Ask A Genius 1219: Ramaswamy and Musk
Author(s): Rick Rosner and Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): Ask A Genius
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2024/12/22
Rick Rosner: So, we’re about a month away from Trump potentially taking office again, along with Musk and Ramaswamy—assuming they all remain allies until then. I consider myself a middle-of-the-road liberal. Probably 30% of Americans are more liberal than I am, and about 20% are more conservative. I’m right in the middle—not wildly or radically liberal.
Scott Douglas Jacobsen: That’s fair. You’re open to conservative ideas, provided they don’t suck.
Rosner: Exactly. Unfortunately, most conservative ideas have been terrible lately. From my perspective as an average liberal, Trump and his crew haven’t shown any sign that his return to office won’t be a complete disaster. If it happens, it seems inevitable that his presidency will be as bad—or worse—than his first term. And now, Congress is in chaos, with only 26 hours left to avoid a shutdown. It’s a mess.
Jacobsen: Well, actually, less—23 hours—because it’s three hours later in D.C. They have until then to pass a spending bill, or the government will shut down. If that happens, government and military personnel won’t get their paychecks until Congress reconvenes in January. It’s a terrible time to go unpaid, especially since it’s Christmas.
Rosner: Shutting down the government will cost billions of dollars. And Trump seems unconcerned because it’s still under Biden’s administration. Even though Trump reportedly told House Republicans to vote against the bill and shut down the government, he seems to believe the current administration will take the blame. That logic feels misguided, but I haven’t checked Fox News to see how they spin it.
Jacobsen: It does feel like we’re getting an early start on terrible governance, even before Trump potentially returns to office.
Rosner: Trump—and Musk, for that matter—don’t seem to care much. Trump has been making promises he obviously can’t keep, like claiming he’ll fix inflation and stop the Ukraine war on his first day as president. Now he’s already walking those back, saying, “Yeah, no, I can’t.” Meanwhile, he’s actively undermining the government, which suggests he has absolute confidence that Republicans—especially MAGA supporters—won’t hold him accountable for any of it.
Jacobsen: And maybe he’s right.
Last updated May 3, 2025. These terms govern all In Sight Publishing content—past, present, and future—and supersede any prior notices. In Sight Publishing by Scott Douglas Jacobsen is licensed under a Creative Commons BY‑NC‑ND 4.0; © In Sight Publishing by Scott Douglas Jacobsen 2012–Present. All trademarks, performances, databases & branding are owned by their rights holders; no use without permission. Unauthorized copying, modification, framing or public communication is prohibited. External links are not endorsed. Cookies & tracking require consent, and data processing complies with PIPEDA & GDPR; no data from children < 13 (COPPA). Content meets WCAG 2.1 AA under the Accessible Canada Act & is preserved in open archival formats with backups. Excerpts & links require full credit & hyperlink; limited quoting under fair-dealing & fair-use. All content is informational; no liability for errors or omissions: Feedback welcome, and verified errors corrected promptly. For permissions or DMCA notices, email: scott.jacobsen2025@gmail.com. Site use is governed by BC laws; content is “as‑is,” liability limited, users indemnify us; moral, performers’ & database sui generis rights reserved.
In-Sight Publishing 