1. United States
2. Fla.
3. Letter

The American people must maintain control over our government and reject undue influence from billionaires like Elon Musk. A functional democracy requires policies created by elected officials accountable to the citizens, not wealthy individuals pursuing personal interests that undermine the public good. We cannot allow an unelected billionaire's whims to derail bipartisan agreements and grind government operations to a halt. Musk's opposition to the negotiated spending deal caused chaos and threatened vital services, research funding, and disaster relief solely to benefit his bottom line. This corporate capture of the political process jeopardizes the needs of everyday Americans. Our representatives must uphold their duty to the people, resist billionaire overreach, and pass the responsible, bipartisan spending package as negotiated. The will of an oligarch must not supersede the interests of the nation.