# Elon Musk got access to the Federal Payment System **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** elon-musk\ **Created:** [February 2, 2025, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755 "2025-02-02T13:53:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/21 "2025-02-02T21:15:25Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > He’ll steal 99% of everything and they’ll praise him for getting government down to 1% of what it was. Things will collapse and he’ll blame the wokes. It’s sickening. It _is_ sickening, and the collapse of the United States is exactly what they want. Peter Theil, [Balaji Srinivasan](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balaji_Srinivasan), Brian Armstrong… these guys ultimately want to get rid of nations (and the regulations they implement) so they can set up network states where they (the tech bros) rule people as billionaire CEOs with crypto as the currency. They’ve got the money, they’ve planning this for years (they’ve got books, workshops, podcasts, websites, all outlining their plans), and now they’ve got access to the highest office in the United States government in order to bring down the crown jewel of nation states and being it all out in the open. I know it’s sounds bonkers, but all this shit in the past two weeks has to be happening for a reason. The needless tariffs, the drastic (and illegal) cuts in government spending and aide, the attempt to wipe out civil servants. They’re _trying_ to take down the government from the inside. And it might be too late to stop it. No one in the opposing party has a clue _how_ to stop this. > **[Network states: the tech bros who want to create new countries](https://theweek.com/tech/network-states-the-tech-bros-who-want-to-create-new-countries)** > > Concept would allow you to 'choose your nationality like you choose your broadband provider' > **[Network States – Revolutionary Idea To Potential New Asset Class](https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2023/12/20/network-states--revolutionary-idea-to-potential-new-asset-class/)** > > Exploring the idea of Network States and highlighting current initiatives in this emerging industry and potential new asset class. > **[Praxis](https://www.praxisnation.com/)** > > Praxis is building new cities to support those solving the world's hardest problems This is a 30-minute video that came out two months ago that explains why these shitty things are happening so rapidly into Trump’s term, and why Musk is (and Peter Thiel’s fingerprints are) everywhere; she brings the receipts: [https://youtu.be/5RpPTRcz1no?si=QzPR8UyMSfJNmrFc](https://youtu.be/5RpPTRcz1no?si=QzPR8UyMSfJNmrFc) I hate that this all sounds like a crack pot conspiracy theory, but I don’t see what else could be going on here. None of it makes sense unless you realize that these oligarchs believe _they_ are special flowers who are ushering in a new way of life that won’t hinder their ability to grow their wealth and do whatever the fuck they want without government getting in the way. They’re children with too much money and technology and now they’ve gotten hold of the federal government. They’ve gotten control of the government, they’re taking down legacy media, they control new media, they’ve got a couple decades worth of data on us and our online habits, their ability to surveil humans is the most sophisticated it’s ever been, and they’ve got more wealth than should be humanly possible. Plus many of their followers think God is on their side, so they can make this all about being righteous and holy. Ok, now someone please tell me I’m crazy and that everything’s fine. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/22 "2025-02-02T21:25:18Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > We would be shot in the legs. Or disappeared to Guantanamo. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/23 "2025-02-02T21:30:01Z")
Perhaps both. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/24 "2025-02-02T21:44:36Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Peter Theil, [Balaji Srinivasan](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balaji_Srinivasan), Brian Armstrong… these guys ultimately want to get rid of nations (and the regulations they implement) so they can set up network states where they (the tech bros) rule people as billionaire CEOs with crypto as the currency. They’ve got the money, they’ve planning this for years (they’ve got books, workshops, podcasts, websites, all outlining their plans), and now they’ve got access to the highest office in the United States government in order to bring down the crown jewel of nation states and being it all out in the open. > > I know it’s sounds bonkers It all sounds like some bad movie. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/KSZwlMDSOvY/maxresdefault.jpg "Top Secret! (3/9) Movie CLIP - Some Bad Movie (1984) HD") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSZwlMDSOvY&t=17) Which does _not_ mean you’re wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/25 "2025-02-02T21:47:38Z")
You are not crazy. Nothing is fine. This is the kind of situation the Second Amendment was designed for, so the alternatives are dreadful. Either nothing is done, then it is cryptofascism (crypto as in bitcoin, not as in hidden: it is and will remain in plain sight, just check your social media accounts). Or something is done, then it is civil war. Just trying to get my head around the problem whose solution is civil war. And what that means for the rest of the world. Crazy, crazy days. But not you: you are not the crazy one. ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/26 "2025-02-02T21:47:44Z")
Why is no one going to court to stop Musk? ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/27 "2025-02-02T21:52:18Z")
Who would take him to court and which court? ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/28 "2025-02-02T21:59:34Z")
Musk wanted to make Twitter a financial platform. What’s to stop him from privatizing the government payment function and moving it to an X platform where he can get a fee for every transaction? I’m sure he can “prove” that would be cheaper and more efficient. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/29 "2025-02-02T22:00:41Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > But not you: you are not the crazy one. So I don’t know if that’s good news or bad news. 😵‍💫 As I was watching that video I posted up thread, I was flabbergasted by what she was explaining, but also sort of wondering if this is how the otherwise normal people originally got sucked into qanon theories. “This seems bananas. Is this bananas?” And as I was typing my post up thread, I was wondering if I’ll look back at it in a year and wonder why I was such a frothing paranoid idiot. In fact I hope I do look back and think that. I hope I’m wrong about thinking our country is being rapidly brought to the ground by billionaire tech bros and that it may not exist anymore in a decade. ---
