He's a businessman. He's extremely wealthy. He's also possibly one of the most divisive public figures in recent memory.
Elon Musk, a businessman and millionaire, is sought on Earth, yet he (literally) appears to be up in space, as in the Charli XCX song.
Musk keeps himself occupied with Space X, Tesla, and AI. And now he's going to buy Twitter.
Musk is rumored to be spending $44 billion for the social media firm, further polarizing America and putting free speech to the forefront of Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok talks.
Actress and activist Jameela Jamil of "The Good Place" has announced her departure from Twitter.
On Monday, she tweeted, "I fear the free speech bid is going to assist this hell platform reach its final form of fully lawless hate, racism, and misogyny."
Gov. Tate Reeves of Mississippi, on the other hand, expressed his support for Musk's latest business.
"Elon Musk's purchase of Twitter is a win for free speech and a loser for those seeking to stifle opposing viewpoints," the governor added.
Whatever your feelings are about Grimes' ex-boyfriend purchasing Twitter, I believe we can all agree that $44 billion is a lot of money.
Here are six ideas for how he could use the money on the Mississippi Coast.
- Rebuild fishing piers that were devastated by hurricanes in South Mississippi. The renowned pedestrian bridges over water are a part of the Coast's history, but many have been damaged or destroyed in recent storms, notably hurricanes Zeta and Ida, from Pass Christian to Pascagoula.
- Ensure that all Coast families have access to universal pre-kindergarten and child care. Although pre-kindergarten is not yet required in the state, several school districts are taking steps to guarantee that all children have access to it if they need it. Pre-K for everyone was included in Bay-most Waveland's recent bond package, but citizens voted against it. According to data from the Mississippi State Department of Health, average weekly full-time child care charges in Mississippi varied from $125 for newborn care to $111 for preschool care per child. Every child under the age of five in the state could be cared for with $25 million.
- Bonuses for teachers are a good idea. Teachers did receive a raise recently, but many believe that it is still not a living wage. To make finances meet, many Mississippi teachers work second and third jobs. Musk could send each Mississippi teacher a $20,000 cheque, which would cost $652 million.
- Every school should give one graduating senior a Tesla. Musk would spend roughly $61 million if he chose a qualified student from each public and private school in the state to receive a 2022 Model S Tesla. Make Teslas more accessible as well! The closest dealership to the Coast is in Pearl, which is three hours distant.
- Pay down the state's student loan debt. After college, Millennials and Gen Z are leaving the state in alarming numbers, often for cities with higher salaries. Mississippi's future may be transformed if Musk paid $15.2 billion on the state's student loan debt, keeping young people in the state.
- Provide paid internships at Space X to area college students. Two oil rigs in Pascagoula are being converted into floating launch pads for Musk's SpaceX enterprise. Giving ten local college students $25 per hour internships over the summer might allow young Mississippians to participate in a Mars trip.
