Michael Straeuli

Attorney by day, gamer by night, full time husband, amateur musician occasionally, positive Arsenal supporter for life and child of God. My views are my own.

[Farai Mazhindu @FaraiMazhindu]

When you penalize the producers through confiscatory taxes and strangling regulations, the pie simply shrinks until there is nothing left but crumbs.

The historical data is undefeated. Socialism has never produced an economic miracle, it has only produced hyperinflation, shortages, and institutionalized corruption.

The moment you strip away individual incentive, you replace economic calculation with political favoritism.

True social upliftment is a byproduct of capital accumulation and free market productivity, not state enforced charity.

A country that relies on central planning to feed its people will eventually run out of other people's money. The math always wins.

[Maps Maponyane @MapsMaponyane]

If Peter Drury was in the commentary box he would have probably sounded something like this:

"South Africa have climbed a mountain few believed they could even see!

From the shadows of expectation to the bright lights of history, Bafana Bafana have done it. For the very first time, they march beyond the World Cup group stage and into the knockout rounds.

And the moment belongs to Thapelo Maseko. One strike. One touch of conviction. One swing of a boot that sent a nation into rapture. Tonight was not merely a victory over South Korea...
It was a victory over doubt. Over distance. Over every voice that said it could not be done.

From Soweto to Sandton, from Mthatha to Musina, a country dares to dream a little bigger. The world has heard the sound of South African belief once more.

Bafana Bafana are not going home... They are making history!

Halala, South Africa, Halala!" 🇿🇦

#FIFAWorldCup #BafanaBafana

[U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of South Africa @USAmbRSA]

Deputy President Mashatile in Beijing. Iran's Deputy FM in Pretoria. Same week. South Africa can't claim the mantle of non-alignment while actively courting America's adversaries. These are choices, and they speak for themselves.

[Richard Wilkinson @wilkinsoncape]

Sigh… the left wing South African press just won’t let Helen have a win on her fight against Wokeness.

They won’t acknowledge that it was wrong. That it caused damage. That Helen was right to fight it.

The truth is that Wokeness poisoned our society and crippled our politics.

[Seth Dillon @SethDillon]

Manufacturing a deadly virus only to turn around and play the hero who saves the world from it — that's what supervillains do in movies and comics.

[Elon Musk @elonmusk]

🫡

[Benny Johnson @bennyjohnson]

This aged incredibly well.

[Mike Abel @abelmike]

I see the “liberals” are outraged and apoplectic over #ElonMusk becoming the world’s first trillionaire.

They are forgetting:
1. He is a self-made person.
2. It’s his money not theirs (oh wait, that’s why they going mad).
3. He is an immigrant that has contributed extraordinarily in:
a) embracing the values of the USA
b) created huge employment
c) brought unparalleled innovation
d) created exceptional opportunities
e) created massive value
f) built many sectors of the economy

And how they repaying him is with anger. Grasping for his wealth, screaming about disparity, and consumed by envy, whilst building nothing themselves. What an embarrassing joke. No self awareness.

It’s the entrepreneurs who create jobs and build wealth, and the philanthropists among them who create bursaries, build schools and hospitals and universities. Whilst all the socialists and “liberals” do is cry foul, and try to tax these “geese that lay the golden eggs”.

As someone who has worked at the coalface of poverty in many aspects, I am yet to receive help or donations from a single NGO or socialist. All the donations have come from concerned, successful individuals and corporates.

It’s all so unbelievably pathetic🎪🤡

[Zille for Mayor @HelenZille4Jozi]

They may hide it from you, but they can’t it from a drone.

#BelieveInJoburg #Zille4Mayor

[Mr. Star Spangled MAGA @4thOfJuly365]

I know how Elon Musk became a trillionaire, but I don't know how Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and Nancy Pelosi became millionaires.

[Brivael Le Pogam @brivael]

Gavin Newsom tweete sa rage. Le FT le compare à un méchant de James Bond. Le Globe and Mail publie un guide pour le détester. Tout ça le même jour.

Vous voulez comprendre pourquoi la fourmilière s'agite à ce point ? Suivez-moi, c'est fascinant.

Ce matin, Elon Musk est devenu le premier trillionnaire de l'histoire. Pas en héritant. Pas en taxant. Pas en régulant. En construisant des fusées réutilisables, des voitures électriques et un réseau de satellites qui connecte la planète.

Et regardez bien qui panique : ce ne sont jamais les ingénieurs, les artisans, les entrepreneurs, les soignants, les agriculteurs. Ce sont les politiciens, les éditorialistes, les bureaucrates, les activistes professionnels.

Bref, tous ceux dont le métier consiste à commenter, taxer ou redistribuer la valeur créée par les autres.

Leur terreur n'est pas morale. Elle est existentielle. Consciemment ou inconsciemment, ils savent une chose qu'ils ne peuvent avouer à personne, pas même à eux-mêmes : leur action publique ne crée strictement aucune valeur nette.

