Summary
Progressives criticized the attendance of billionaires like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jeff Bezos at Donald Trump’s inauguration, labeling them “billionaires’ row” and emblematic of an administration prioritizing the wealthy.
Critics argue the inauguration, funded by over $200 million in corporate and lobbyist donations, signals a pro-billionaire agenda.
Trump’s proposed Cabinet includes 13 billionaires, with a combined net worth of over $460 billion, and aims to push tax cuts for the rich.
Bernie Sanders and other progressives warn against “government by the billionaires, for the billionaires.”
Imagine if a big bomb would go off at that event. Would that be the end of capitalism in America, or would others step up immediately?
Now I know for sure time travel never happens.
How do you know time travelers aren’t billionaires and this is the timeline they created?
Step up immediately. It is extremely unlikely that any one individual billionaire is that much more skilled than the executives immediately beneath them that the corporation would collapse with their death.
Amazon will continue even if Bezos were to pass.
Kill the tsar they send another
Military doctrine is that decapitating leadership is generally ineffective. Dictators choose their subordinates for fanatical devotion, not rationality, so the next asshole is likely to be even worse. And if it creates a chaotic leadership vacuum, who do you get to agree to a ceasefire or the surrender?
I recall discussion about taking out competent second- or third-echelon underlings (like the recent Ukrainian assassination of the Russian general in charge of CBW) but I don’t recall any clear conclusion as to its long-term efficacy. I hypothesize that it can lead to a near-term tactical advantage, and it might have value as propaganda of the deed, but that’s about it.
I’m reminded of a story, I think it’s fiction just to get the point across, about a room full of monkeys, a banana hanging from the ceiling, and a ladder to get the banana. If any monkey tries climbing the ladder, someone comes in and hoses down all of the monkeys. Eventually the monkeys figure it out and actively stop other monkeys from trying to climb the ladder. Slowly, they introduce new monkeys and the new monkeys learn to not climb the ladder without ever having been hosed down themselves. Instead they will stop other monkeys from climbing it. Eventually you have a whole room of monkeys that won’t climb the ladder for the banana and have no idea why.
It’s a neat story and I guess what I’m trying to say is we would probably have to hose down the monkeys a few times
“If my thought dreams could be seen, they’d prob’ly put my head in a guillotine.”