[tomder55]

There appears to be a fissure beginning to develop in the Trump camp. Sunday Trump announced that he was bringing on venture capitalist Sriram Krishnan to be a White House advisor for AI . Trump MAGA loyalist Laura Loomer went to X to pan the selection.
(2) Laura Loomer on X: "Deeply disturbing to see the appointment of Sriram Krishnan @sriramk as Senior Policy Advisor for AI at the Office of Science and Technology Policy. It’s alarming to see the number of career leftists who are now being appointed to serve in Trump’s admin when they share views https://t.co/nR0TkZpNK7" / X

That got the attention of Musk and Vivek who support the pick ;and that developed into a battle royale on X.


The issue apparently is H1B visas that advance certain immigrants with preferred occupations to the front of the line. The high tech group that Trump is bringing in would allow more . The MAGA group wants immigration restrictions so that Americans can get the high tech jobs. (there was also frankly a lot of anti-Indian sentiment)

Vivek's comments turned it into a full blown culture war .

(2) Vivek Ramaswamy on X: "The reason top tech companies often hire foreign-born & first-generation engineers over “native” Americans isn’t because of an innate American IQ deficit (a lazy & wrong explanation). A key part of it comes down to the c-word: culture. Tough questions demand tough answers & if" / X



Musk tried to mediate and all that did was drag him into the squabble with the MAGA right.

(2) Elon Musk on X: "Maybe this is a helpful clarification: I am referring to bringing in via legal immigration the top ~0.1% of engineering talent as being essential for America to keep winning. This is like bringing in the Jokic’s or Wemby’s of the world to help your whole team (which is mostly" / X


Loomer is loony Trump has for the most part kept her from his inner circle . But he still needs her followers ;and she has largely remained loyal to him. But she could end up ;like Ann Coulter ; a powerful critic of Trump .

She took to a fund me like page asking for donations. After her anti-Indian rant ;she evidently did not realize the site she was on ;buymecoffee.com ; was developed by Jijo Sunny and Joseph Sunny ...... Indians.

(2) Laura Loomer on X: "Big tech hates me. I’m Banned on Cash app, Venmo and PayPal because these people want to strangle me and have been subjecting me to their caste system for YEARS. I was one of their first victims and I’m not going to let them victimize all of you either. You can support my work" / X


But other more sober people on the MAGA side make compelling arguments too.

There’s a philosophical component that underpins this debate, too. It seems many of the proponents for a more robust legal importation policy believe that elected officials need not prioritize the American citizen over outsiders. To them, America represents something merely akin to an LLC.
Yet America became the greatest economic engine in the world because a significant amount of our citizens stayed true to our founding ideas and applied those principles to their work. Should we lose the ideas that connect Americans, we become nothing more than a purposeless technocratic meritocracy that would inevitably become enveloped by dictatorial rulers.
America does not need to import foreign talent for our system to thrive. There is plenty of talent and emerging talent here. Our industries should feel a responsibility for hiring and training that talent, given that they operate within the most business-friendly environment the world has ever known.
Somehow, Taiwan, South Korea, etc, became tech and AI powerhouses without importing a single new citizen from abroad. They don’t need to import (and prioritize) foreigners over their citizens. And, of course, America should solve our disastrous illegal immigration debacle before lifting a finger to bring more foreign labor, legal or illegal, into the country.

Shortsighted tech bros seek to leave American STEM talent even further behind.

[tomder55]

Nikki joined the fray

(2) Nikki Haley on X: "There is nothing wrong with American workers or American culture. All you have to do is look at the border and see how many want what we have. We should be investing and prioritizing in Americans, not foreign workers." / X

[tomder55]

This rift looks pretty real to me and I don't know where it ends. Trump campaigned to either end or reform the H-1B visa in 2016 . He called it unfair to American workers. Musk may have had an H-1B when he emigrated . He certainly hires H-1B workers for Space X

Musk was with Trump many times post election ;most recently at the annual Army-Navy game. Yesterday Trump made a cryptic posting on Truth Social about Musk's absence from Mar a Lago .

