Kay Cad

Curious skeptic.

[Brian Krassenstein @krassenstein]

A Message to Elon Musk @elonmusk and DOGE from a Mother of a boy named Max.

Please at least give it a read and reconsider haphazardly freezing funding on important government programs:

"Elon, this perfect little boy is my son Max. He's not a parasite. He's pure joy. Love radiates from him, and he has a smile for everyone he meets. He was born with a rare genetic form of leukodystrophy called TBCD that is usually fatal by five years of age.

We were filled with hope when the researcher our patient advocacy group has been working with at Nationwide Children's Hospital was awarded with an R01 grant from the NIH after our community pooled our resources to fund the first phase of her research to apply for it. Last year, she showed us some of her work in the lab that PROVED there was a pathway to a treatment.

It was just a few cells in a dish. My son's neural cells -- cured.

Right now, her funds are frozen. The grant that was providing hope for a future for these children with a condition so rare that private pharma would never have any interest in creating a treatment is what you're fighting to slash funding for. You might as well be slashing my kid's throat.

Any delay in bringing this from the bench to the bedside WILL kill children in our community - and you're laughing on X and calling them parasites?

Shame on you."

[Brian Krassenstein @krassenstein]

Dictators in History:

- Hitler – “The good of the state stands above the law.”
- Mussolini – “Everything within the state, nothing outside the state, nothing against the state.”
- Napoleon Bonaparte – “I am the revolution.”
- Francisco Franco – “I am responsible only to God and to history.”

Trump:
"He who saves his country does not violate any law"

[Adam Grant @AdamMGrant]

The purpose of negative emotions is not to cause misery. It’s to prevent mistakes.

Outrage is a signal to speak. Disappointment is a cue to persist. Anxiety is a prompt to prepare. Guilt is a reminder to repair.

Pain reveals principles. Where we hurt is a clue to what we value.

[Kay Cad @kcademaro]

@elonmusk @DOGE are you going to be transparent about how much taxpayer money is funneled to you and your companies? Also $16 million in 3 weeks? Is this true?

[Kay Cad @kcademaro]

@elonmusk @elonmusk you usually do not tell explicit,out-and-out lies but you do still lie. It’s the fallacy filled posts and memes you promote, it’s leaving out the context, it’s oversimplifying everything to fit your agenda. You do what they do. But you excuse yourself when you do it.

[Kay Cad @kcademaro]

@elonmusk The elected president elects the judges and the senate (also elected) confirms them. The system needs checks and balances. You’re upset because you and yours fully expect to quietly get away with whatever the hell you want.

[Bernie Sanders @BernieSanders]

Oligarchs are waging a war on the working class, and they are intent on winning.

But this is what I know:

The worst fear that the ruling class in this country has is that Americans come together to demand a government that represents all of us, not just the wealthy few.

[Kay Cad @kcademaro]

Here’s what Grok had to say: Elon Musk is often described as part of the "parasite class" due to several criticisms regarding his business practices and the sources of his wealth:

1. **Government Subsidies and Contracts**:
- Musk's companies, particularly Tesla and SpaceX, have received significant government subsidies. Critics argue that these subsidies are essentially taxpayer money being funneled into private enterprises, which primarily benefit the company's shareholders rather than the public. For instance, Tesla has benefited from billions in government tax incentives for electric vehicles, while SpaceX has secured large contracts from NASA and the Department of Defense.

2. **Exploitation of Labor**:
- There are claims that Musk's enterprises rely on exploitative labor practices, including allegations of poor working conditions and underpayment, particularly in the supply chain for raw materials like cobalt for Tesla's batteries. This exploitation is seen as a way to maximize profit at the expense of workers, hence the term "parasite" for extracting value without contributing equitably.

3. **Tax Avoidance**:
- Musk, like many billionaires, has been criticized for utilizing tax strategies that minimize his tax liability. His compensation from Tesla, which is largely in stock options, allows him to defer taxes or pay them at a lower rate, contributing to the narrative that he benefits from societal infrastructure and resources without proportionately contributing back through taxes.

4. **Environmental Impact vs. Public Image**:
- While Musk promotes a green image through Tesla, critics point out potential environmental hypocrisy or damage caused by his other ventures, like the space debris from SpaceX launches. The environmental costs are socialized, while profits are privatized.

5. **Monopoly Power and Market Manipulation**:
- Through his control over Twitter (now known as X), Musk has been accused of manipulating public discourse and market perceptions to benefit his business interests. The significant influence over media and information flow can be seen as parasitic by those who argue it distorts market dynamics or public opinion in favor of his personal or corporate agendas.

6. **Wealth Accumulation without Direct Production**:
- The narrative of Musk as a "parasite" also stems from the idea that his wealth accumulation largely comes from leveraging existing technologies, government support, and market conditions rather than from groundbreaking inventions entirely of his own making. Critics argue he rebrands or scales existing innovations, attributing breakthroughs to his personal genius while the actual development might be more collective or subsidized.

This perspective is often shared in more left-leaning or critical analyses found on platforms like Reddit or X, where discussions often highlight these aspects to argue that Musk's wealth and influence come at the expense of broader societal or worker benefits, fitting into a broader critique of capitalism where certain individuals or companies are seen to disproportionately benefit from systemic advantages.

[Congressman Greg Casar @RepCasar]

How much Elon Musk makes from the government a day: $8 million.

How much a senior on Social Security gets a day: $65

Guess which budget Musk and Trump want to cut?

