# 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:** 11\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2025, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/121 "2025-02-07T20:23:35Z")
> [@LouMa](#): > > Give it a try and find out the differences between Putin and Trump. Putin is actually in control of the Russian government and has aptly excised anyone who might dare to usurp him. He speaks in measured tones with veiled threats, and as you noted, has been fortunate enough to have political opponents fall out of windows, suffer mysterious poisonings, disappear, or commit ‘crimes’ causing them to languish in labor camps indefinitely. Trump just _thinks_ he’s smart enough to do all of these things (he’s not), and unfortunately is facilitated by people who are at least smart enough to the threat of his populism and a cowed Republican party to effectively control the government and excise anyone who might oppose them. (Remember Paul Ryan? Kevin McCarthy? Mark Sanford? Yeah, nobody else does, either.) None of his objectors has yet been defenestrated, or killed in a mysterious hit-and-run accident, or strung up on a light post _pour encourager les autres_ despite Trump’s clear implied encouragement but frankly it is just a matter of time. Putin is the actual head of the Russian dictatorship. Trump is just a figurehead who imagines he is, but for all of that he’s still way too close to having absolute control courtesy of those people who still keep insisting, “It can’t happen here! We have the Constitution and the Supreme Court!” > [@LouMa](#): > > Given the fact that so many people hold Trump and even Musk in high esteem I don’t think so. Will there be elections at all in 2028? I’am not sure. There will—barring mass catastrophe or a steamrolling of the government by a collection of Christian nationalists enabled by Project 2025 initiatives—be elections in 2028. Depending upon the state they may be purely for show with viable opponents removed by various quasi-legalistic means or just districts gerrymandered to ensure their loss. Whether the Congress will accept results and certify votes that are not favorable to the GOP is another question entirely. This is, of course, assuming Elon and his pirate ship of poltroons don’t manage to so totally fuck up the administrative functions of government that the federal government ceases to have any real relevance whatsoever. When masses of employees, contractors, businesses, and financial institutions aren’t getting paid and the “full faith and credit” of the US financial and legal systems stop being the default assumption, who knows what the fuck follows. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2025, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/122 "2025-02-07T20:40:50Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > Scott Bessent has plenary authority to at least temporarily reassign or place on administrative leave any Treasury department employee who does not follow his direction, and even AFGE might back and win a hypothetical legal challenge, it would not change the fact that Bessent will sooner or later come to “career bureaucrats” with a kid in college, or a spouse in chemo, or one mortgage payment away from going red on their bank account, who will comply because they can’t afford to do otherwise; In either case of _temporarily reassign or place on administrative leave_ they still get paid. It it rather hard to fire a Civil Service employee, this sort of crap is exactly why the Civil Service was set up.''And disobeying a court order is one of the things that could get you fired. So, be annoyed and harassed by your boss, whereupon the Union or the Civil Service comm. or the Courts will step in with injunctions, fines, etc. Or go along and then actually possible lose your job. The bullshit idea that trump can do anything and everything without fear of reprisals is exactly that- bullshit. Already many of his Executive Orders have been struck down by the court. > [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > are things that would have a normal Congress in broad bipartisan agreement to impeach and convict _tout de suite_ No president has ever been removed from office. > [@AnalogSignal](#): > > but Trump’s people can fire anyone who tries to enforce the orders Nope. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2025, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/123 "2025-02-07T20:59:13Z")
after the last few days i started to see that elon is what trump wanted jared to be in his first term. elon is more effective than jared ever was. ---
**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 7, 2025, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/124 "2025-02-07T22:34:27Z")
If even 10 years ago someone had tried to pitch a movie with the premise “The richest man on the planet buys the United States of America from the world’s greatest conman, and with his cadre of teen gamers, is hell-bent on destroying it” they would most likely have been told that was too far-fetched. And here we are. ---
**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 7, 2025, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/125 "2025-02-07T23:09:55Z")
> [@LouMa](#): > > No, this is not a hijack Don’t worry, this is your thread, you cannot hijack it. 😛 > [@aurora\_maire](#): > > If even 10 years ago someone […] The richest man on the planet buys the United States of America from the world’s greatest conman And it only cost him $250 million, and he turned those into a profit in no time at all! Who is the greatest conman? If even _ **two** _ years ago… turns away in despair muttering under his breath ---
