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Elon's Election Jackpot
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Good morning and Happy Tuesday! Here are the Flag’s Top Five stories that should be on your radar to start the day:
US: ‘Central Park Five’ members sue Trump for defamation after his debate comments on 1989 case (CNN)
World: Hospitals under fire as Israeli forces deepen operations in northern Gaza (Reuters)
Business: Chick-fil-A is releasing its own entertainment app, with family-friendly shows and podcasts (CNBC)
Technology: Daze, a creative, AI-powered messaging app for Gen Z, is blowing up prelaunch (TechCrunch)
Sports: World Series 2024: How the Dodgers, Yankees can win it all (ESPN)
And of course, some good news: Good samaritans clean up litter left by leaf-peeping crowds in New Hampshire: 'See how beautiful it can be without garbage'
BECOME A FLAG BEARER
🎆 The night’s brightest stars aren’t in the sky—yet. Before the rockets’ red glare, someone had a vision for a more... illuminating Independence Day. Find out who sparked it all! Click to read more and subscribe for full access!
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Ever wish you could turn back time and invest in Amazon's early days? Well, buckle up because the AI revolution is offering a second chance.
In The Motley Fool's latest report, dive into the world of AI-powered innovation. Discover why experts are calling it "the rocket fuel of AI" and predicting a market cap 41 times larger than Amazon's.
Don't let past regrets hold you back. Take charge of your future and capitalize on the AI wave with The Motley Fool's exclusive report.
Whether it's AI or Amazon, fortune favors the bold.
TRENDING
Left: How Harris Turned Up the Heat in Pivot to Media Blitz, Edward Helmore, The Guardian
Left: Obama Brings Harris’ Issues With Black Men To Forefront, Francesca Chambers et. al., USA Today
Left: How Republican Billionaires Learned to Love Trump Again, Susan B. Glasser, New Yorker
Right: How Elon Musk evolved into a Trump surrogate and the bumps he’s hit along the way, Ross O’Keefe, Washington Examiner
Right: Is It Trump’s Race to Lose? Noah Rothman, National Review
Right: Trump Served More McDonald’s French Fries In 15 Minutes Than Harris Probably Ever Has, Tristan Justice, The Federalist
2024
Elon’s Election Jackpot
Today’s Top Story: Elon Musk has ramped up his efforts to help Donald Trump win Pennsylvania by running a $1 million daily lottery, sparking dialogue on the legality of the strategy.
Reporting from the Left: Gov. Shapiro calls Musk's $1M offer to Pennsylvania voters 'deeply concerning' (NPR)
Reporting from the Right: Battle of billionaires: Cuban calls Musk’s $1 million giveaway a ‘desperate’ campaign strategy (Washington Examiner)
LEFT-LEANING SENTIMENT
Could Be Buying Votes
The Top Argument From The Left: Elon Musk is offering a $1 million award per day for swing state voters. What do legal experts say? Bart Jansen, USA Today: “Election law experts said billionaire Elon Musk’s offer to award $1 million per day until the Nov. 5 election to people in swing states who sign his petition supporting the Constitution could be investigated by law enforcement. … The site explicitly says the program is open only to registered voters in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin and North Carolina. The deadline to register is Monday. The petition also offers $100 to each registered swing-state voter who signs and $100 for referring a registered voter to sign. Musk's organization choosing those states isn't a coincidence: They're the battlegrounds that will likely determine the results of the presidential election. Campaigns have been courting voters in the states for months. … Federal election law says whoever ‘pays or offers to pay or accepts payment either for the registration to vote or for voting’ is violating the law. … The Justice Department's election crimes manual says an unlawful bribe can be anything of monetary value, including lottery chances, that make it easier for people to vote or induce them not to vote. The definition doesn't include a free ride to the polls.”
Honorable Mention #1: Elon Musk’s daily $1 million giveaway to registered voters could be illegal, experts say, Marshall Cohen, CNN.
Honorable Mention #2: Conspiracy theories and a $1m check: a night at Elon Musk’s surreal election giveaway, Oliver Luaghland, The Guardian.
RIGHT-LEANING SENTIMENT
“Here’s How to Cash In”
The Top Argument From The Right: Elon Musk is giving away $1 million a day to voters who sign his election petition — here’s how to cash in, Isabel Keane, New York Post: “Here’s how to get a shot and cashing in on Musk’s multimillion-dollar giveaway. Musk’s America PAC says the offer is available only to registered voters in swing states. That means you’re out of luck if you’re not able to cast a ballot in one of the six states that are likely to decide the presidential election. …The petition can be found linked on the America PAC’s website. Signers must provide their full name, email address, cellphone number and mailing address to register. The petition reads: ‘The First and Second Amendments guarantee freedom of speech and the right to bear arms. By signing below, I am pledging my support for the First and Second Amendments.’ It also tells potential signers they can ‘EARN $1,000,000!’ … Federal law prohibits paying people to vote, rewarding them to cast a vote, or even for registering to vote — however, compensating people for signing petitions or convincing others to sign them is not illegal. … Richard Hasen, an election-law legal scholar, told the outlet he felt Musk ‘may well have crossed the line’ and compared the petition to fast-food chains offering free food to people wearing ‘I voted’ stickers. According to Hasen, both can be construed as illegal inducements. However, Bradley Smith, a former Federal Election Commission chairman, argued that the petition was too indirect to be against the law.”
Honorable Mention #1: Here's how Elon Musk's $1M a day giveaway to battleground voters works, Emma Colton, Fox News.
Honorable Mention #2: Musk’s $1 million giveaway could be headed for legal doom, Jenny Goldsberry, Washington Examiner.
FLAG THIS
Elon Musk Approval Ratings
Elon Musk's support among Democrats has plummeted to just 6%, with 79% expressing negative views, according to a national NBC News poll conducted Sept. 13-17. In contrast, 62% of Republicans view Musk positively, while only 14% hold negative opinions. Independents are more divided, with 31% expressing positive feelings and 36% negative, reflecting the growing polarization of Musk’s public image as he shifts from environmentalist to conservative activist (NBC News).
Do you believe Musk’s giveaway could be considered a form of vote-buying? |
WATERCOOLER
Cuban Missile Crisis, Treat Treatment, Shuffle Jumble
On This Day in 1962, in a televised speech of extraordinary gravity, President John F. Kennedy announced that U.S. spy planes had discovered Soviet missile bases in Cuba. These missile sites—under construction but nearing completion—housed medium-range missiles capable of striking a number of major cities in the United States, including Washington, D.C.
POWERED BY MOTLEY FOOL
Ever wish you could turn back time and invest in Amazon's early days? Well, buckle up because the AI revolution is offering a second chance.
In The Motley Fool's latest report, dive into the world of AI-powered innovation. Discover why experts are calling it "the rocket fuel of AI" and predicting a market cap 41 times larger than Amazon's.
Don't let past regrets hold you back. Take charge of your future and capitalize on the AI wave with The Motley Fool's exclusive report.
Whether it's AI or Amazon, fortune favors the bold.
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