I know this is peripheral to the subject, but I saw my first Tesla a few days ago. Don't know which model; not remarkable looking really. But I can imagine EVs taking over the auto market, eventually, for several non "lefty green etc." reasons. But I would wait for a big mainstream player before buying one. Toyota is my favorite.

Ironically, Hillary has perpetrated the most egregious stock-related tweets I've seen. But, she's immune.

I agree. thanks for qualifying

I did not say that the ends justify the means. I define profit as revenue minus costs being a positive amount. Whether we are speaking short term or long term, if the primary motive for starting a business is not profit, then the enterprise is doomed to failure.

Excellent cause for firing... politics is not a protected identity in the US.

The NV is strong with this one ...

Thanks. I just closed business in Minnesota. Of my last 2 remaining employees, one was extremely Liberal....in the current context of the word. At times he would expostulate on "inequities" of all those Rich People, and how they were evil and owed "us"..... When i would push him on specifics I got reactions all over the emotional map. He made the mistake of expressing "they need to be forced".... My response was, 'You have expressed no knowledge of these businesses or their practices, only emotional innuendo without supporting fact. Now, here is a fact. You just told me it is acceptable to take, by force, from these others, because you say it is right. Well Pal, you just told me it is ok to take from me as well. Now, I have to consider if it is in my best interest to allow a thief in my business.'

I think I understand: making a profit honestly in the long term is often not the same as maximizing profit in the short term. Rearden didn't try to maximize profit when it was clear he had to sacrifice principles. He made profits on his own terms.

Word.

Thank you from a small business owner of more than 3 decades. The only thing I ever owed my employees was, agreed upon compensation in currency and time, for equitable time spent in my directed pursuits.

I'll disagree contextually. As a small business owner of more than 30 years my prime objective is to seek out and secure equitable relations in trade....the result of equity is profit. Does this make sense?

We can’t get new employees and probably won’t be able to until August 1

I didn’t realize he was so deep into the dole

Government has no business handing out money. Musk has the right to run his company as he sees fit. Why should he pay people for work not needed like the government? It's his to run and it is not any of my or anyone else's business what he does.

Assuming Musk's twitter account wasn't hacked, his tweets are apparently in violation of his previous agreement with government after his previous manipulative tweets.
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/hac...

Con-gress placed few restrictions on bankers who are processing the PP loans and banksters used that trust to give loans to large companies instead of small businesses that the program was supposed to help. That became clear and con-gress gave banksters additional $310 billion again without restrictions, merely offering "guidance" with no enforcement teeth.
Agree completely on the $600/wk bonus payments. Getting back to a free market will probably require armed revolution.

If he had done so without billions of involuntary taxpayers' support I would agree. He didn't. Tesla has been on government life support since inception. This year the taxpayer support program has finally ended. I expect a bailout will be coming soon from the global warming congress critters.
The government support payments are continuing for Tesla from the Chinese Commies. https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/...

I agree that we shouldnt subsidize businesses, period. On the other hand, getting a refund on taxes charged and wasted by government is OK.

The PPP program to make up somewhat for the government artificially forbidding me to stay open and make a profit (hopefully) isnt one of the worst things. Basically it doesnt give me profits, but just is an alternative way to get money into the hands of the workers other than unemployment.

The bad part is that no one who is unemployed wants to work until after 7.31.2020 when the free $600 per week unemployment kicker ends.

Good for him. I hope he is wildly rich and didnt waste money on workers who have no work but just a desire to get free money

Today Musk tweeted the share price is too high and it has dropped 11%. Good PR move for Musk in the media. Wonder if the feds will attack him for it.

Musk's wealth is a function of the Tesla stock price. Presently, about +1M shares are traded a day (which determines price) out of a total of +180M shares. In other words, on any given day, a very small percentage of the stock is traded, and that trading price is extrapolated to become the total value of the company.

Better to be the owner than the employee, hire yourself. Business does not exist to employ people. Nobody owes anybody a job or at any level of compensation.

So it just demonstrates that Tesla is a hypocrite - again. Thanks.

And your point is?

Without the billions of rebates taken from taxpayers Tesla would be out of business.
Honest businessmen get profits from customers voluntarily buying their products as Dagny's John Galt line did from Rearden Metals. Musk is getting his like Jim Taggart and the banksters.