# 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:** 3
**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 3, 2025, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/41 "2025-02-03T09:20:45Z")
I’m sure our classified financial information is in good hands with these guys. > [@](#): > > WIRED has identified six young men—all apparently between the ages of 19 and 24, according to public databases, their online presences, and other records—who have little to no government experience and are now playing critical roles in Musk’s so-called [Department of Government Efficiency](https://www.wired.com/story/doge-elon-musk/) (DOGE) project. > > “What we’re seeing is unprecedented in that you have these actors who are not really public officials gaining access to the most sensitive data in government,” says Don Moynihan, a professor of public policy at the University of Michigan. “We really have very little eyes on what’s going on. Congress has no ability to really intervene and monitor what’s happening because these aren’t really accountable public officials." My first thought was that foreign agents could have a field day with these young guys. I bet somebody already has a plan. [The Young, Inexperienced Engineers Aiding Elon Musk’s Government Takeover | WIRED](https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-government-young-engineers/) ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/42 "2025-02-03T13:44:46Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Where’s Schumer? Busily tweeting about how people should blame Trump when the price of tomatoes goes up. And doing nothing constructive. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/43 "2025-02-03T15:01:04Z")
What constructive stuff can the minority party do? ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/44 "2025-02-03T15:10:51Z")
March over to the building Elon and friends have locked the employees out of and demand access and explanations, for starters. Stop being passive-aggressive and actively and vocally oppose what the Trump administration is doing. Pretty much everything the GOP did during the Obama administration, but with a lot more justification. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/45 "2025-02-03T15:36:35Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > March over to the building Elon and friends have locked the employees out of and demand access and explanations, for starters. > > Stop being passive-aggressive and actively and vocally oppose what the Trump administration is doing. There is a rally at Treasury tomorrow, Tuesday, Feb 4. Here’s a thread I started about it. > [@DC Area Residents: Protest Musk's takeover at the Treasury Dept, 5 pm Tue, 2/4](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dc-area-residents-protest-musks-takeover-at-the-treasury-dept-5-pm-tue-2-4/1013822): > > If you’re as scared about Musk taking over the Treasury department computers as I am, and live in driving range of Washington, DC, please try to get to the rally that will be held at the Treasury Dept. tomorrow, Tuesday, Feb 4, at 5 pm. [Link to Instagram](https://click.everyaction.com/k/101452839/526015201/175535121?igsh=NWJqbTFncWpwcm1j&nvep=ew0KICAiVGVuYW50VXJpIjogIm5ncHZhbjovL3Zhbi9UU00vVFNNSVYvMS82ODE0OSIsDQogICJEaXN0cmlidXRpb25VbmlxdWVJZCI6ICJmNGE5MDM0OS0zMmUyLWVmMTEtODhmOC0wMDIyNDgyYTk3ZTkiLA0KICAiRW1haWxBZGRyZXNzIjogImxlc2xpZXNtaXRocm9zZW5AZ21haWwuY29tIg0KfQ%3D%3D&hmac=xtmpGT-RvAJoRVPGOVcKwKAHo6pIp-YBV9uFACiyZhM=&emci=c94d9cf2-24e2-ef11-88f8-0022482a97e9&emdi=f4a90349-32e2-ef11-88f8-0022482a97e9&ceid=1432977). (You don’t need an IG account to see the post.) Thanks to anyone who can go and help stop this coup. If I still lived in Maryland, instead of Massachusetts, I’d be there. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/46 "2025-02-03T15:44:44Z")
Or what? As I have said far too many times in the past, laws and regulations cannot enforce themselves and those that _can_ enforce them are not going to do so. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/47 "2025-02-03T15:46:39Z")
If this fails, and I am afraid it certainly will, what is the next step? ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/48 "2025-02-03T15:51:45Z")
Keep fighting. The massive backlash to Trump’s attempt to impound Federal funds, and the judge’s injunction, forced them to back down. We have to keep pushing back. The alternative is to give up and move to some other country. What is your suggestion? ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/49 "2025-02-03T15:53:17Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > As I have said far too many times in the past, laws and regulations cannot enforce themselves and those that _can_ enforce them are not going to do so True. In any other moment in time up until now, the expectation was that some Joe Rando showing up saying “I come from the guy the Prez said is in charge of things, I’m taking over” would have been tossed out on the sidewalk if not arrested and the Senate and House would sit someone down in front of a committee to give explanations. Nobody did any tossing. Anyone who actually tries to actively resist will be the ones escorted out. That’s the amazing thing if you think about it from the Trumpist POV… people talked and talked about the Deep State but what I see is a cowed workforce obeying. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/50 "2025-02-03T16:00:29Z")
The Democrats probably have some small amount of leverage to stop this, and I hope they do – it’s very unlikely the Republicans will be able to pass a spending bill on their own without Democratic votes; Democrats should insist that Musk’s lawbreaking stop before providing any votes. Further, it’s a lot easier to gum up stuff in the Senate – one Senator can do it, like Tuberville did a few years ago. The Democrats should do that every day until this lawbreaking stops. I don’t know if they’ll do it, and I don’t know if it would work, but Democrats absolutely must use the limited tools available to fight illegality like this. ---
