Tesla hasn't been getting any grants since the Biden administration
Tesla has been around since 2003. Let's be generous and suggest the first few years he didn't get any grants. So we'll be generous and say 2008. That's still 12 years of essentially being government subsidised. 12 years to build a business with massive "green" funding is a long ass time to gain viability when most businesses go under in less than 5.
This isn't to say that Musk is an idiot businessman. It still takes skill to be successful, even with handouts. But it still lessens the achievement.
And as you've pointed out, the way that Starlink has been adopted by multiple governments ultimately helps show that his pseudo-independence is still heavily funded through taxpayer dollars. His achievements should always have a big asterisk next to them, because it was not done in a free and open market like many seem to believe. His biggest boon was autonomy. That's it.
Selling a product to a government is like selling to any other buyer, and isn't the same as subsidies. (which Tesla tax breaks do count as, yes) If governments didn't buy Starlink he'd still be providing the service to private customers. NO entrepreneur would turn down government contracts, except maybe to avoid onerous regulatory paperwork or a difficult bidding process.
Tesla has been around since 2003. Let's be generous and suggest the first few years he didn't get any grants. So we'll be generous and say 2008. That's still 12 years of essentially being government subsidised. 12 years to build a business with massive "green" funding is a long ass time to gain viability when most businesses go under in less than 5.
This isn't to say that Musk is an idiot businessman. It still takes skill to be successful, even with handouts. But it still lessens the achievement.
And as you've pointed out, the way that Starlink has been adopted by multiple governments ultimately helps show that his pseudo-independence is still heavily funded through taxpayer dollars. His achievements should always have a big asterisk next to them, because it was not done in a free and open market like many seem to believe. His biggest boon was autonomy. That's it.
Selling a product to a government is like selling to any other buyer, and isn't the same as subsidies. (which Tesla tax breaks do count as, yes) If governments didn't buy Starlink he'd still be providing the service to private customers. NO entrepreneur would turn down government contracts, except maybe to avoid onerous regulatory paperwork or a difficult bidding process.