4 upvotes, 1 direct replies (showing 1)
View submission: U.S. Politics megathread
I saw someone posted this questions on outoftheloop. Please enlighten us on this:
How is it acceptable that a billionaire with extensive private business interests is given full access to the U.S. Treasury's federal payment system? What safeguards, if any, are in place to prevent Elon Musk from using this access to benefit himself or his companies? Why is there no public oversight or transparency over how this decision was made? What does this say about corporate influence over government operations? If a single billionaire can gain control over sensitive financial data, can we really call this a democracy?
What are the implications of someone with Musk’s business ties- including connections to foreign governments and investors- having access to federal financial infrastructure? Why do politicians and media figures who cry about "national security threats" from TikTok remain silent about this? Is this just another example of selective outrage that serves corporate interests?
How does this affect data privacy for everyday Americans? Should we be concerned that Musk, who already owns a massive share of the U.S. communication infrastructure (Twitter/X, Starlink), now has insight into Social Security, Medicare payments, and government contracts? Given his track record of erratic leadership and favoritism toward right-wing interests, what are the risks of this data being misused?
What does this mean for public institutions? If Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is gaining control over financial systems under the guise of “efficiency,” is this just another attempt to privatize essential government functions? When has billionaire-led privatization ever actually benefited the working class? Should we be bracing for job cuts, deregulation, and austerity measures that only serve the ultra-rich?
How does this fit into the broader struggle between the billionaire class and the working class? Why is the government prioritizing giving a billionaire unchecked power while millions of Americans struggle with debt, rent increases, and lack of affordable healthcare? If the U.S. government is so quick to hand Musk power, why is it unwilling to take any of his wealth to fund social programs? How much more power will billionaires accumulate before people realize we are living under oligarchic rule?
Comment by Delehal at 05/02/2025 at 02:28 UTC
6 upvotes, 1 direct replies
How is it acceptable that a billionaire with extensive private business interests is given full access to the U.S. Treasury's federal payment system?
Trump has been firing everybody who asks this, including a high ranking Treasury official. So, apparently, he says it's fine.
What safeguards, if any, are in place to prevent Elon Musk from using this access to benefit himself or his companies?
Unclear. Unless the administration presents clear evidence of such safeguards, we should probably assume they do not exist.
Why is there no public oversight or transparency over how this decision was made?
Congress has started some investigations into the matter. Some lawsuits regarding Elon's so-called DOGE group are already filed in court. It will take time for all that to shake out.
If a single billionaire can gain control over sensitive financial data, can we really call this a democracy?
In a way, people voted for this. Trump and his team won the election.