Staff Reports
Liz Peek suggests that President Biden is waging a war against Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX. According to Peek, Biden is using multiple government agencies, including the Department of Justice, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Federal Trade Commission, to investigate and harass Musk. The motivation behind this, Peek argues, is Musk’s criticism of Biden and his support for free speech.
Biden’s war on Musk, Ohtani’s sweet tax scheme and other commentary https://t.co/7cACOqwzvp pic.twitter.com/Sn6bStT2pc
— NY Post Opinion (@NYPostOpinion) December 18, 2023
Peek also highlights the government’s decision to deem Musk’s satellite internet provider, Starlink, ineligible for $885 million in subsidies. This move is based on doubts about Starlink’s ability to provide rural broadband coverage, despite the fact that it has been successful in doing so worldwide. Peek suggests that this is just another example of the Biden administration trying to punish Musk for his outspoken views.
Moving on from Biden’s so-called war on Musk, Carol Swain at The Wall Street Journal criticizes Harvard for standing by its president, Claudine Gay, despite her disastrous congressional testimony and allegations of plagiarism. Swain, who claims to be a victim of Gay’s lack of proper citation, laments the harm that this type of behavior can cause in academia. She argues that Gay’s tenure and administrative advancements were achieved through mediocre research lacking originality, which only serves to undermine the achievements of hardworking scholars.
Meanwhile, in New York, Governor Hochul is contemplating a bill that would severely limit the ability of local officials to discipline public employees. Ken Girardin from the Empire Center warns that this could have severe consequences for public services, potentially leading to tragic outcomes. Girardin points out that the current tenure rules for teachers in the state already make it extremely difficult to fire tenured teachers, and extending similar protections to other public workers could exacerbate the problem.
Lastly, Reason’s Eric Boehm dives into the world of baseball contracts and taxes, highlighting Los Angeles Dodgers player Shohei Ohtani’s deal. Ohtani has signed a contract worth $70 million, with $2 million being paid to him each year for the next 10 years, and the remaining $68 million being deferred for a decade. Boehm explains that the motivation behind this arrangement is California’s high state income tax rates. By deferring the majority of his salary, Ohtani could potentially save up to $98 million if he relocates out of California by 2034. Additionally, the Dodgers might also benefit by reducing their own tax burden and avoiding the MLB’s luxury tax.