**Author:** ![DaveUnknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/94ad74/32.png) [@DaveUnknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveUnknown)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2025, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/126 "2025-02-08T00:07:43Z")
This is my (maga) congressman’s official reply to the letter I wrote concerning Musk. I’ve held back naming, but I’m sure they all have the same canned reply. Take it how you will: "Thank you for contacting my office regarding President Trump’s DOGE initiative. I appreciate hearing from you. As you may have seen, there are numerous reports regarding Elon Musk and DOGE’s audits of federal agencies. Let me be clear, Elon Musk is not accessing or reviewing personal information. Currently, federal employees assigned to DOGE teams at each federal agency are conducting audits to identify waste and fraud. For example, according to the Secretary of the Treasury, a limited number of qualified Treasury employees have been granted read-only access to their systems. It is completely within the President’s and the Treasury Secretary’s prerogative to ask for a review of the very systems they are responsible for. The non-partisan Government Accountability Office estimated that the government made $236 billion in improper payments — three-quarters of which were overpayments — across 71 federal programs during the 2023 fiscal year – we know this number is not comprehensive of the entire federal government. Given the hundreds of billions of dollars in improper payments, DOGE’s actions are essential to help identify and stop this misuse of taxpayer dollars. Additionally, Elon Musk has held a top-secret security clearance since 2022, is a U.S. citizen, and is a federal employee. I understand your concern following some of the reports surrounding recent events, but rest assured that no personal data is at risk, and the agencies are following the law." ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2025, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/127 "2025-02-08T00:15:51Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > Don’t worry, this is your thread, you cannot hijack it. Yeah, you can indeed hijack your own thread. It is a bit more difficult. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2025, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/128 "2025-02-08T00:33:34Z")
> **[Young Aides Emerge as Enforcers in Musk’s DOGE Team Efforts](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/07/us/politics/musk-doge-aides.html?unlocked_article_code=1.vU4.ivrP.hOiQ6BNcFGcD&smid=url-share)** > > Much of the billionaire’s handiwork — gaining access to internal systems and asking employees to justify their jobs — is being driven by a group of engineers operating in secrecy. > … > Across the federal government, civil servants have witnessed the sudden intrusion in the last two weeks of these young members of the billionaire’s team, labeled the Department of Government Efficiency. As Mr. Musk traipses through Washington, bent on disruption, these aides have emerged as his enforcers, sweeping into agency headquarters with black backpacks and ambitious marching orders. > > … > > In the past week, his aides have descended upon the Education, Energy, Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, Transportation and Veterans Affairs Departments, along with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, according to people familiar with their activities. > > … > > Last week, young representatives of Mr. Musk’s team with backpacks stuffed with a half-dozen laptops and phones arrived at the headquarters of U.S.A.I.D., demanding access to financial and personnel records. On Friday, a dozen stayed into the night, powered by a bulk order of coffee. The next day, the agency’s website went dark. > > … > > One Musk acolyte has leaned into his new status as a Washington celebrity. > > Gavin Kliger, a newly minted senior adviser at the personnel office, wrote a Substack post this week titled “Why DOGE: Why I gave up a seven-figure salary to save America” — and asked users to pay a $1,000-per-month subscription fee to read it. > > The post behind the paywall appeared to have been left intentionally blank, according to users who saw it. > > … 😬 Mind-boggling. ---
**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 8, 2025, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/129 "2025-02-08T01:39:07Z")
> [@from ThelmaLou's link](#): > > One Musk acolyte has leaned into his new status as a Washington celebrity. I wonder which of these kids will fall into the hands of a foreign agent first? ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2025, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/130 "2025-02-08T02:21:03Z")
The first one who’s knocked over the head and his laptop taken. ---
**Author:** ![LouMa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/louma/32/19472_2.png) [@LouMa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouMa)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2025, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755/131 "2025-02-09T11:05:48Z")
Below I link an article I found in The Atlantic which describes very well the dangers for the American society at large caused by the intrusion of Musk’s guys into the government IT system. It is a bit like giving a child a loose canon. They might not be aware of what they don’t know and the consequences thereof. Trump probably has no clue about the complexity of this system and the consequences of allowing people with no security clearance to fidget around with a matter that reaches into the marrow of the bone of the US system. It is like toddlers playing with matches next to a gas tank. There might be a time limit for access to the link by The Atlantic. > **[The Government’s Computing Experts Say They Are Terrified](https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2025/02/elon-musk-doge-security/681600/)** > > Four IT professionals lay out just how destructive Elon Musk’s incursion into the U.S. government could be. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elon-musk-got-access-to-the-federal-payment-system/1013755.md?page=6)