ELON MUSK AND THE GREAT TEXAS HEIST

Out here in West Texas, we know what it means to work hard, take care of our neighbors, and expect a fair return when we put in an honest day’s work. But more and more, it feels like the deck is stacked against us—especially when public dollars meant to serve everyday Texans are redirected to fuel billionaire ventures with little local benefit.

Musk on the Public Teat

Elon Musk and his companies—Tesla and SpaceX chief among them—have received tens of billions in public support through loans, tax credits, contracts, and subsidies. While some tout this as a sign of innovation, rural Texans are left wondering where our return on investment is.

Consider this: in 2021, the rural poverty rate in Texas stood at 17.3%, with median household incomes falling well below the national average. At the same time, SpaceX has benefited from over $15 billion in federal contracts. Tesla has drawn at least $11 billion more through regulatory credits and other incentives. But here in communities from Sterling City to Fort Stockton, we’re still fighting to keep hospitals open, maintain basic infrastructure, and ensure our schools have the resources they need.

Boca Chica Betrayal

Closer to the coast, residents of Boca Chica were promised opportunity when Musk’s spaceport moved in. What they experienced instead were disruptions, environmental concerns, and displacement. The pattern is becoming clear: grand promises are made, public funds flow freely, and rural communities are left to deal with the aftermath—often with fewer services and more uncertainty than before.

This isn’t about resisting progress or technological ambition. It’s about priorities. If taxpayer dollars are used to build private empires, like Elon Musk’s, there must be accountability—and a meaningful benefit to the people whose money makes it possible.

Public investment should uplift communities, not bypass them. Whether it’s funding for healthcare, education, or infrastructure, our tax dollars should first serve the people who need it most. In too many places across West Texas, that need is growing.

Victims or Co-Conspirators?

Faith teaches us that unchecked greed is a danger, not just to individuals, but to the fabric of a community. Isaiah warns of those “with mighty appetites who never have enough.” And Zechariah calls us to “protect the widow, the orphan, the foreigner, and the poor.”  These aren’t just scriptures—they’re guiding principles for public service.

If we dare elect — and re-elect — corrupt, power-hungry political parasites (yes, some right there in Austin), then we forfeit our right to cry foul.

We are not victims — we are co-conspirators in their vile conspiracies.  Their smiles flicker with empty promises and we kneel before them, gullible supplicants. 

We walk, blind by choice, into the jaws of deception, hand in hand with the devils we have crowned with our votes. These snake-oil peddlers… these sons of Lucifer… do not be fooled by their temptations.  They want to own us.  They want us to continue to swallow their lies while they defile the temple of good governance.

All We Ask is a Fighting Chance

West Texans value grit, honesty, and fairness. We don’t expect special treatment—we just want our communities to have a fighting chance. That means holding public-private partnerships to a higher standard, demanding transparency, and ensuring that investments actually benefit the people who make this state strong. 

We deserve political leadership that serves Texans first—not just the loudest voices or the wealthiest oil tycoons. The future of rural Texas depends on it. The hour is long overdue to banish the demonic stewards who plunder our coffers, erode our will, and smother our collective spirit. No nation endures under the weight of such treachery. It is time for righteous reckoning!

Editor’s Note: The Concho Observer publishes opinion pieces and emails to the editor from persons in our community that express a variety of opinions and points of view. Publication does not constitute endorsement of any particular viewpoint by The Concho Observer.