Comment by dist-epoch

I think you misunderstood.

I mean it depends what kind of subsidy we're talking.

On contracts: Space X builds rockets for the government, fair enough, in a vacuum. Though I would ask why we're paying a private corporation to recycle NASA designs we wouldn't fund via NASA, rather than just having NASA or the Air Force do it.

On welfare: Corporations like Walmart benefit incredibly from the tattered remnants of America's social safety net, because if it didn't both exist and demand that people work to earn the benefits, nobody in their right mind would work for places like Walmart, because they wouldn't get paid enough to live. If nothing else, they would all die of starvation, which of course I don't want, but Walmart is also benefiting from that, albeit indirectly.

Misc: artificially low taxes, the ability for corporations to shelter revenue overseas to avoid taxes, temporary stays on property taxes to attract businesses to a given area, lax environmental regulations in some areas, and lots of other examples of all the little ways private industry gets money from the government they shouldn't have. Most of these not only don't "give something back" but detract from the society or the larger world.

And to emphasize, I'm not even arguing for or against here. I'm just saying Elon Musk doesn't want a small government, nor a large one. He wants a government he can puppet. As long as it benefits him and does not constrain him, he doesn't give a shit what else it does.

A short list of libertarian principles I'd bet a LOT of money Elon does not endorse:

- Abolition of Intellectual Property: Hardcore libertarians argue patents and copyrights are government-enforced monopolies that stifle innovation. Musk’s companies rely heavily on IP protections—Tesla’s battery tech, SpaceX’s designs, Neuralink’s research. Without IP law, his competitive moat collapses.

- No Government Subsidies: Libertarian principle: the market should stand on its own, no handouts. Musk’s empire thrives on subsidies: Tesla leaned on EV tax credits, SpaceX lives off NASA and DoD contracts, SolarCity was propped up by state incentives.

- Minimal Regulation: Libertarians want deregulation across the board. Musk benefits from regulation: environmental rules push consumers toward EVs, carbon credits generate revenue, and zoning laws often bend to his lobbying.

- Free Markets Without Favoritism is a Libertarian ideal: no special treatment, no cronyism. Musk actively lobbies for policies that tilt markets in his favor, from energy credits to space launch contracts. That is not free competition, it is government-backed advantage.

- Flat, Transparent Taxation: Libertarians often push for simple, low, flat taxes with no loopholes. Musk’s companies exploit tax shelters, property tax abatements, and complex accounting maneuvers to minimize liability. That is the opposite of transparent.