**Author:** ![Skypist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skypist/32/169_2.png) [@Skypist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skypist)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/30 "2025-02-02T22:09:37Z")
This is what I want to know. Surely this is illegal or at least possibly illegal. I’m not sure who would have “standing” (IANAL) to take this to court, but it’s insane that there isn’t obviously some kind of recourse that can be taken when an unelected, so-called official just takes over and installs his own employees “working” 24/7 to do something they won’t disclose anything about. It’s a conflict of interest at the very least because some of these payments are going to other government contractors who are competitors of Musk’s companies (IIUC). Neither he nor any of his employees should have any access to sensitive treasury information for a multitude of reasons, but the conflict of interest is another one. ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/31 "2025-02-02T22:15:26Z")
> [@Skypist](#): > > I’m not sure who would have “standing” (IANAL) to take this to court All the Lutheran charities whose funds Musk is withholding. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/32 "2025-02-02T22:17:46Z")
Where’s Schumer? Where’s Jefferies? I saw Elizabeth Warren post something on Threads last night about being “alarmed” by this move and that Congress “must investigate.” Wtf? This is my point that no one in the opposition party knows what the fuck to do right now! They need to get this tech bro MF out of our national bank account tout suite! A Congressional investigation ain’t gonna cut it, professor! ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/33 "2025-02-02T22:18:08Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > So I don’t know if that’s good news or bad news. 😵‍💫 I think it\* is good news for you as an individual and bad news for you as a member of society. ETA: \*it = not being crazy but noticing the crazy stuff that is happening. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/34 "2025-02-02T22:44:22Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > I hope I’m wrong about thinking our country is being rapidly brought to the ground by billionaire tech bros and that it may not exist anymore in a decade. Many reputable people are labeling Musk’s takeover of the federal payment system a “coup,” with no qualifiers. Here’s one sober voice: > **[Joyce White Vance (@joycewhitevance.bsky.social)](https://bsky.app/profile/joycewhitevance.bsky.social/post/3lh7rhwl5j22u)** > > This language describes a coup. You have to be a government employee, subject to the rules & procedures that bind gov employees, to do this kind of work. This is a blatant abuse of the public trust by the Trump administration, a true 5-alarm... The included excerpt of a Wired story: [![](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:q3glmp5enr5gkuu2uaosjker/bafkreibutro7k6ynm74kje2m2mhjf3fuevorx22vskwnx4ncksqf7axsdu@jpeg) ](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:q3glmp5enr5gkuu2uaosjker/bafkreibutro7k6ynm74kje2m2mhjf3fuevorx22vskwnx4ncksqf7axsdu@jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/35 "2025-02-02T22:49:19Z")
Let’s not overlook the obvious, here: Musk took control of the federal payment system so he can authorize a payment of a trillion dollars to himself. Followed by another payment of a trillion dollars to Donald Tr-- oops, wait, somehow that one went to Musk, too. It’s OK, Donny, just give me all of your bank account info and I’ll have that second payment transferred right over to you. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/36 "2025-02-02T22:55:57Z")
> **[Senior USAID security officials put on leave after refusing Musk’s DOGE...](https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/02/politics/usaid-officials-leave-musk-doge/index.html)** > > Two top security officials at the US Agency for International Development were put on administrative leave Saturday night after refusing to allow officials from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency to access systems at the agency, even... Why is this MF speaking on behalf of our government? Why is he calling a federal department a criminal organization? Why the fuck is no one in Congress stepping up to stop this? I mean some of those Republicans have to be appalled by this action. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/37 "2025-02-02T23:02:21Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > I mean some of those Republicans have to be appalled by this action. It is to laugh. And cry. ---
**Author:** ![Skypist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skypist/32/169_2.png) [@Skypist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skypist)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/38 "2025-02-02T23:06:10Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > I mean some of those Republicans have to be appalled by this action. I’m assuming many or most of them are bought off by Musk and other billionaires, so they’re paid to stay quiet (except for railing against women’s rights, trans people, the disabled, and DEI) through all this. They plan to move to another country with all their ill-gotten gain and apparently haven’t thought about the impact this could have on the entire world economically and environmentally. > The AP reported that DOGE personnel had indeed accessed classified material. This is horrific. Trump learned that stealing classified documents was no biggie for him and his minions. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/39 "2025-02-03T02:57:37Z")
This NYT interview with Bannon claims that Musk and many Silicon Valley techno bros are “transhumanists”. It is a very interesting interview, and a somewhat relevant concept. Silver talks about these things in his book too. I note, apropos of nothin’, DOGE spelled backwards is E-GOD. Limited gift link: > **[Opinion | Steve Bannon on ‘Broligarchs’ vs. Populism](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/31/opinion/steve-bannon-on-broligarchs-vs-populism.html?unlocked_article_code=1.uE4.3nfL.nXQXVu9s87ZU&smid=url-share)** > > The fight for Donald Trump’s ear. Original same article: > **[Opinion | Steve Bannon on ‘Broligarchs’ vs. Populism](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/31/opinion/steve-bannon-on-broligarchs-vs-populism.html)** > > The fight for Donald Trump’s ear. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/40 "2025-02-03T03:19:14Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Yes DOGE is more or less a federal institution. Then Musk needs to face the Senate and be confirmed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755.md?page=3)