Does Joe Biden have a problem with Elon Musk and his Tesla Motors juggernaut? It would seem so, despite the electric vehicle maker checking all the boxes, from launching the EV dream to selling the most American-made automobiles. Perhaps it was Musk turning Republican, or maybe it was the troller-in-chief making fun of Pride Month. Whatever the reasoning may be, as President Biden champions his agenda of ditching gasoline-powered cars in favor of EVs, Tesla is absent from the conversation.
Joe Biden – The Car Guy
Biden, the self-described "car guy," made a pit stop at the Detroit auto show on Sept. 14, highlighting the industry going all in on electric vehicles. Thanks to billions of dollars in government subsidies, the sector is now investing in a broad array of components related to going green, including new battery plants. He hopped into a silver electric Cadillac SUV and an orange Corvette while also meeting with union workers in the Motor City.
"We're choosing to build a better America, an America that is confronting the climate crisis, with America's workers leading the way," Biden said in a speech at the show. "And we’re rebuilding an economy — a clean energy economy, and we’re doing it from the bottom up and the middle out."
He also promoted the $7,500 EV tax credit that was included in the Inflation Reduction Act. Biden refrained from mentioning that many automakers raised their price tags by the same amount, while hardly any automobiles qualify for the funds. But that is ostensibly beside the point.
The elephant in the room was perhaps zero mention of the largest EV company by global market capitalization: Tesla Motors. Indeed, Biden has been ignoring the billionaire CEO since he arrived at the White House, refusing to invite him to a meeting of CEOs and refraining from uttering the company’s name anytime he celebrates the domestic EV industry. However, if these vehicles were his top priority, he would abandon his political gripe and showcase the most successful electric automaker on the planet. Even the president’s tax credits mostly avoid allowing Tesla to qualify, as only the Model 3 would be eligible.
No Fan of Musk’s
By now, it is clear that the Biden administration is not ebullient over the self-described TechnoKing.
Elon Musk (Photo by Michael Gonzalez/Getty Images)
It might have to do with Musk's comments about the president. Although Musk revealed that he voted for Biden and was "super fired up" about an administration focused on climate, he has since changed his mind about the president. His disapproval of Biden, who he referred to as "a damp sock pocket," led to his decision to register Republican. Musk has repeatedly slammed the Democrats' policies, such as Build Back Better, confiscating billionaires' wealth, and applying a $12,500 tax credit for automakers that only manufactured cars with union labor.
"It’s hard to tell what Biden is doing to be totally frank," Musk purported during a podcast in May, "The real president is whoever controls the teleprompter. The path to power is the path to the teleprompter. I do feel like if somebody were to accidentally lean on the teleprompter, it’s going to be like Anchorman."
The Oval Office evidently held a grudge, as it failed to invite Musk to an EV summit at the White House. Joe Biden also made the jab of the century, sending Musk "lots of luck on his trip to the moon."
"While Elon Musk is talking about that, Ford is increasing their investment overwhelmingly," Biden said this past spring in response to Musk noting that the nation is in a recession. "I think Ford is increasing the investment in building new electric vehicles, 6,000 new employees — union employees, I might add — in the Midwest."
It Pays to Be Neutral?
Do Ford and General Motors lean left? Nobody knows – and this is best in today’s toxic political climate. Indeed, being silent on politics and only espousing vague supportive comments of some cause du jour pays dividends in the form of subsidies. For years, Republicans and Democrats have extended taxpayer-funded goodies to the auto sector. But the world’s richest man openly mocking Biden and the Democrats will result in unintended consequences in the form of fewer government funds. Of course, at this point, does Musk really care? He made his fortune from ingenuity and government subsidies. He can say and do whatever he wants, which can be a dangerous level of freedom in a petty politicized world.
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