Vice President Vance on Friday chided European leaders for their criticism of Elon Musk wading into their elections, comparing Musk’s actions to Swedish activist Greta Thunberg urging American leaders to take action on climate change.

“I believe that dismissing people, dismissing their concerns, or worse yet, shutting down media, shutting down elections or shutting people out of the political process protects nothing. In fact, it is the most surefire way to destroy democracy,” Vance said.

“And speaking up and expressing opinions isn’t election interference, even when people express views outside your own country, and even when those people are very influential,” he continued. “And trust me, I say this with all humor: If American democracy can survive 10 years of Greta Thunberg’s scolding, you guys can survive a few months of Elon Musk.”

  • Lka1988@sh.itjust.works
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    3 months ago

    How is that even close to the same thing? Greta pleaded with the people to think about their children’s future (and actively partakes in protests and demonstrations all over), while Elon is only looking to enrich himself.

    • AFK BRB Chocolate
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      3 months ago

      It’s not the same at all, but it sounds clever, so the base will suck it up and repeat it.

    • QuantumSparkles@sh.itjust.works
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      3 months ago

      Okay but putting all morals, ethics, character, and opinions aside, looking at it completely objectively… its still completely different because we never put her in government offices and allowed her to make decisions for the entire country

      • NocturnalMorning
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        3 months ago

        Yeah, but have you considered it from this angle? Elon Musk is a white straight extremely wealthy dude. Those are some strong qualifications right there.

    • meeeeetch
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      3 months ago

      She also asked that people do things that she specially could not do due to having no authority to enact policy, whereas Musk is interacting directly with levers of power (whether he has any legitimate/legal authority to do so).

    • barsoap@lemm.ee
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      3 months ago

      Greta snubbed Trump, Elon didn’t, so it’s obvious why Vance considers the one as evil, the other as a saint.

    • jonne@infosec.pub
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      3 months ago

      Elon is also thinking about the children, in particular how they should all be white.

    • iAvicenna
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      3 months ago

      I mean even the moral aspect of their ideologies aside, one literally just expressed opinions as a form of debate whereas the other is spending hundreds of millions to sway elections.

  • MuskyMelon
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    3 months ago

    Hilarious that a teenage girl once terrified the upper echelons of right-wing politicians.

    • jonne@infosec.pub
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      3 months ago

      Yeah, how do you compare a 16yo (or however old she is now) girl with no political office to the president of the United States?

      I guess we can hope Trump ends up being as ineffective as she’s unfortunately been (I also noticed she’s been invisible in the mainstream media as soon as she started talking about Palestine. Same with Malala.).

  • iAvicenna
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    3 months ago

    ahh yes Greta famously known to spend a fraction of a billion to influence elections.

  • Stern
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    3 months ago

    Greta Thunberg, famously in charge of… ?

  • oakey66
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    3 months ago

    One person with no power vs one person with all the power.

    • Flying Squid
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      3 months ago

      I wouldn’t say she has no power. She has the power to constantly upset these assholes.

      Not even close to the same, but I’m glad she has that power.

  • SarcasticMan
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    3 months ago

    “If I can say dumb ass shit don’t worry I will say some even dumber ass shit.” - Assistant to Vice President Trump J.D. Vance.

  • dan1101@lemm.ee
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    3 months ago

    Europe didn’t have to survive with Thunberg, she wasn’t in the government and had no decision making authority.

  • umean2me@discuss.online
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    3 months ago

    “I believe that dismissing people, dismissing their concerns, or worse yet, shutting down media, shutting down elections or shutting people out of the political process protects nothing. In fact, it is the most surefire way to destroy democracy,” Vance said.

    The jokes write themselves these days.

  • BestBouclettes@jlai.lu
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    3 months ago

    Funny how we don’t see much of her anymore. Does it has anything to do with the fact that she publicly made the link between Capitalism, colonialism and the climate crisis ?
    I guess we’ll never know !

  • Tattorack
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    3 months ago

    Yes, because a foreign climate activist trying to appeal to politician for a cleaner future is the same as an apartheid billionaire funding and endorsing a fascist party to get them elected.

  • Clent@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    3 months ago

    Knowing how the right has characterized Greta, comparing them like this is a huge insult against Musk from Couch Fucker Vance

    • BenLeMan
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      3 months ago

      He’s probably run out of couches to fuck so he’s getting bored.