Alachua County Republican Party Chairman Gives Interview at ‘Tesla Takedown’ Protest
On Saturday, GnvInfo interviewed Chair of the Alachua County Republican Party and Newberry mayor candidate Tim Marden at the “Tesla Takedown” protest.
Jack Walden
Q: Why are you here today?
Marden: We just wanted to bring some positive energy more than anything. There’s a lot of negativity out there surrounding Tesla, Elon and Trump. Although we voted in November, we can’t let up, and we need to continue to support the president.
Q: I know [the protesters] have been out here a couple times. Is this your first time coming out here to support Trump and Musk?
Marden: It is. This is the first time we came out here. I had somebody contact me and ask if we could do anything. This was just a few days ago, and this is what we got in less than a week.
Q: What’s the main reason you support Trump and Elon?
Marden: They have a better direction and a better vision for the country. We’ve got to get rid of waste, fraud and abuse. The less that big government does, the more that will be left for the people to do. Taking the money and just cycling it through the Washington, DC—you know—washing machine doesn’t do anybody good….
Q: Do you think their protest has any substantial impact on Trump and Musk?
Marden: No, not at all. I don’t really think there is, but I still appreciate the fact they want to be involved in the process, whether I agree with them or not. I think its incumbent upon all Americans to be involved in the process.
Q: Do you support Elon more for his politics or his business endeavors?
Marden: Really for his business acumen overall. His politics are not much different from a lot of other people at this point. He’s sort of the Einstein of our day right now. We’re kind of in living history, and we’ll look back on this time — I mean, just the fact they can catch a rocket on a tower is amazing to me.
Q: What do you think the media is getting wrong or right about the situation?
Marden: I guess it probably depends on what media you ask…. I think the message is getting through to the American people that we can’t continue to do what we’ve been doing. We’re at 36 [trillion]—knocking on the door of 37 trillion dollars in debt. That’s completely unsustainable. We’ve got to figure it out, and maybe we’ll have to make some tough choices, and we might have to make some sacrifices, but — you know — it’s still great to live in America.
Q: If you could send a message directly to Musk, what would it be?
Marden: Just keep doing what you’re doing. We've got your back, and don’t let up.
Q: Where do you see America in one year?
Marden: It may actually be a little bit more chaotic in a year. We’re gonna start seeing some of the effects — people have lost their jobs, you know, and they’re gonna have their credit cards maxed out. In bad economic times people can get kind of desperate, so I just encourage people to help one another. There’s no reason that we can’t extend our hand to the other side of the street in this case and help them out.
