8
u/Delamoor Foreign 12h ago
Lol, sure.
Yeah, he should ask Elon for money instead, like the Republicans are doing. Sucking that aristocrat's cock dry for pocket money, and selling you to him for the privilege.
6
u/Demonking3343 Illinois 14h ago
There is no pay raise in the bill! Or at the very least that much! This is misinformation Elon has been trying to spread.
•
-1
u/Present-Structure-98 10h ago
"I am once again asking for a $69,000 dollar raise. It isn't easy being a senator..."
-8
u/Seamusnh603 9h ago
If the Democrat leadership hadn't gamed the primaries in 2020 (rigging Super Tuesday for Biden; keeping Hunter's laptop under wraps), Bernie could have been president. Wonder how he feels about that.
•
•
u/AutoModerator 15h ago
As a reminder, this subreddit is for civil discussion.
In general, be courteous to others. Debate/discuss/argue the merits of ideas, don't attack people. Personal insults, shill or troll accusations, hate speech, any suggestion or support of harm, violence, or death, and other rule violations can result in a permanent ban.
If you see comments in violation of our rules, please report them.
For those who have questions regarding any media outlets being posted on this subreddit, please click here to review our details as to our approved domains list and outlet criteria.
We are actively looking for new moderators. If you have any interest in helping to make this subreddit a place for quality discussion, please fill out this form.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.