this post was submitted on 03 Feb 2025
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Summary

Elon Musk claims his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is shutting down payments to federal contractors, including a Lutheran charity, asserting it is eliminating corruption.

This suggests DOGE has access to Treasury’s payment systems, though officials have not confirmed the extent.

Senator Ron Wyden warned that DOGE may interfere with Social Security, Medicare, and government contracts.

Musk also called USAID “a criminal organization” that should “die,” amid DOGE’s growing influence over federal financial operations.

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[–] HootinNHollerin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 22 minutes ago (1 children)
[–] Bakkoda@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 minutes ago

And for people who don't like that word:

Regulatory capture of the entire United States government.

[–] Maeve@kbin.earth 3 points 17 minutes ago

Contractors handle Medicare.

[–] Mnemnosyne@sh.itjust.works 14 points 1 hour ago (2 children)

Remember when people were posting articles on how stupid and ridiculous DOGE is because it wouldn't have the authority to do anything?

[–] Killer@lemmy.world 4 points 31 minutes ago

He doesn't need the authority if he just forces his way in.

[–] catloaf@lemm.ee 5 points 31 minutes ago

It's still stupid and ridiculous and it still doesn't have any legal authority.

Unfortunately, it is being allowed to act without legal authority.

[–] Treczoks@lemmy.world 9 points 1 hour ago (2 children)

I see lawsuits flooding the US government for not paying for things they ordered.

[–] Bakkoda@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 minute ago

Sorry the number you are trying to reach has been disconnected.

[–] desktop_user@lemmy.blahaj.zone 0 points 36 minutes ago (1 children)

jod I hope the shitty military bs has DRM that prevents it from functioning on non payment.

[–] AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world 1 points 31 minutes ago

I hate to inform you, but US corporations don't do that shit to other corporations/ governments. Just look at TVs. All your consumer grade TVs have had smart/LLM "features" shoved into them. They don't do that on the commercial lines though. Commercial TVs are still "dumb." Same for computers, cars, and pretty much everything that they can shove electronics in.

[–] AfricanGrey@lemmy.zip 8 points 2 hours ago

I sure hope this was worth it to hate on the trans and the browns. That's the only thing dumb ass Americans voted for in 2024.

[–] ansiz@lemmy.world 24 points 3 hours ago

Musk is himself a giant government contractor via Space X and Starlink. Odds are he's just trying to clear the board to funnel the money to his businesses. Especially when it comes to defense money!

[–] twistypencil@lemmy.world 19 points 3 hours ago
[–] MothmanDelorian@lemmy.world 32 points 4 hours ago (3 children)

How is anyone permitting any of these people to have authority?

[–] LePoisson@lemmy.world 3 points 1 hour ago

Because we're all just people and at the end of the day some person is agreeing to not dispense the funds or not provide aid or to round up individuals ... Until there is meaningful pushback by people who actually are carrying this bullshit out it won't change.

Idk same as how the Nazis managed the Holocaust, at the end of the day thousands of individuals agreed and did their part to exterminate the Jews. Same as how Israel now is committing an ongoing genocide in Gaza with their military and all those individuals are carrying out their orders.

Authority, like many other things in our society, is an emphemeral concept we all agree to. Authority is given when we agree to abide by what that authority says. Same like our laws, sure we have laws against things but it's not like those actually mean anything if they're not obeyed by the majority. Nothing stopping you from doming Elon with the a large brick if you got one and can get close enough, you know what I mean?

[–] Coreidan@lemmy.world 4 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

Because yall wanted this by voting for it

[–] MothmanDelorian@lemmy.world 1 points 42 minutes ago (1 children)

I think many didn’t want this because we voted against it

[–] Coreidan@lemmy.world 2 points 38 minutes ago (1 children)

Agreed but not enough.

MOST people were perfectly happy with voting for Trump, or not voting at all.

If you didn’t vote this election then you are the problem.

[–] catloaf@lemm.ee 2 points 30 minutes ago

Yeah, we know, pointing fingers isn't going to help anything right now. Get out and take action.

