While the national news can’t stop talking about Elon Musk’s every post on X or his influence in Washington, D.C., something else is happening down in Texas.
Quietly, Musk and his companies are scoring win after win thanks to business-friendly policies that many conservatives say should be a model for the whole country.
This is what happens when government gets out of the way and lets innovation do its thing.
Texas: Open for Business
Back in 2021, Musk moved Tesla’s headquarters out of California and into Texas. He’d had enough of high taxes, strict rules, and what he called a “too big” government in the Golden State.
Texas, on the other hand, rolled out the welcome mat.
Conservatives cheered the move as proof that states with low taxes, fewer regulations, and local control are better for business – and for workers too.
Tesla’s new Gigafactory near Austin now employs over 20,000 people. Local leaders also gave Tesla more than $60 million in tax breaks to help bring those jobs in.
SpaceX and the Red Tape Race
Meanwhile, Musk’s space company, SpaceX, has been busy launching rockets from Boca Chica, Texas. It hasn’t all been smooth sailing (there’ve been environmental concerns and a few legal battles) but Texas officials have worked with Musk to keep things moving.
This is where conservatives draw a clear line. They say federal regulators often go overboard with rules that slow down progress.
In Texas, local officials and businesses can work together to find balance without getting tangled in Washington’s red tape.
In 2023, for example, SpaceX was able to fast-track permits for Starship test launches by working directly with state agencies. That kind of flexibility shows how local control beats one-size-fits-all federal mandates.
Digging into the Future
Musk’s lesser-known venture, The Boring Company, is also moving ahead in Texas. The company builds underground tunnels that could one day ease traffic in big cities.
In Austin, local leaders welcomed the idea without the long delays or environmental pushback seen in other states.
Another win. This shows how private companies can find faster, cheaper solutions to big problems if government steps aside.
Why the Media Isn’t Talking About This
Reporters love covering Musk’s social media outbursts, but when it comes to showing how conservative policies like low taxes and fewer rules can actually work, the coverage dries up.
A 2024 post on X from a Texas conservative called Musk’s Gigafactory “a monument to free markets.”
That kind of praise doesn’t make headlines in legacy news outlets that prefer stories about government-led solutions.
Critics Push Back
Environmental groups have raised concerns about how quickly SpaceX got around certain rules. Labor unions don’t like that Tesla’s factories are non-union. And some progressives say tax incentives could be better spent elsewhere.
But conservatives argue the results speak for themselves. Jobs are up, investment is strong, and Texas is growing.
They say this is proof that letting the free market lead – without government interference – gets results.
A Conservative Model for the Future
Elon Musk might not call himself a conservative, but what he’s doing in Texas lines up with conservative beliefs: small government, local control, low taxes, and real-world results.
Texas is showing the rest of the country how it’s done.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
