Thomas Massie and Rand Paul had been subjected to the usual abuse for their objections to the bill.

Some people — even some who claim to oppose budget deficits — had been piling on against Massie and Rand: why, they don't understand the long game, they always vote no, they don't understand that we have to spend in order to cut, whatever.

Meanwhile, what such people couldn't answer, because there is no good answer, is why Massie and Paul would be attacked but the buffoon Randy Fine endorsed and cheered, or why the atrocious Lindsey Graham was endorsed and lauded and not a finger was laid on him after he went abroad undermining the presumed White House foreign policy.

Doesn't matter if you're a Trump fan or not: we can all agree there's no good excuse for that.

But with the sudden entrance of Elon into the fray on the side of Massie and Paul, the dynamics have changed quickly.

Elon spent today reminding people what some of the key actors had said in the past: