Hudson Wisconsin Nightlife

Elon Musk may not be in the same “rock star” league as Metallica or Sam Walton as far as corporate giving, when you look at it in context. But he did in a single year give $5 billion-plus. Those are the kind of numbers you get into when in the era of New Caesarism.

This is a man of not many faces but few, tethered to Tesla and to be forever known as its frontman.

And that rock-star see-it-everywhere not-just-where-staged face might be ghoulish-looking as a Marilyn Manson or an Edgar Winter, and OK maybe a bit less pale, possibly in both cases. And these days, maybe better known to all but core audiences. Or as geeky as in their western Wisconsin band comparison, the Dweebs, or if you look the wrong way when taking in the nationwide, Weezer. (But he does give much like Metallica, just not onstage, as the heavy metal all-stars are Major League when it comes to charity.)

Or that Tesla territory was until he spread his axes onto those with whom his ilk has spread the spawn of angst, those unbelievers in basically, democracy.

They would be the ones awake in the arrears of a new Caesar or set of them going forward — that’s what one conservative think tank is calling for — and piously promoting his reign again on this end of the earth, this time.

(At this juncture I must enter into, the point of, to those whom much is given, much will be expected, and should be received. We will get back around to that in a bit,)

First a further exploration of what got us to this point, as this is a new realm, bigger than those seen before in this century and maybe even the one before, of unbridled aristocracy autonomous with audacious authoritarianism and autocracy.

— The nature of the charities, although they do include a big subdivisision built for his workers, does not exactly make him in the league of a Sam Walton, but hey, you still gotta give the guy credit. He’s giving back to at least some communities, something some of his ilk has been criticized for not doing. Because just like Nickelback, “We all just want to be big rock stars … driving 15 cars … and have a bathroom I can play baseball in …” —

For every Caesar needs a right-hand-man and this time that is the Musk mel-man, delivering You’re Fired notices even moreso than his boss. Not content with growing an empire, and zapping the world, with his electric cars and the wealth gained, he now counsels, and indeed controls and commands — for now until the full political liability factor hits — the leader of the former free world.

But every Caesar with a confidente has his Brutus, a deed maybe done easier since Roman bars were open practically all day and night. (And do you really want to be ruled by a behemoth like a Nero or Caligula, even if a bit benevolent, if he turns drunk?) It turns out this wanna-be-Caesar might have an Achilles Heel in the political liability coming in the form of the brazen one, the one who might as well be bearing bitter battery clamps to the nipples.

That will shake up also the opposing battalions, even if they’re not Amazons, though Trump has shown only lust not love for women.

Some may be a bit drawn to No. 1, despite bad rug, but not No. 2, the big regulator. Even though the latter could take away his geeky and not with archvillain hype, looks-like-a-jaundiced Christopher Walken, and give it some stage presence. And also forgo the anti-glam of, I am Darryl, and this is my brother Darryl and my other brother Darryl.

The dough …

OK, so back to what it is from this man that has been received — and not via his being super-model material — other than pink slips, even if not at his auto company.

What has the richest man in the world done for charity?

It turns out quite a bit. But with caveats.

He just a few years ago gave just over $5 billion — yes the B word — to charities, granted most of them being ones that would also aid his causes, as in his company. (Although years for and aft not nearly as much, but still in the Bs.) Most of this did not come from writing out a check, something he and his accountants might have learned from Trump that it can be quite precarious to do — or maybe not so much so — since Donald at times had scant little money to back it. But Musk as easily the world’s wealthiest car manufacturer did, though still preferring to dish out the dole via the form of things like stock options, from things like his car company, or what amounted to as much.

There were other creative ways to go get the job done, and in some cases, even though he has been chided for simply being worldwide in the right place at the right time, with his electric car brand, these just showed him to be a good businessman. Like many voters regard HIS presidential boss to be — another reason to clump them together and term them Edonald — even though that opinion has been for years on the wane. The prime example that comes to mind with Elon Musk is building an entire large subdivision, and not cheap houses as this is far from HUD and The Projects, to be residences for large numbers of his Silicon Valley employees, although it’s not known if they were actual chip makers. There’s not many employers that can do that, a tribute to the success of Tesla, et al.

It is worthy of note that the year of $5 billion-plus giving came right at the time that Tesla really hit its stride with a financial foothold, both domestically and worldwide. In a few other years it was more like $2 billion. The nature of the charities does not exactly make him in the league of a Sam Walton, but hey, you still gotta give the guy credit. He’s giving back to at least some communities, something some of his ilk has been criticized for not doing. Because just like Nickelback, “We all just want to be big rock stars … driving 15 cars … and have a bathroom I can play baseball in …” Though Musk, as the nation’s and world’s leading geek, probably doesn’t have the needed coordination. But he has paid for lobster dinner, in lieu of, for many Wisconsin voters. Or at least that was the proposal.

However, there is the looming reminder of the sign outside the not nearly as lucrative St. Croix County Democratic Party headquarters, “Not paid for by Elon Musk. Not for sale.”

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