Thread by @FierceNations

The REAL reason Tesla is above the law. A thread.

1) We in $TSLAQ often wonder why Elon Musk is allowed to get away with manslaughter, racism, fraud, etc. with nary a peep of criticism from politicians, regulators, or law enforcement.

2) We think government tolerates Elon's frauds because he's rich or "green" or famous.

But there's an alternate explanation. Elon may be a fraudster & a clown, but he has one core competency--he is a PROMOTER extraordinaire.

What is he promoting?

3) He is promoting a government-approved vision of a new paradigm in cars. Similar to new paradigm in computers and phones

Addictive, destructive, disempowering, centrally-controlled, surveillance devices

Devices that help the "Intelligence Community" monitor the citizenry

4) Tesla's new "vision" is of cars that:
a) Track your location & movements
b) Record your conversations
c) Can't run on portable, storable gasoline, but need electricity from central grid
d) Transfer some "autonomy" from driver...to car
e) Can be shut down remotely

5) Elon is too incompetent to ACHIEVE all of this vision, but he IS successfully promoting it

And it's a paradigm that the government and the military and the "Intelligence Community" really like

6) Cars are a last bastion of individual freedom: privacy, movement, association, etc.

Governments would love to see that change

Not because they're "evil," but because they're naturally power-seeking & want to know what their subjects are doing

7) The role of celebrity CEO Elon Musk is to SELL us this brave new world as something cool & exciting.

8) And amazingly, Elon HAS convinced fanboys that they are "high tech" "early adopters" who are empowering themselves with these "programmable" cars...

...when in fact, Tesla owners have given up a great deal of freedom & flexibility and control over their own transportation

9) While feeling "cutting edge" & "special," the lemmings are actually getting used to cars they can't repair, that spy on them, & that have to be regularly plugged in

And they're even getting used to begging the central office for help....via tweet!

10) Tesla itself may not "win" the car wars, and Tesla shareholders almost certainly won't win in upcoming dilutions & debt restructurings.

But Tesla IS popularizing "connected" "remote controlled" "data transmitting" "plug-in" cars. And now everyone is making them.

11) And THAT's why Elon Musk is above the law.

Elon is even MORE "above the law" than Jay "No Regulation" Clayton wants him to be, even MORE "above the law" than the Green New Dealers want him to be.

12) EVERY politician from BOTH parties KNOWS they're NEVER supposed to criticize Elon Musk

Not for racism, swastikas, fraud, safety violations, deadly accidents or wasted taxpayer dollars

Usually these topics are catnip for politicians. But they never even mildly criticize Elon

13) Summary:

1) Elon Musk really is "above the law"

2) Because he's promoting "connected cars"...

... a new transportation paradigm that reduces your freedom while increasing government and corporate power