A while back, the Daily Mail article on the Musk-Marcon summit in New Orleans calls Elon Musk “the loose-lipped libertarian.” Really? Other media outlets have claimed the same thing.

Musk is a very divisive, outspoken, and prominent man. Both for his wealth and his business achievements. But also for his outspokenness and outrageous actions.

Now we lovers of liberty (which does include many Libertarians and libertarians – classical liberals) are a variegated group, certainly. But Musk?

You gotta be kidding me, right, Nathan?

Let’s think about that for a minute.

What is Mr. Musk’s opinion and political position? Well, we know he appears to be very strong on freedom of speech and expression.

Is that enough? Enough to label him honestly as a libertarian? For purists, certainly not.

As compared with the likes of far too many incredibly wealthy and influential people? Like Bill Gates? George Soros? Others? Well, he is relatively libertarian. But then so was Roosevelt and Truman relative to Hitler, Stalin, and even Churchill. Or so we are taught and many believe.

But how would he rate on The World’s Smallest Political Quiz, from the Advocates for Self-Government?

The problem with many well-known people and libertarianism is their perception that they are – and want to be – more libertarian than they really are. Examples include well-known talk show personalities like Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck. Both will refer to themselves as libertarian or libertarian-leaning. But when you analyze their positions on various issues, they fall more into the conservative – perhaps closer to libertarian than authoritarian (though I am sure many readers will disagree).

As far as we here at TPOL know, he has never publically taken any of the versions of The World’s Smallest Political Quiz.

(Keep in mind a couple of things. First, the 10 questions on the quiz change now and then, reflecting currently-popular issues. Second, the questions often are weasel-worded enough to rope in some people that are, perhaps at best, fellow-travelers. An example is the current question on “reducing government spending by 50%” – we free-market anarchists view that as a possible good start and better than what we have today, but a long ways from true liberty.)

Elon Musk’s business style falls more towards authoritarian. Is that also his political style? He has claimed to be many things, even a socialist. As some media has pointed out, he does not shirk from getting government help for his businesses. And he has described himself as moderate but “economically right of center.” Which can mean a lot of different things to different people.

He appears to overall a moderate, tending more towards the progressive side, in his opinions over the last few years, but perhaps still shy of even a minarchist libertarian position.

Which frustrates the media and politicians tied to the old, outmoded (if it ever did make sense) political spectrum. Who constantly try to fit us all into DEMOCRAT-REPUBLICAN and/or LIBERAL-CONSERVATIVE models. It is a problem that all lovers of liberty face in being polled and talking to people face.

Another thing that seems to anger the woke crowd, and the politicians in general, is that Musk does appear to have some adherence to principles other than “whatever makes me money or gains power for me.” Which makes him a bit different than the usual magnate and much different than your standard politician.

Dear reader, what do YOU think?