[54351623]

Bold move to extort public officials with threats to move a factory you're attempting to fully automate and a few hundred white collar positions to a state where your main bargaining chip is jobs when you possess less than 5% market share, a vertical monopoly and a luxury product in a crashing market. Excited to see how this one turns out.

[samsonradu]

Indeed, looking at the bigger picture I can't help seeing the absurdity of it. For all the praising of Tesla cars, which might very well be founded, it's just a freaking car in a market where demand fell off a cliff.

[badRNG]

I have to wonder if these actions by Musk are going to hurt the brand image of Tesla.

Sure people buy the car because it has cool gimmick features and is electric, but when you buy a car for $30k+ there's a reason you spent that kind of money: the car is a form of self expression (whether one would like to admit it or not.) When one buys a Tesla, it indicates that they are with the times, both technologically and socially.

[koheripbal]

These are high paying jobs and a rich tax paying business. I expect many cities would jump at the opportunity to have Tesla move there.

[54351623]

I'm not saying other cities, especially in Texas, wouldn't jump at the opportunity. I just think it's a bold move.

[csomar]

It's 10k jobs. Could easily support 50k (directly/indirectly and dependents of the workers). That's a big number especially we are talking counties not states.

[downerending]

There is no extortion here. The position might be unwise, but it's not illegal. It's a negotiation, and walking away is always an option.

Put another way, if it was real extortion, other states would certainly not be welcoming the company to come hither.