Tout leur statut repose sur un mensonge confortable, celui du socialiste bureaucrate : "la richesse existe par magie, le problème c'est juste de la répartir, et il faut des gens comme nous pour le faire."

Ce mensonge tenait tant que la création de richesse restait abstraite. Mais Elon est un contre-exemple vivant à l'échelle planétaire. Mille milliards de dollars créés à partir de rien, sous les yeux de tout le monde, en temps réel.

Chaque lancement de Starship est une réfutation publique de leur vision du monde. C'est insupportable. D'où la rage.

"Le système est truqué", dit Newsom. Non Gavin. Le système truqué, c'est celui où l'on devient puissant en distribuant l'argent des autres. Le système d'Elon, c'est celui où l'on devient riche en rendant le lancement spatial 100 fois moins cher.

Et voilà ce qui les terrifie vraiment : dans le monde qu'Elon est en train de construire, le statut ne s'obtient plus par la posture, le diplôme ou la tribune. Il s'obtient en créant quelque chose. Ils vont devoir apprendre un métier. Développer des compétences. Produire.

L'agitation que vous observez, ce n'est pas de l'indignation. C'est le bruit d'une classe sociale entière qui réalise que sa rente touche à sa fin.

Mais je vais finir sur un truc rassurant, parce qu'au fond je les aime bien.

Ne vous inquiétez pas. Dans le monde d'Elon, le gâteau grossit. C'est toute la différence avec votre monde à somme nulle : il y aura de la place pour tout le monde, y compris pour vous.

Vous êtes l'enfant qui pleure parce qu'il a peur de ne pas avoir de Kinder Bueno.

Respirez. Il y aura des Kinder Bueno pour tout le monde.

[Brivael Le Pogam @brivael]

Je vais partir du principe que tu es de bonne foi, parce que ton raisonnement est intuitif et que 90% des gens le partagent. Mais il repose sur trois erreurs factuelles, et ça vaut le coup de les regarder calmement.

Erreur 1 : la fortune d'Elon n'est pas un tas d'argent. C'est de la propriété d'usines, de fusées et de satellites. "Prendre la moitié de sa tune", concrètement, ça veut dire forcer la vente de la moitié de SpaceX et Tesla. L'argent ne sort pas d'un coffre, il sort des entreprises elles-mêmes, qui passent sous contrôle de fonds étrangers ou d'États. Tu ne redistribues pas du cash, tu démantèles un outil de production. C'est la différence entre récolter des pommes et découper le pommier.

Erreur 2 : "ça résout énormément de problèmes dans le monde". Cette expérience a déjà été tentée, en vrai. En 2021, le directeur du Programme Alimentaire Mondial de l'ONU a affirmé que 6 milliards de Musk pouvaient "résoudre la faim dans le monde". Réponse d'Elon : décrivez-moi exactement comment, comptabilité publique à l'appui, et je vends mes actions Tesla immédiatement. Le PAM a publié son plan. Verdict : ce n'était pas "résoudre la faim", c'était nourrir 42 millions de personnes pendant un an. Un an. Puis il faut re-payer, pour toujours. Le PAM avait d'ailleurs levé 8,4 milliards l'année précédente, et la faim était toujours là. Les ONG traitent les symptômes en boucle, jamais les causes, parce que leur financement dépend de l'existence du problème.

Erreur 3, la plus importante : tu cherches ce qui sort vraiment les gens de la pauvreté. Bonne nouvelle, on a la réponse, et elle est massive. En 1990, 36% de l'humanité vivait dans l'extrême pauvreté. Aujourd'hui, moins de 9%. Plus d'un milliard de personnes sorties de la misère en 30 ans. Par quoi ? Pas par la charité ni par l'aide internationale (plus de 1 000 milliards versés à l'Afrique en 60 ans pour un résultat à peu près nul). Par l'ouverture des marchés, l'industrialisation, le commerce. La Chine seule a sorti 800 millions de personnes de la pauvreté en abandonnant le collectivisme, pas en taxant ses entrepreneurs.

Donc fais le calcul complet. Option A : tu confisques 500 milliards, tu finances quelques années de programmes, l'argent est consommé, et tu as détruit la machine qui produisait les fusées, les voitures électriques et l'internet des zones rurales. Option B : tu laisses le meilleur allocateur de capital de sa génération réinvestir 100% de sa fortune dans des industries qui baissent les coûts pour tout le monde et emploient des centaines de milliers de personnes. L'option A soulage ta morale pendant 18 mois. L'option B sort des populations entières de la pauvreté pour toujours.

La pauvreté ne se redistribue pas. Elle se résout par la création. C'est contre-intuitif, c'est frustrant, mais c'est ce que disent 200 ans de données.