**Author:** ![OldOlds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a3d4f5/32.png) [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/51 "2025-02-03T16:00:40Z")
Well, everyone who has a Republican representative of senator should be absolutely flooding them with calls and emails. They do keep a tally, its a part of how they track reactions. I’m in Mass, so there’s nobody I can reach out to who isn’t already on board. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/52 "2025-02-03T16:56:56Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > In any other moment in time up until now, the expectation was that some Joe Rando showing up saying “I come from the guy the Prez said is in charge of things, I’m taking over” would have been tossed out on the sidewalk if not arrested and the Senate and House would sit someone down in front of a committee to give explanations. Nobody did any tossing. Anyone who actually tries to actively resist will be the ones escorted out. This is very true. What we are seeing is basically incomprehensible to this longtime fed employee. I almost feel like those apocryphal native Americans who were unable to even SEE the Europeans’ ships as they were so far beyond their frame of reference. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/53 "2025-02-03T17:01:15Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > No one in the opposing party has a clue _how_ to stop this. They also have no clue that they are next. ---
**Author:** ![yendis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ed8c4c/32.png) [@yendis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yendis)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/54 "2025-02-03T17:07:26Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > 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. The best part of the techno-feudalist future is going to be the bit where the techno runs headfirst into the feudalism. All the Tesla stock, bitcoin, Facebook data, and other cyber ephemera is meaningless to the warlord with a gun. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/55 "2025-02-03T17:14:10Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > March over to the building Elon and friends have locked the employees out of and demand access and explanations, for starters. In response to a question as to what the Democrats in Congress can do. My understanding is that the building that was shut down was the one for the US AID and that falls under the jurisdiction of the White House. So it is legal what they did. ---
**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 3, 2025, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/56 "2025-02-03T17:27:16Z")
The curious thing is that the OP started this thread asking about data protection laws in the USA and how people felt about them. As a European I think I know what they meant, but the question does not resonate at all with the usual Doper. There is the concept of **[data minimization](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_minimization)**\* I strongly endorse, as, like a blogger I like to read writes, where there is a trough, the swines will come. But this idea of generating and storing as little data as possible is completely antithetical to the current thinking in the USA. And now there you have it: someone who should not have _access to all your data_ (Musk the Swine) has access to _all the data the government has access to_ (the trough), and that happens to be **all your data**. But it is not the trough you consider to be the problem, at least not judging by your answers. The problem is Musk’s conflict of interests. There is a problem with Musk’s conflict of interest, granted. But it is not the primary problem. And you don’t see it. Just like with social media. I don’t understand it. \* As an exercise, if you click on that link, compare just the length of the wikiarticles in English and in German (the only languages available) to get an idea of the relative importance this concept is given to in the English speaking world and in the German speaking world. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/57 "2025-02-03T17:57:48Z")
> [@OldOlds](#): > > I’m in Mass, so there’s nobody I can reach out to who isn’t already on board. I live in Massachusetts, too, but I’ve called Senators Markey (617-565-8519) and Warren (617-565-3170), and my US Rep, as well, several times in the last two weeks to urge them to fight Trump’s cabinet nominees with every tool in the parliamentarian’s toolbox, just like the Republicans under Mitch McConnell did in the Obama administration. It’s easy, only takes a few minutes, and it makes clear, even to politicians who are already on “our side” that LOTS of people are really concerned about this. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/58 "2025-02-03T20:17:37Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > We would be shot in the legs. That’s optimistic. Think center mass. ---
**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 3, 2025, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/59 "2025-02-03T20:42:19Z")
Hey, that’s the way [Donny wants it.](https://thehill.com/policy/defense/3473642-esper-trump-asked-about-shooting-protesters-in-the-legs-or-something-after-george-floyd-death/) ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/60 "2025-02-04T02:17:20Z")
> **[Dell Cameron (@dell.bsky.social)](https://bsky.app/profile/dell.bsky.social/post/3lhcy4xsqxs2c)** > > NEW: Trump says he's letting "lifesaving" foreign aid continue, but sources tell WIRED that DOGE is still blocking HIV/AIDS relief. > > Musk brags he's "feeding USAID into the wood chipper." > > A USAID worker tell us: “At a minimum, 300 babies that... “At a minimum, 300 babies that wouldn’t have had HIV now do." [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755.md?page=4)