Virgin Galactic’s Richard Branson said, “To the next generation dreamer: If we can do that, just imagine what can you do.” From space.
While hyperbole can be a problem in times of excitement, Branson explained to his millions that reaching space was the fulfillment of a childhood dream. The concept of space captured the imagination of many young people back in the day. Branson is known for his vision and expansive thinking. He reached space.
The fact that he accomplished it speaks volumes about his motivations. Branson’s achievements were indeed not cheap. In other words, “millionaires next door” don’t work feverishly to launch to places far beyond their homes. Space is a game for billionaires. At the moment, it’s Branson and Jeff Bezos who are working to make space travel possible. Keep this in mind.
Musk stated in 2019 that “Nobody expects” the Cybertruck. It’s true! Entrepreneurs are the ones who take us to new places. Governments waste vast sums of money and deliver something worse than what we have.
Two paragraphs ago, the reader asked to “Please remember” that Musk, Bezos, and Branson are all working tirelessly for space travel. They are three men with vast minds and ample funds. They can speedily create an entirely different future, either in the immediate future or the near future.
Okay, so if we ignore that the top 1% already account for 40% of federal tax revenues, such statements would be foolish even if they accounted for less than 1% of federal revenues. Who would ever brag about taxing rich people the most?
Loud admission of one’s desire for a halt to progress. It’s not your average millionaire trying to make space flight a reality. It would only be possible for people with $1 million to do something this ambitious. Because they have the wealth and resources to make impossible things possible, the super-rich can do the impossible. It was taxing the rich means to reduce the wealth that is being used to move up tomorrow instead of funding the uglier care of politicians today.
Yes, all government spending is the above. As witless politicians or mystic economists will tell you, government spending doesn’t increase economic growth. Because government spending is always and everywhere a result of development, it can’t cause it. Do you get it? Why is it that politicians are so eager for the rich to be fleeced? Because the wealthy have the money. There is no government spending without the rich.
Government spending is not possible. Governments don’t have the resources. This is the definition of government. Their spending power is defined as their ability to arrogate a portion of the products generated in the private sector. This means that government spending is simply a politicized allocation for precious wealth created first by the wealthy.
Except that the rich are generally able to invent new ways to meet our needs. Instead of spending extravagantly on “government services” (an oxymoron of the first order, unless you are too young to have been at the DMV ….)), Rather than utterly insulting the present, the wealthy and those who long to be rich create a new tomorrow.
It is important to remember that money is essential for creating tomorrow. This should always be considered in the context of government spending. Consider all the experiments that are not being conducted because the government fleecing the ultimate experimenters and funders of experimentation: The rich.
This brings us to Musk’s long-ago purchase for a ticket to Space on Branson’s Virgin Galactic. Musk paid $250,000 to secure a flight to space in 2006. This was in 2006. Many will argue that Branson made him a deal because he was Elon Musk back then. He probably paid the total price.
This all points to another important truth about the progress process: It’s not that only the wealthy fund it with their unspent money. It’s also not that those who succeed in creating the future will be paid very handsomely. The wealth that the wealthy consume rather than save has a positive effect on commerce.
My 2016 book, The End of Work, explains that the wealthy are not just crucial venture capitalists. They are also “venture buyers” with seemingly unlimited wealth. This allows them to take huge risks when purchasing goods and services. There is a risk that some of the goods and services they are buying may prove to be less valuable than necessary and may not improve our health or reach the market. Musk purchased a ticket to Space from Branson in 2006. It was a consumer product that could have been irredeemable.
It looks like dreams are becoming a reality, except that Branson flew to space last week. A lot that includes cheap space travel after three billionaires reach orbit, but only to show tomorrow’s entrepreneurs what their joy is.
This story doesn’t ask about the future, but only whether there will be enough money to allow space travel to become affordable. This question will be answered better, to our benefit, if the wealthy are moved to the front line, to the particular detriment of grasping politicians.