[Kay Cad @kcademaro]

@SenSanders @elonmusk doing evil while pretending to do good, one of the things you say you disdain but your party goes at it full force.

[Sen. Bernie Sanders @SenSanders]

At a time of massive income & wealth inequality, Republicans in Congress just introduced a budget to provide trillions in tax breaks to the wealthy, paid for by massive cuts to Medicaid that will throw millions of kids off health care & seniors out of nursing homes.

Unacceptable.

[Kay Cad @kcademaro]

@elonmusk @DOGE Or , you know (you don’t), you’re just a person with empathy. Rare on this platform.

[Kay Cad @kcademaro]

Here’s what Grok had to say: Elon Musk is often described as part of the "parasite class" due to several criticisms regarding his business practices and the sources of his wealth:

1. **Government Subsidies and Contracts**:
- Musk's companies, particularly Tesla and SpaceX, have received significant government subsidies. Critics argue that these subsidies are essentially taxpayer money being funneled into private enterprises, which primarily benefit the company's shareholders rather than the public. For instance, Tesla has benefited from billions in government tax incentives for electric vehicles, while SpaceX has secured large contracts from NASA and the Department of Defense.

2. **Exploitation of Labor**:
- There are claims that Musk's enterprises rely on exploitative labor practices, including allegations of poor working conditions and underpayment, particularly in the supply chain for raw materials like cobalt for Tesla's batteries. This exploitation is seen as a way to maximize profit at the expense of workers, hence the term "parasite" for extracting value without contributing equitably.

3. **Tax Avoidance**:
- Musk, like many billionaires, has been criticized for utilizing tax strategies that minimize his tax liability. His compensation from Tesla, which is largely in stock options, allows him to defer taxes or pay them at a lower rate, contributing to the narrative that he benefits from societal infrastructure and resources without proportionately contributing back through taxes.

4. **Environmental Impact vs. Public Image**:
- While Musk promotes a green image through Tesla, critics point out potential environmental hypocrisy or damage caused by his other ventures, like the space debris from SpaceX launches. The environmental costs are socialized, while profits are privatized.

5. **Monopoly Power and Market Manipulation**:
- Through his control over Twitter (now known as X), Musk has been accused of manipulating public discourse and market perceptions to benefit his business interests. The significant influence over media and information flow can be seen as parasitic by those who argue it distorts market dynamics or public opinion in favor of his personal or corporate agendas.

6. **Wealth Accumulation without Direct Production**:
- The narrative of Musk as a "parasite" also stems from the idea that his wealth accumulation largely comes from leveraging existing technologies, government support, and market conditions rather than from groundbreaking inventions entirely of his own making. Critics argue he rebrands or scales existing innovations, attributing breakthroughs to his personal genius while the actual development might be more collective or subsidized.

This perspective is often shared in more left-leaning or critical analyses found on platforms like Reddit or X, where discussions often highlight these aspects to argue that Musk's wealth and influence come at the expense of broader societal or worker benefits, fitting into a broader critique of capitalism where certain individuals or companies are seen to disproportionately benefit from systemic advantages.

[Cory Booker @CoryBooker]

Trump is making workplaces more dangerous for workers.

He's frozen all rulemaking at OSHA, including a rule that would make sure that people who work in extreme heat are able to take breaks and drink water.

OSHA is the workplace safety agency. In his first term, Trump tried to cut its budget. Last month, one of his allies proposed abolishing it altogether.

Trump’s actions will put American workers at greater risk.

[Cory Booker @CoryBooker]

Elon Musk has raided NOAA, the agency that oversees the National Weather Service and the National Hurricane Center.

The scientists and engineers at NOAA monitor, predict, and communicate about the weather. They help Americans prepare for floods, hurricanes, heatwaves, winter storms, and more. They're among the top scientists in the world. And now Trump wants to shut them down, which will shut you off from the information you use to protect yourself and your family.

[Cory Booker @CoryBooker]

In Trump’s first few days in office, he made another move that will let corruption flourish in his White House.

He got rid of something called Executive Order 13989: Ethics Commitments by Executive Branch Personnel.

It barred political appointees in the government from accepting gifts from lobbyists, taking cash from former employers while serving in the government, or leaving their job in the government and then showing up the next day as a lobbyist to influence their former coworkers.

[Cory Booker @CoryBooker]

They claim that America's consumer protection agency is "a woke and weaponized agency against disfavored industries and individuals."

This is a lie. CFPB sues scammers, fraudsters, and predatory lenders who get rich by exploiting people. It's returned about $20 billion to Americans who've been cheated – and it stops bad actors from targeting you and your family.

[Cory Booker @CoryBooker]

They claim that our leading foreign aid agency is a "criminal organization." 

This is a lie. USAID was established by JFK and a bipartisan act of Congress.

It protects our national security by:
1️⃣ Addressing instability in regions where terrorism can thrive
2️⃣ Responding to crises that drive mass migration and destabilize neighboring countries
3️⃣ Preventing the spread of infectious diseases before they reach our shores.

It's less than 1% of the federal budget. Even Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it “essential to our national security.”

[Cory Booker @CoryBooker]

Donald Trump and Elon Musk want you to believe that they're brave and noble truth-tellers who are taking on a corrupt system to protect you from harm.

They're not.

They're corrupt billionaires who are trying to consolidate their own power by lying to you and hoping you won't notice. Don't let them.