[–] cultsuperstar@lemmy.world 18 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

Trump's government is basically pay-to-play and Elon paid the most so he gets to do whatever he wants.

[–] Croquette@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 hour ago

It started with a paid horse armor and he we are.

[–] jonne@infosec.pub 38 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago) (1 children)

Does anyone know what the story is behind this charity he's mentioning?

Edit: looks like they feed and provide shelter for asylum seekers, and obviously he's against that.

[–] resin85@lemmy.ca 2 points 58 minutes ago* (last edited 57 minutes ago)

Because Putin wants rid of it.

U.S.A.I.D. funds democracy-promotion programs around the world, including in European countries where right-wing populist movements are thriving. Mr. Musk has become an ally of those movements, some of whose leaders have specifically targeted the agency’s pro-democracy programs in recent years.

Supporters of Viktor Orban, the right-wing leader of Hungary and a darling of pro-Trump conservatives in the United States, have personally criticized Samantha Power, who led U.S.A.I.D. during the Biden administration, for trying to import American values into their country.

NY times gift link

[–] reddig33@lemmy.world 55 points 8 hours ago (2 children)

Great way to get sued for breach of contract. This administration is going to be tied up in court for the next four years

[–] Jaybob32@lemmy.ca 14 points 3 hours ago

Do you really think this is going to play out in a court? They don't care about the law and are actively plowing through them at will.

[–] jonne@infosec.pub 39 points 7 hours ago

Unfortunately, when all this stuff is resolved, it's still the government that's on the hook, not Musk personally. Although the new admin should probably just impound all of his and Trump's assets to pay for the fallout, but obviously Democrats would never do anything this based.

[–] njm1314@lemmy.world 107 points 9 hours ago (2 children)

Oh please start halting payments to government contractors. This guy starts holding payments to Lockheed Martin and Raytheon he's going to wind up real Dead real quick

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 62 points 8 hours ago (2 children)
[–] __nobodynowhere@sh.itjust.works 5 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago) (2 children)

How much can a hitman really cost?!

[–] SilverCode@lemm.ee 5 points 1 hour ago (1 children)
[–] P1nkman@lemmy.world 4 points 1 hour ago

There's always bananas in the money stand, Michael.

[–] Honytawk@lemmy.zip 1 points 2 hours ago

A bag of crack and a handgun

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[–] Chozo@fedia.io 239 points 12 hours ago (13 children)

At what point do we declare this a coup? This isn't what even the most diehard conservatives out there voted for, I don't understand how this isn't considered a hostile takeover.

[–] neon_nova@lemmy.dbzer0.com 16 points 4 hours ago (2 children)

It’s stressing me out to no end. I think the average person doesn’t even know this is currently happening.

[–] Raiderkev@lemmy.world 8 points 4 hours ago

I don't follow politics. I voted for trump because it was badass when he said fight fight fight. Elon's a genius, I'm sure he's gonna make it better.

These are real takes I've heard out there in the world.

[–] DrDickHandler@lemmy.world 2 points 3 hours ago

It's being censored.

[–] ininewcrow@lemmy.world 29 points 9 hours ago (3 children)

When this happens in a developing country we laugh at their politics.

When it happens in America, no one bats an eye

[–] jonne@infosec.pub 12 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

Americans still think their country is somehow different even though it's still a developing country in many respects.

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[–] skvlp@lemm.ee 8 points 6 hours ago

USA is the new banana republic.

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[–] conditional_soup@lemm.ee 42 points 9 hours ago

A lot of our day to day military operations run on contractors. This seems like a good way to get more helicopters falling out of the sky.

[–] PalmTreeIsBestTree@lemmy.world 35 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

Hey military industrial complex! Please coup this administration all ready.

Like for real. They got rid of Malcolm, MLK, mayve even Kennedy, and organized a nationwide crack epidemic in black neighborhoods but they can't deal with the biggest actual internal threat since the Confederacy. Useless orgs filled with useless people.

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