A ketamine-snorting, try-hard cool kid and internet troll masquerading as a politician – oh wait, he’s not even a politician, just a private citizen – has somehow got his hands on the joystick controlling the massive arcade game that is the U.S. government. And what are we doing about it? Absolutely nothing.
According to a report from The New York Times, Elon Musk and his merry band of “efficiency experts” have gained full access to the federal payment system. Thanks to Trump’s treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, Musk can now see the distribution of everything from your grandma’s Social Security check to your neighbor’s tax refund. Why on Earth does a car and rocket man should get access to the sensitive personal and financial data of millions of Americans? With no clear oversight, who’s to stop him from prioritizing payments to entities that might just happen to align with his sprawling business empire?
Ever since the Orange Overlord ascended to his throne, Musk has been staging a full-on coup of our government’s inner workings, all under the guise of “cutting down government waste.” More recently, Musk has taken over crucial processes in the Office of Personnel Management. Not everyone is thrilled about the billionaire’s power grab. David Lebryk, a career Treasury official, opposed Musk’s request for access to the federal payment system.
And what happened to him? He was promptly put on leave and then abruptly retired. Coincidence? As the owner of Tesla and SpaceX, Musk stands to benefit greatly from reduced oversight and regulation. Just look at what happened to Michael Whitaker, the former FAA administrator who resigned under pressure after criticizing Musk.
Calling Elon Musk the “Shadow President” might not be far off. He’s tanking bills and shaping policy — without so much as a single vote cast in his favor. As for checks and balances? We’re past that quaint notion. The world’s richest man is playing puppet master with public funds, all while his business interests hum along nicely.
Musk’s influence doesn’t stop at the borders of the United States. He’s also taking his show on the road and meddling in geopolitics. Musk has thrown his support behind Germany’s far-right AfD party, even suggesting that Germany should just “get over” its past guilt at a rally. Beyond Germany, he has aligned himself with similar ideological movements in Europe. Whatever is Musk’s endgame, the people didn’t sign up for this. This is the textbook definition of a plutocracy.
Published: Feb 2, 2025 12:35 pm