The America Party
Elon Musk bought one election; can he buy another?
Good morning. Yesterday, Elon Musk launched his new political party, the America Party. Pundits are already predicting its failure, citing the discouraging history of previous efforts. But, unlike those parties, the America Party has the financial support of the world’s richest man.
Musk’s money—over $250 million of it—put Trump in the White House. The Mars man knows that and is betting that, spending a similar amount, he can give 80 percent of voters a place to go that is free of Donald Trump, Stephen Miller, Bernie Sanders, AOC, and the politics of division.
History tells us not to underestimate Elon Musk. He has done the impossible before. And money can buy the political expertise necessary for the new party to succeed.
The question is whether Musk is sane enough not to try to make himself the face of the new party. If he does, the party will suffer a “rapid unscheduled disassembly” that could make the explosion of Starship 36 last month in Texas look tame.
Musk is no longer accepted as a visionary by most of us—ask someone whose Cybertruck got spray-painted with an expletive. Also don’t forget Musk’s “Nazi salute,” his brief marriage to Trump, his 14 children, and his drug use.
Donald Trump probably will not attempt to deport Musk, but once he concludes that his brief marriage to Musk is really, truly over, he will attempt to smear Musk viciously. The only reason Trump has not already sent B-2 bombers with “bunker busters” to respond to Musk’s attacks on MAGA is the hope that Musk will realize that he made a mistake in breaking with him.
Trump shares with Musk one remarkable trait—neither accepts the impossibility of success, even when faced with overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
What must happen for the America Party to succeed?
Here are a few initial thoughts:
The party needs to get launched quickly to make an impact in the 2026 and 2028 elections.
Musk needs to find someone he trusts who can build the party, an experienced political operative who, like the 80 percent of Americans Musk hopes will give the new party a look, is an independent on most issues but who agrees with Musk on the national debt, AI, supporting tech, and, presumably, making humans a multi-planetary species.
The party will need to pick its initial fights carefully. Ideally, it would win a seat or two in the House of Representatives as seats open up. (Winning just a handful of open elections could put the America party on the map if it could deny Republicans control of the chamber. Far-fetched? Absolutely, but we live in strange times.)
The party cannot become the Musk party. Musk may think he would make a better president than Trump, but let’s get real. And Musk is not eligible to run for president.
Who could lead the America party?
If you have ideas, I would love to hear them. I suspect Elon would be interested as well.
Thank you.
While I focused on Musk’s new project today, a lot more happened this week. I was not pleased to see a B-2 bomber, presumably with no bombs on board, fly over the White House. Did you know the bomber costs more than $135,000 an hour to fly? I hope King Donald enjoyed the show.
I am also reading this morning about the deaths in Texas and the storm brewing off South Carolina. Climate change is real.
And, of course, I am perusing the OBBBA and the 2,500 report that details what is in the legislation that Trump describes as “the single most popular bill ever signed.” It isn’t. The bill is already unpopular and will become more so once people learn what is in it. If Musk’s America Party succeeds, OBBBA will be part of the reason.
Enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend. America is now 249 years old. I’m hoping it lasts to 250.
Thank you for reading Sunday Issues.
Summer break.
Dean’s Issues & Insights will take a summer break from July 13 through the end of the month. It will return in August.
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Re: "Trump shares with Musk one remarkable trait—neither accepts the impossibility of success, even when faced with overwhelming evidence to the contrary."
Trump and Musk are salesmen. They find ways to view situations in a win-win light, so even if they "lose" they will win. At the very least, Trump wrings sympathy from his base with his constant grievances.
"Always Be Selling" is a classic moral taught in sales classes. "Act Enthusiastic, and you will BE Enthusiastic" and "We will WIN. We have Faith, Courage, and Enthusiasm" --taught for generations. The quotes take on an entirely different meaning when used by people who short-cut the sales process with out-right, constant lies. Those types do not care about referrals or return business, because they are going for it all now.
Robert Louis Stevenson gets credit for the quote "Everyone sells something for a living." Staying open-minded to what might seem impossible is one way to practice a positive mental attitude (mind your PMA!). There are lots of honest salespeople. We know the importance of return business and referrals, and guard our reputations with honest service.
Musk and Trump are salespeople who LIE.
The gullibility of the American public never ceases to amaze. P.T. Barnum was absolutely right.
It’s shocking to see analysis that treats this 3rd idea as viable and does not give even one SENTENCE to the raging racism that smusk and his ilk represent. As long as he checks the boxes outlined, the racism can be ignored, tolerated, accepted. Sad because that’s why we’re here. Disappointing that you didn’t see that. “To be [black]in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.” - J. Baldwin