[Robert Sterling @RobertMSterling]

> you’ll never start a rocket company
> you’ll never build your own engines
> you’ll never be able to use off-the-shelf parts
> you’ll never survive three launch failures
> you’ll never reach orbit
> you’ll never win NASA’s trust
> you’ll never launch cargo to the ISS
> you’ll never compete with Boeing
> you’ll never compete with Lockheed
> you’ll never make rockets reusable
> you’ll never land a rocket vertically
> you’ll never land one on a drone ship
> you’ll never reuse a booster
> you’ll never fly the same booster 10 times
> you’ll never fly the same booster 20 times
> you’ll never fly the same booster 30 times
> you’ll never recover and reuse the fairing
> you’ll never lower launch costs
> you’ll never launch every month
> you’ll never launch every week
> you’ll never launch multiple times a week
> you’ll never carry astronauts
> you’ll never replace Roscosmos
> you’ll never fly civilians to orbit
> you’ll never manufacture satellites at scale
> you’ll never build the biggest constellation ever
> you’ll never make satellite internet work
> you’ll never make satellite internet fast
> you’ll never make satellite internet affordable
> you’ll never serve rural customers
> you’ll never serve aircraft and ships
> you’ll never build a methane rocket engine
> you’ll never make full-flow staged combustion work
> you’ll never build the most powerful rocket ever
> you’ll never build a rocket bigger than Saturn V
> you’ll never build it out of stainless steel
> you’ll never launch Starship
> you’ll never separate Super Heavy and Starship
> you’ll never relight Raptor in space
> you’ll never bring Super Heavy back
> you’ll never catch a booster with Mechazilla tower arms
> you’ll never launch 85% of mass to orbit worldwide
> you’ll never change the economics of space
> you’ll never force the entire industry to copy you
> you’ll never win
> you’ll never IPO

Congratulations to @elonmusk and the SpaceX team. You did what countless people said was impossible, and you did it time and time again.

Today is your day. You deserve this. May it be a glorious one.

[WSM @TheJaundicedEye]

Ramaphosa is terrified of facing the impeachment committee. His account of what happened at Phala Phala is tissue-thin, implausible, and riddled with contradictions. He has never had to defend it against a raised eyebrow, never mind hostile questioning. WSM's column on @Politicsweb
https://t.co/eTX8YsSQ1A

[Joshua Meservey @JMeservey]

As far as I can remember, this is an unusual direct rebuke from the State Department of a South African government official's rhetoric, though SA officials and ANC cadres have broadcast hostility towards the US for decades.

What is most interesting about FM Lamola's comments is not the accusation that the MAGA movement is bigoted and violent--that's boring and predictable, as it's a standard line of attack from SA & ANC officials against many of their opponents--but that they're so unnecessary in a context where the SA government claims it wants better relations with the US.

It signals that FM Lamola is either 1) so anti-US and/or progressive that he can't help himself; 2) currying favor with a local constituency or a foreign audience; or 3) jockeying for position within the ANC.

Maybe it's a combination of all three, or there's another reason behind it. Regardless, it's yet another piece of evidence that the SA government isn't actually serious about better relations with the US. My best guess is that the SA government believes it can keep stringing the US along, making just enough (empty) promises to avoid further consequences until the clock runs out on the Trump admin.

[MyBroadband @mybroadband]

André de Ruyter's warning about Eskom is becoming a reality

Despite warnings from its own leaders going as far back as 2019, Eskom has continued to push its most valuable customers away from the grid with extreme tariff increases, while its costs have climbed.
https://t.co/otcL9y08SQ

[Acclaimed Journalist @Jonathan_Witt]

It can not be stated enough just how bad this messaging is from GHL:

- the FF+ is a natural ally of the DA, not a foe
- it is well known that the DA has lost support to the FF+ because of Steenhuisen’s behaviour, but this will not convince a return
- opinions vary but many consider Groenewald to be the best Minister in the GNU and not any of the DA Minsters. Attacking him comes across as jealous and petty
- the issue being raised by GHL was not created by Groenewald or the FF+, but he is trying to sort it out. Imagine this logic of attack being applied to Macpherson who still has no control over thousands of assets of state owned infrastructure, or Schreiber who has numerically done nothing to stem/reverse illegal immigration
- criticizing someone outside the DA for holding a “talk shop” is very rich when the DA does this exact thing often
- lastly is that Helen Zille will likely be the Mayor of Johannesburg by year end. Just imagine all of the things she will not be able to fix in her first 2 years - GHL just opened the floodgates on hammering her without rebuke

Whomever advised this as a strategy needs to be fired immediately, and the DA really needs to learn how to predict the future consequences of their words and actions better. My goodness.

[Zille for Mayor @HelenZille4Jozi]

Today the ANC asked for your forgiveness. Then proceeded to table an unfunded budget, in a city that their own finance minister declared bankrupt.

You be the judge.

[Premier League @premierleague]

A season that @Arsenal fans will never forget. 🔴