'Where are you?' 'When are you coming to the 'Center of the Universe,' Mar-a-Lago.'

Truth Details | Truth Social

Trump also suggested that Musk's arc rival Bill Gates would be there .

It may be Trump trolling or a not so subtle dig . Either way more Trump supporters are picking sides .

Steve Bannon Warns Elon Musk's 'True Colors' Showing Amid H-1B Visa War - Newsweek

Trump appeared annoyed when after Musk's role in blowing up the end of the year spending bill ,the Dems began to call Musk the president.

It bothered Trump enough that he made a comment about it at a Turning Point USA speech . He said it tongue in cheek ...but you never know .

Trump pushes back against 'President Musk' talk

MAGA faithful on X are claiming that after they negatively commented on Musk and Vivek's pro-visa comments that their "blue tick badge " was revoked. The badge gives users that authority to monetize their accounts.

He seemingly sent out a warning that there would be consequences .

(2) Elon Musk on X: "Just a reminder that the algorithm is trying to maximize unregretted user-seconds. If far more credible, verified subscriber accounts (not bots) mute/block your account compared to those who like your posts, your reach will decline significantly." / X

MAGA posters were quick to call that shadow banning .

If forced to choose I would take Musk, Vivek and Krishnan any day over Gaetz ,Loomer ,Bannon ,and Coulter . Musk is right . If the US doesn't recruit the best and brightest of the world our enemies and competitors will . Imagine the nativist MAGA people during WWII. "Why do we need German scientists ? American scientists can build rockets a bomb "

Trump is caught in the middle . His supporters that want a wall and immigration reform are fighting the tear down the regulation and red tape wall supporters .
There is no inherent conflict in the two positions. But apparently this is a battle that will be fought until no one wins .

Charlie Kirk nails it .

(2) Charlie Kirk on X: "If I was a smart leftist I would go all in on trying to create a schism between MAGA and TechWorld. We must resist this. It’s an op. Our coalition will naturally have differing opinions. Together we beat the Democrats in November. And now together we will save America." / X

[tomder55]

The Russians put our camera made by our German scientists and your film made by your German scientists into their satellite made by their German scientists.

german scientists quote in Ice Station Zebra - YouTube

These days it is techies from India ..... not the Germans or unfortunately Americans . Wishing it differently will not change it.

From Vivkek's X post




I'm sorry if the MAGA side disagrees . Vivek is right. For too many years the left undermined the work ethic in this country . We value Social justice, personal happiness, and success if they are handed to us by inheritance or from the nanny state. Hard work is hardly mentioned in the progressive agenda.
This is where MAGA and the techies that Trump is recruiting should agree.

Their fight is not with Vivek and Musk who want to bring back traditional America values . This Twitter squabble is a distraction that is pleasing the left to no end.

Charlie Kirk on X: "If I was a smart leftist I would go all in on trying to create a schism between MAGA and TechWorld. We must resist this. It’s an op. Our coalition will naturally have differing opinions. Together we beat the Democrats in November. And now together we will save America." / X

[tomder55]

The man who Trump picked as an AI advisor is exactly the type of immigrant that MAGA should promote.
Sriram Krishnan is a pick yourself up by the boot strap type of guy
Born in India in 1984 ;he claims his life changed when he convinced his father to buy him a computer which he said was a large part of his father's paycheck. Without internet access ,he purchased coding books and taught himself programming.

He emigrated to the US in 2007 ;not by illegally crossing a border but by legally obtaining a visa . He became a US citizen in 2016 . He was employed by many of the big tech and social media US companies (Microsoft ;Fakebook ;Twitter ) .He is also a successful venture capitalist (general partner with venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz) . What is not to like about that story ?

Many of the comments I've seen by the MAGA faithful are outright racists against Indians . Would the reaction be the same if he came from England ?


Do the visa policies of the US need change ? Probably yes. But I would argue that they need to be expanded ;not restricted ;especially if the applicant has skills we can use.

[jlisenbe]

Great post, Tom. I suspect there is some latent racism lurking amongst what is likely a relatively small portion of the MAGA crowd. Of course there is racism lurking in every crowd, including Biden democrats.