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Million-dollar checks, questions on sending federal financial savings to taxpayers, and the way forward for the US authorities — all in a day’s dialog for America’s richest man.On Sunday night time, Elon Musk spoke for roughly 100 minutes at a city corridor in Inexperienced Bay, Wisconsin, as he endorsed conservative decide Brad Schimel within the state’s upcoming Supreme Court docket election.The session developed right into a freewheeling dialogue on Musk’s ideas about the way forward for the US and the Division of Authorities Effectivity, or DOGE, as he fielded questions from supporters and bashed Democratic leaders.Musk stated little about concrete plans for DOGE, however gave People an additional glimpse at what he thinks needs to be minimize.Listed here are the highest 5 takeaways from Musk’s city corridor.Musk gave two attendees $1 million for his or her assist
Musk stated the checks could be made to “spokespersons” on the occasion, amid issues that his $1 million lottery would violate Wisconsin state legislation.
ROBIN LEGRAND/AFP through Getty Pictures
Musk, who began the occasion sporting a cheesehead hat, kicked off the discuss by handing large $1 million checks to 2 supporters.These checks have been controversial. Musk had initially provided Wisconsin voters $100 every to signal a petition opposing “activist judges.” That will additionally give them entry to a lottery for $1 million.However this was prone to violate state legal guidelines, and Musk later stated the cost would as a substitute be compensation for the winners to be spokespersons for the occasion.Wisconsin’s Democratic lawyer normal, Josh Kaul, tried to dam the $1 million giveaway, however the state’s Supreme Court docket declined on Sunday to listen to his case.The high-profile payouts underscore the eye being heaped on the judicial election, which is about for April 1.Wisconsin’s Supreme Court docket has a 4-3 liberal majority, and one in all its left-leaning judges, Ann Walsh Bradley, is about to retire — paving the way in which for a recontest of the state’s ideological future. The vote can also be being hyped as a litmus check for sentiment on the Trump administration’s actions in the previous couple of months.At his Sunday occasion, Musk stated the election would decide points like Wisconsin’s voter ID necessities within the 2026 Home elections. He stated this is able to, in flip, assist decide who positive factors management of Congress and “steer the course of Western civilization.””I really feel like that is a kind of issues that will not appear that it’ll have an effect on your complete future of humanity, however I feel it’s going to,” he stated of the April 1 vote.The Fed vs a Magic 8 Ball
Musk talked about dissatisfaction with the variety of individuals working for the Federal Reserve, saying he thought a magic eight-ball may do a greater job of setting rates of interest.
Scott Olson/Getty Pictures
Musk started answering questions from supporters, throughout which he dropped hints about his areas of concern for DOGE.”I feel there’s like 20,000 individuals working on the Fed? It appears fairly excessive,” he stated. The Federal Reserve stated it budgeted payroll for twenty-four,553 workers in 2024.Musk questioned the roles of these workers.”What do they do? And, you realize, typically I’m wondering which one would win for federal rates of interest. The Board of the Federal Reserve, or a magic eight-ball?” he stated.”I feel the Magic 8 ball may win, you realize, so then I am like, Magic 8 ball is lots cheaper,” he added. That comparability was the topic of a ballot he posted on X in November, wherein X customers voted overwhelmingly for the magic eight-ball.The billionaire additionally took intention at education, saying the US had too few lecturers whereas having too many directors. Federal knowledge reveals greater than 302,000 individuals have been employed as college directors for kindergarten to highschool in Could 2023, together with 3.8 million lecturers.Antonio Gracias, a non-public fairness govt concerned with DOGE, went onstage and led a presentation criticizing the way in which social companies and Medicaid have been disbursed to migrants coming into the US illegally.One supporter, who stated he labored for the US Postal Service, requested Musk if DOGE would look into his employer.The billionaire did not seem to have a lot of a plan to share — he requested the postal employee for concepts — however raised issues about pricing for industries that depend on large-volume native delivery.”Some firms are usually not being charged the correct quantity for bundle supply, and there is most likely extra administrative overhead than there needs to be, could be some protected guesses, I would wager,” Musk stated.
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He likes the federal government construction of 1776
Musk stated that if it have been his resolution, he would minimize the federal authorities to just some branches, just like the system it had at independence.
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Musk stated his preferrred model of the federal authorities could be minimize down to simply the president, lawyer normal, secretary of state, secretary of protection or struggle, and the secretary of the treasury — like George Washington’s cupboard in 1776.”If it have been fully as much as me, I would be like: ‘Let’s make it like that once more,'” Musk stated to applause from the viewers.The hit to Tesla: ‘It is costing me lots to be on this job’
A protester on the Tesla Takedown demonstration in Detroit.
Nic Antaya for Enterprise Insider
Musk acknowledged the hunch in his web value, a lot of which has come from Tesla’s inventory value slipping from highs of practically $480 in December to about $263 now.Musk has misplaced about $103 billion for the reason that begin of 2025, Bloomberg’s Billionaire Index reveals. He’s nonetheless $116 billion forward of Jeff Bezos, who’s listed because the world’s second-richest man.Musk stated he is conscious that his time spent with DOGE might be responsible.”The truth is, it is costing lots for me to be on this job,” he stated.”You realize, my Tesla inventory and the inventory of everybody who holds Tesla inventory went roughly in half,” he stated, including that his position in DOGE was a “very costly job.”Musk stated he is not certified to return DOGE’s financial savings to taxpayers
Musk stated it could be as much as the president or Congress to find out if cash from DOGE financial savings would return to People.
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One younger supporter requested Musk if he would think about sending checks to taxpayers out of the financial savings that DOGE finds, and when he may distribute these checks.His reply: It is as much as Congress or President Donald Trump.”Nicely, I assume we might should be profitable at scale,” he stated. “We have made plenty of progress, however there’s nonetheless an amazing quantity of labor we have to do.”Musk stated his work at DOGE would profit American taxpayers in different methods, like decreasing inflation or boosting the economic system.”A technique or one other, you’ll successfully be higher off,” he stated.
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