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Drudge Retort: The Other Side of the News
Tuesday, January 28, 2025

"It's really insane that he can destabilize the political situations in countries," Gates said in an interview with the UK newspaper The Times published Saturday.

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Bill Gates calls Elon Musk's embrace of far-right politicians abroad 'insane shit'

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-- The Guardian (@theguardian.com) January 27, 2025 at 12:38 PM

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Musk has become increasingly vocal about his views on UK and German politics in recent weeks.

And on Saturday, Musk spoke virtually at a campaign rally for the Alternative for Germany, Germany's far-right party. Germany is set to hold national elections in February.

In December, Musk said in an op-ed for Welt am Sonntag, a prominent German newspaper, that the AfD was "the last spark of hope for this country."

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"I think in the US foreigners aren't allowed to give money. Other countries maybe should adopt safeguards to make sure superrich foreigners aren't distorting their elections," Gates told The Times."

"I thought the rules of the game were you picked a finite number of things to spout about that you cared for, focused on a few critical things, rather than telling people who they should vote for," Gates said.

"If someone is super smart, and he is, they should think how they can help out. But this is populist stirring," Gates added."

'

"populist stirring" gotta love that.

Mediate also had a take on the story:

www.mediaite.com

#1 | Posted by Corky at 2025-01-27 01:47 PM | Reply

Well when you let money control the political arena that is what happens.

#2 | Posted by Nixon at 2025-01-27 02:33 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 3

Gates is one of the few very public tech billionaires without a personally owned media outlet.
Musk-X
Bezos-WaPo

It is interesting to think of this outburst in the perspective of perhaps Gates wishes he had more skin in the influence game.

#3 | Posted by GOnoles92 at 2025-01-27 07:27 PM | Reply

That would certainly be a 'what passes as a conservative these days' take.

Or it could be that Gates has an actual conscience, and as he notes would rather sell the money go to help child disease, and the influence be positive democracy-oriented rather than pandering to Nazis as Herr Musk does.

He's also spreading money and free media attention around to the various Nazis in various places.

#4 | Posted by Corky at 2025-01-27 07:36 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

have the money, not sell

#5 | Posted by Corky at 2025-01-27 07:37 PM | Reply

Gates is getting older and facing the existential effect of his murderous rampage in the 80's.

#6 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2025-01-27 07:39 PM | Reply

Yeah, that was cold blooded.

#7 | Posted by Corky at 2025-01-27 08:18 PM | Reply

I assume everyone here is familiar with "The Portrait of Dorian Gray."

Sufficient wealth lends an air of unearned respect of the wealthy by people that do not know the wealthy person. They assume that the wealthy person is somehow better, stronger, faster, smarter that the average bear because otherwise how could they amass wealth.

Donald Trump and Elon Musk are wealthy because their parents were wealthy, in a sense just dumb luck like playing the lottery and winning. Bill Gates was also lucky in that his high school had a well-equipped computer lab that, in essence, launched his career.

Wealth makes you into the portrait of your true self. If you have a hatred of everything and everybody, that is revealed over time by your own actions. If others have a vested interest in you for their own reasons, they begin covering up for you because you are their tool for their benefit for as long as possible.

If you are a wealthy but inherently a decent person, you will do good for the benefit of others without a need for recognition; Dolly Parton comes to mind. Her portrait reflects her true self.

Nobody is perfect and we all have ugliness inside. The question is how much and whether it can choke out our inherent decency.

#8 | Posted by Hickory at 2025-01-28 08:37 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 4

Not everyone is inherently decent.

#9 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2025-01-28 02:00 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

Hello LYD, it is a matter of degree. At birth we are a blank slate. We are what others and events make us coupled with our ability to observe and understand events. Personally speaking, based on observations when I was a child, there was behavior I observed in others that I pointedly detested and did not adopt. Birth order is also key.

Donald Trump's formative years had to have been horrific. Elon Musk is a product of white apartheid South Africa. Dolly Parton was born poor but musically gifted and used those gifts to escape poverty. DP's family life and family support was most certainly light years ahead of both Trump's and Musk's.

I do not know any of these people but we can all observe their behavior and personal actions.

#10 | Posted by Hickory at 2025-01-28 03:30 PM | Reply

9 | Posted by LegallyYourDead

You are correct on that. Just for example, there are plenty of Sociopaths out there who through some defect have no moral compass, empathy etc. But others are created...

#11 | Posted by GalaxiePete at 2025-01-28 03:42 PM | Reply

Never count on a billionaire's patriotism. They will just hop in their private jet and move on. Ironic that people who live the ultimate in borderless lives are making border decisions... for those of us who have to stay put.

#12 | Posted by RightisTrite at 2025-01-29 12:56 PM | Reply

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