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Comment by whatever1 | Hacker News Reader

What if the gov takes over SpaceX overnight?

You'd have bigger questions coming up based on the general 'how did it get to this' as well as any other companies as well as the populace being very concerned about such behavior.

I think you might be surprised to find out how much of the populace would literally applaud such behavior.

agreed. the right will believe whatever trump tells them, and the left would be happy to see Elon knocked down a peg.

We ain't stupid

Until they saw the stock market...

Given the market's enthusiasm for speculating on TSLA during the recent controversy and protests on two continents I see no evidence to suggest speculators would take a day off just because Musk got his shit ruined.

The USA would get SpaceX but also have to deal with businesses getting spooked that the government can now nationalise private assets on a whim.

When that happened in Iran 1953 the CIA fostered a coup; Cuba is under embargo since the 60s triggered by Fidel nationalising sugar mills; Chile's coup in the 70s with CIA support was triggered by nationalisation of the copper mines; invasion of Panama in the 80s was from tensions with Noriega wanting to take over the canal's assets.

Venezuela's sanctions were because Chávez nationalised oil under PDVSA. The rift with Bolivia's Evo Morales was from gas nationalisation.

So if the USA just takes over someone's private company it will be absurdly hypocritical, and shatter even more the USA's international reputation, the added risk to businesses in the USA after this precedent opens will probably also be of concern.

Then any progress would also stop overnight.

they should probably toss in starlink as well.

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