Former Bush Speechwriter Says Feds Should Plan to Seize Starlink From Elon Musk

This article is about a year and a half old now. Elon did provide access to Starlink for Ukraine for a brief time. Now U.S. taxpayers are paying for it. The even scarier part is the insight about how those people who are in the "deep state" (basically those who spend a lifetime in politics) think about how much power government should have and how it should be exercised.

The federal government should be laying the groundwork to seize Starlink from Elon Musk, says a former speech writer for George W. Bush.“There's abundant precedent for US government seizure of critical infrastructure during wars or national emergencies,” writes David Frum.

Source: Former Bush Speechwriter Says Feds Should Plan to Seize Starlink From Elon Musk - Foundation for Economic Education

The fact that people who think this way are anywhere near government is terrifying. Elon Musk shouldn't be forced to pay for Ukranian Internet access, Starlink shouldn't be forced to pay for Ukranian Internet access, and the American taxpayer certainly shouldn't be forced to pay for Ukranian internet access.

The government seizing property because of a "national emergency" would be questionable (at best) even in a true national emergency. But in an undeclared war that has dubious (at best) relation to any national security interest, it is downright tyrannical. If you want to give to the Ukrainian cause then I absolutely support your right to do so. Being forced to is another matter entirely. David Frum seems to be confusing "political agenda" with running a successful business.

The fact that there is "abundant precedent" is irrelevant. There is abundant precedent for genocide but that doesn't mean that it is an action that should be emulated.

David Frum seems to think that the best way to preserve freedom is to take it away. He was right about one thing though. It was always unreasonable to expect Elon Musk to provide Internet to Ukraine for free. He just seems to miss out on the fact that what he is proposing is even more unreasonable. Let's hope that "former Bush speechwriter" was the pinnacle of his political career.

For the record, I think Russia is 100% to blame for what is going on and that Putin is probably the most dangerous man in the world right now. I just don't support using force to make someone pay for someone else's war. This is old information but as of October 2023, the U.S. has already spent more than $113 billion on the war in Ukraine. This is one of the biggest examples of why so many people think taxation is theft. Now we have idiots talking about nationalizing an innovative new business (and who knows what else). That has to be one of the quickest ways to stifle innovation I can imagine.