Tesla CEO Elon Musk wants his followers to know he still supports universal basic income, even though he thinks another coronavirus stimulus package from the U.S. government is a bad idea.
In a Twitter thread published early Friday morning, Musk tweeted that any additional stimulus package from Congress is “not in the best interests of the people,” and emphasized the point by pinning the tweet at the top of his Twitter profile.
Another government stimulus package is not in the best interests of the people imo
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 24, 2020
While commenters were divided in their support, Musk went on to affirm that he still supports universal basic income, and that his discontent in the stimulus check is in the amount of legislation attached to the potential payout.
Goal of government should be to maximize the happiness of the people. Giving each person money allows them to decide what meets their needs, rather than the blunt tool of legislation, which creates self-serving special interests.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 24, 2020
Lawmakers are currently in debates surrounding a second stimulus check. The check is a proposed component of the HEROES Act, which was passed by the House of Representatives on May 15 and is now in the hands of the Senate. While it has been read at least once since July 20, it is unknown whether the Senate will pass the bill before its next recess on August 7. For people to receive checks, a bill to authorize payments would have to be passed, as well as gain the signature of President Trump.
With national expansions of unemployment ending in July, taxpayers are anxious to receive additional financial support from a further coronavirus relief bill, especially as the payment rollout for the first stimulus check was rife with errors. Due to new provisions in the HEROES Act, over 160 million people would be eligible for the payout, including those left out of the original CARES Act, like undocumented taxpayers and some college students.
This marks another politically active week for Musk, who was in the news over his potential support of Kanye West’s self-pronounced 2020 presidential run. The tech mogul told Page Six he still supported the rapper’s presidential aspirations, “although I think 2024 would be better than 2020.”
In the meantime, Musk continues to tweet his political leanings out. After the response to his last thread, which considered a stimulus that involved direct payments, the current mode of the HEROES ACT, Musk posted what he really feels.
🌹 Twitter sucks
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 24, 2020
