By Richard Eber
A few days ago news reports revealed “Angered by Elon Musk’s threat to move Tesla Motors out of the Golden State, the California’s Employment Training Panel denied an application from Musk’s SpaceX for $655,500 in state job and training funds.”
“In my opinion, given the recent threats of the CEO to leave the state of California, and everything else we’ve discussed today, this proposal does not rise to the level for me to feel secure in supporting it,” said Gretchen Newsom, a panel member and the political director of an IBEW electrical workers union local.
“SpaceX is a different company, but they have the same CEO,” said Newsom, who is not related by blood to California’s governor.
This is what the government of the State of California has come to. A union appointee to a State board, who does not create a single job, has determined that Elon Musk is not worthy of receiving funds (most of which are Federal), to train workers for a new SpaceX project in Southern California.
Who deputized this hack from the IBEW Union to formulate policy that might determine if crucial high tech jobs will be located in the Golden State? Is it Ms Newsom’s place to punish the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX for sending his workers back to assemble cars in his Fremont plant without approval of the state and county governments?
One must wonder if Ms. Newsom, who has been appointed to the state panel by Senate leader Toni Adkins and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, was acting alone in slapping Musk on the wrist denying SpaceX job training funds. It would seem that Newsom’s actions were done with the blessings of the Governor’s office. As proof of such a conspiracy, we notice not one peep has come from Gavin critical of his name sakes actions.
Even though denying the training funds to SpaceX was symbolic, it involved important policy considerations that can influence potentially thousands of jobs staying in California. As such, like the late Steve Jobs of Apple and Pixar, Elon Musk’s achievements should be celebrated rather than ridiculed by Progressive puppets who hate the ground he stands on.
So he is not the nicest guy in the world. Musk tolerates unions but readily discards them if they get in the way of his objectives. It is widely known employees of Tesla know that to keep their paychecks coming in, they must please their CEO. The Auto Workers Union, along with the State government, has a limited amount of power in dealing with Musk.
No doubt, he is arguably a modern version of Jonas Cord of Carpetbaggers fame; but who cares? Results coming from innovation are all that matters to this high priest of business.
Musk’s work should be celebrated
Musk is an entrepreneur whose vision and ideas do not always jive with the establishment or government regulations. SpaceX did not just launch its first astronaut in space by following the norms of society or protocols from government bureaucrats.
Musk is a gambler whose creative genius is there for all to see as his ventures continue to evolve. As such, the citizens of California should be “kissing his ass” to keep Tesla and SpaceX domiciled in their state. It is a necessity we continue creating much needed high paying employment in a shrinking market.
Having such priorities do not seem to jive with politicians in Sacramento who see themselves as annuitant leaders to be followed. They believe a socialistic big government model that punishes those who succeed with high taxes, is all that matters. These Progressives continue to assume a favorable climate, the glamour of Hollywood, and past success, will continue to resonate prosperity, no matter what.
Such a naïve attitude on their part has resulted in thousand of high paying jobs fleeing the state in recent years. The most recent refugee to join the “Bolt California Club” is Mark Zuckerberg. The billionaire founder of Facebook, is planning to move a significant part of his internet empire from its current location in Silicon Valley to less expensive parts of the country.
It does not matter that “We had Paris” if the economic foundation that has contributed to California’s past greatness heads to Nevada, Texas, and points unknown. What really bothers me about the sinking ship AKA California, is that so many people are oblivious to its demise at the hands of a relatively small group of leftist ideologues.
It seems more and more of our lives each week are being determined by unelected bureaucrats in regional planning agencies, Courts, environmental review boards and others who desire to make decisions for the masses.
Such behavior has become so prevalent that no one ever questions who determines when “Spare the air day” is to be put in place. Our democracy has been made into a modern day oligopoly where Big Brother in Sacramento is calling the shots determining how and where we live.
This is not what I desire. It has been my assumption we are a democracy in a Republic. How stupid? Recent history has shown with little Republican opposition in Sacramento, we have become a socialistic satellite State where progress has been stagnated.
The question we should be all asking is when will the voters wake up and send the likes of Gavin Newsom, Toni Adkins, Anthony Redon, Scott Weiner, and the rest of their confederates packing?
What will be the straw that breaks the camel’s back? Likely this reality will not come to fruition until California falls into a deep recession where new taxes can’t remedy “I’m falling, and I can’t get up” syndrome that is destroying our economy.
Richard Eber studied journalism at the University of Oregon. He writes about politics, culture, education restaurants, and was former city and sports editor of UCSB Daily. Richard is president of Amerasa Rapid Transit, a specialized freight forwarder.
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Citizens Journal.
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