Aw: Vance, Musk, and Marj are working overtime to bulldoze checks and balances after not getting their way again

It’s funny how the MAGA crowd loves to cosplay as patriots while stomping all over the Constitution they claim to worship. Now, they’re throwing a fit because the courts dared to remind them that “checks and balances” isn’t just a suggestion.

Trump’s grand schemes are hitting wall after wall in the courts. And MAGA-world does not do well with obstacles. So, naturally, Elon Musk — billionaire, technocrat, and wannabe savior of democracy (he thinks) — took to X to vent his frustrations. Musk shared a tweet suggesting it might be time to ignore the courts altogether. He called a federal judge “a corrupt judge protecting corruption.”

On Trump’s first day back in office, he signed an executive order creating the Department of Government Efficiency. DOGE, led by Musk, was tasked with rooting out fraud and cutting government waste. Sounds noble enough. Until you realize that DOGE was granted unchecked access to sensitive internal data from across the federal government. Yep, all those folks who voted for “small government” just handed Elon Musk the keys to their personal data.

Critics were quick to point out that DOGE’s powers were a constitutional and ethical nightmare. Federal and state officials argued that Musk’s little pet project could violate federal laws, not to mention basic privacy protections. Finally, on Feb. 9, U.S. District Judge Engelmayer barred Musk and DOGE from accessing Treasury records. According to the judge’s reasoning, only specialized civil servants with a legitimate need should have access to such sensitive information — not political appointees, special government employees, or private citizens. Cue the meltdown.

Musk called the ruling “absolutely insane” and even called for Engelmayer’s impeachment. While the billionaire was busy throwing his fit, Marjorie Taylor Greene and JD Vance nodded along.

These people took oaths. On the Constitution. You’d think a basic familiarity with that document would be part of the job. Maybe someone should send Vance and Marj a copy of the Constitution with the relevant parts highlighted. Or better yet, get them an audiobook version.

The judicial branch exists to ensure that neither the executive nor the legislative branch can run roughshod over the law. Without it, we’re left with unchecked power, which, historically speaking, has never ended well. The Constitution was designed to distribute power precisely to avoid situations like this — where a single branch (or individual) tries to consolidate control. If the president tries to pull something unconstitutional, the courts step in. If Congress starts writing laws that overreach, the president can veto. It’s a constant tug-of-war that prevents tyranny.

And yes, the courts are a critical piece of this puzzle. Take a look at history. From striking down FDR’s overzealous New Deal policies to curbing Nixon’s abuse of power during Watergate, the courts have proven their value. They’re not perfect, but they’re essential. Without them, we’d be at the mercy of whoever happens to occupy the Oval Office — or, in this case, whoever happens to be the president’s pet technocrat.

In the end, this is about a larger MAGA movement that fundamentally cannot handle the concept of accountability. The MAGA worldview operates on the assumption that power belongs to them, full stop. And so, instead of engaging with the system, they attack it. Judges become “corrupt.” Lawsuits become “witch hunts.” The Constitution becomes optional.