Your last text to me ended with the question: “Why all the hate for Elon Musk?”

I’m tempted to respond with a question of my own: “Why all the love for Elon Musk?” But that would be a snarky way to start, so I’ll get to that later.

My dislike for him begins with his antisemitism. I’m not talking about his awkward arm salute, which is open to some interpretation. I’m referring to some of his tweets and actions.

When he bought Twitter, he immediately allowed antisemitic, white nationalist, and other extremist groups to promote their views under the guise of “free speech.” This was condemned by the Anti-Defamation League, which stated that it is “indisputably dangerous to use one’s influence to validate and promote such theories.” He, with a touch of irony, decided to sue them for expressing their opinion.

In November 2023, he propagated an antisemitic conspiracy theory suggesting that Jewish communities promote hatred against white people. His comment in response: “You have said the actual truth.”

In January, he told the far-right German political party AfD to “get over their generational guilt” about the Holocaust and to embrace their German culture. On the surface, that might seem innocuous—but it came on the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day, and in context, it’s telling.

He made a series of Nazi puns directed at the same political party: “Don’t say Hess to Nazi accusations,” “Some people will Goebbels anything down,” and “His pronouns would be he/Himmler.”

On the Joe Rogan Experience, when asked about his salute at a Trump rally, he said, “I did not see it coming,” emphasizing “not” and “see” to sound like “Nazi.”

If that doesn’t convince you of his antisemitism, I say this with love: it does not matter. Your life experience doesn’t allow you to fully understand what it’s like to be part of a reviled minority. But I hope you love me enough to try—to understand how his words and actions make me, a child of a Holocaust survivor, feel.

Accepting him in any government role, excuse the pun, whitewashes these beliefs and normalizes ideas that are contrary to the cornerstones of our democracy.

Also, if he truly is the genius, you think he is, then he knew exactly what he was saying and why.

As a businessperson, I don’t hold him in the same high regard you do.

Let’s start with Twitter, which is in an industry I’ve worked in for over 30 years. Here’s what I know: U.S. user numbers have nearly halved since he bought it. Advertisers have fled, and though some have returned, the volume remains low. The average advertising rate (CPM) has dropped from nearly $6.00 to just over $0.50. A smaller audience, fewer advertisers, and lower rates equal less revenue. That’s why he sold it to himself at a 20% discount.

Here’s a question: if you’re selling something to yourself, why discount it? Wouldn’t it look better to inflate the price to show growth? He didn’t—because he was forced to sell by investors looking for an out. And he sold it to his AI company likely to hide Twitter’s losses within a business that will show explosive growth.

He didn’t buy Twitter because it was a great business. He bought it for power. He wanted a seat at the table—and that stroked his oversized ego more than a profit ever could.

Now PayPal.

He gets credit for recognizing that electronic banking would revolutionize commerce when he founded X.com. But after merging with Confinity, he served as chairman for just a few months before being ousted by Peter Thiel. He had little operational control, and the company’s success was driven far more by Thiel than by Musk.

As for Tesla—yes, he made it what it is. He led the charge (pun intended) for electric vehicles and pushed the industry forward. But like Ford with the Pinto in the 1970s, Tesla has prioritized profit over safety. Ford chose not to fix a $11 flaw that caused cars to burst into flames. The result: 27–100 people died.

As of October 2024, Tesla’s autopilot system has been involved in at least 51 fatalities. Battery fires have claimed 83 lives. It’s hard to believe Musk was unaware of these flaws. Like Ford, he likely ignored them because fixing them would cost money. That’s not ethical business—and it’s unacceptable in government.

Also, the brand is dead—and he killed it. Tesla’s core audience was wealthy, environmentally conscious, liberal-leaning buyers. Affordable models made it even more urban and coastal. But Musk’s politics alienated that base. Many owners are selling or even donating their cars. Add in competition from sleeker EVs, and I don’t see Tesla recovering.

To put it another way: the brilliant businessman shit in his bowl of cornflakes.

Now, a confession—you may not know this about me, but I’m a space nut. I grew up in the “space age.” Every Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo launch was must-see TV. The moon landing was one of the most awe-inspiring moments of my life.

I support funding NASA and space exploration because I deeply believe that government-backed science pays off. The space program gave us memory foam, satellite tech, scratch-resistant lenses, insulin pumps, crash-avoidance systems, robotic surgery, and more.

And yes, I’m a fan of SpaceX. Many of its accomplishments are remarkable and deserve celebration. But they don’t prove Musk is a great businessman or a decent human being.

SpaceX is not profitable. While The Wall Street Journal reports some profitable quarters, one good quarter does not a successful business make.

SpaceX has received over $10 billion in government funding. Some of that paid for services rendered—but much of it came in the form of grants and public support. So, if Musk’s success rests on government funding, how is that different from the institutions his companies often criticize?

The brightest star in SpaceX’s orbit is Starlink. Bringing high-speed internet to remote areas is a solid idea—and with 4.6 million users and $8 billion in revenue, it’s clearly working. But there’s a catch.

Astronomers complain that Starlink’s satellites interfere with space observations. That’s a private company using a shared public resource for profit. When a limited public good is used that way, there must be oversight to protect public interest.

Even more troubling: Musk’s refusal to allow Ukraine to use Starlink for military operations, allegedly to avoid escalating conflict. Maybe it was a nod to Putin—maybe not. But what if a hostile country (say, Iran) paid Starlink to shut down service in Israel? That would let one man dictate public policy—a dangerous, possibly illegal, situation.

Also: if Starlink is part of modern warfare, is its CEO a legitimate military target?

There’s no doubt Musk is wealthy. But does that mean he knows how to run a successful business? The evidence says no. X (Twitter) is tanking. SpaceX is not profitable. Tesla is losing its brand and market share—and it’s all largely due to him. The company’s best bet for survival might be pivoting to batteries… or replacing Musk.

This note has gone on too long. Blame the Brazilian coffee. But there’s more to say. Like why startup expertise doesn’t translate into leading a government. So yes—you’ll be getting another rant. Lucky you.