Tesla did a good job for a while. The fact that it’s shares trade on the same basis as DOGE — based on Elon’s showmanship rather than anything real — has killed the firm. Yes, China did in its canny way learn from Tesla. Tesla is now dead, modulo the support and protection it will win from Trump.

that SpaceX remains private has served it well. it too has accomplished some extraordinary things. let’s see how long that lasts before Elon’s intercessions destroy it, one way or another, or more optimistically force divestment by a leader recklessly freelancing his own idiosyncratic foreign policy