This article strikes me as a false comparison and condescending at the same time. Slavery was a top issue and the subject of legislation at least 4 decades prior to the 1860 election (Missouri Compromise of 1820). The discussion had been prominent in people's minds since the founding. Compare that today to the small group of voters who identity the national debt as a top priority. In addition, there was a North/South divide that facilitated Republicans gaining vast numbers of Northern Dems as well as other parties (Whigs, No Nothings). Even Frederick Douglass, who didn't really believe that slavery had a political solution, supported Lincoln. If you look at the folks who care about debt/deficits, they are predominately Republican voters. All Musk is likely to do is take enough of those votes away to put Democrats in charge again. How will that work out for fiscal conservatives? I would suggest about as well as libertarians giving the Senate to Dems in 2016 when they got Warnock elected to the GA senate seat. It seems arrogant to me to tout one's superior knowledge of American history to suggest what happened in the lead up to the 1860 election has any similarities to America in 2025. Even the Fed is downplaying the cost of the debt while they fret about tariff related potential inflation. I would posit the more likely scenario that Musk's theatrics, even though well intentioned, will get us a repeat of the Clinton victory of 1992 because Perot siphoned off so many Republican votes.
Just my humble opinion, but I believe that President Trump knows very little about the history of the United States. Unless he can somehow make a "deal" to turn a profit, the subject bores him.
Certainly, HAL is entitled to his/her/its opinion. If the Democrats have any say, HAL will probably be allowed to vote, too. 🙄
This article strikes me as a false comparison and condescending at the same time. Slavery was a top issue and the subject of legislation at least 4 decades prior to the 1860 election (Missouri Compromise of 1820). The discussion had been prominent in people's minds since the founding. Compare that today to the small group of voters who identity the national debt as a top priority. In addition, there was a North/South divide that facilitated Republicans gaining vast numbers of Northern Dems as well as other parties (Whigs, No Nothings). Even Frederick Douglass, who didn't really believe that slavery had a political solution, supported Lincoln. If you look at the folks who care about debt/deficits, they are predominately Republican voters. All Musk is likely to do is take enough of those votes away to put Democrats in charge again. How will that work out for fiscal conservatives? I would suggest about as well as libertarians giving the Senate to Dems in 2016 when they got Warnock elected to the GA senate seat. It seems arrogant to me to tout one's superior knowledge of American history to suggest what happened in the lead up to the 1860 election has any similarities to America in 2025. Even the Fed is downplaying the cost of the debt while they fret about tariff related potential inflation. I would posit the more likely scenario that Musk's theatrics, even though well intentioned, will get us a repeat of the Clinton victory of 1992 because Perot siphoned off so many Republican votes.
Just my humble opinion, but I believe that President Trump knows very little about the history of the United States. Unless he can somehow make a "deal" to turn a profit, the subject bores him.