When people ask me what my trilogy, The Vitruvian Heir, is about, I say it's set in a future version of the U.S. where decades of fear-based voting eventually led to a dictatorial monarchy with nefarious theocratic underpinnings. Women have completely lost their rights and the country, isolated from the rest of the world, is run by an elite few at the expense of the rest. Ten years ago, that might have elicited shock. But today, it begs the question: Am I just psychic?
Jokes aside, what's transpiring before our collective eyes is even stranger than fiction. And if you're not worried, well, you should be.
Imagine handing your house keys to a stranger who promises to clean your home but then roams freely, inspecting personal belongings, making changes without your consent, and refusing to answer any questions. That’s essentially what’s happening in Washington right now, except the house is our government, and the stranger is Elon Musk.
Tasked by Donald Trump to lead the lame-named Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Musk has become an unelected shadow leader of federal agencies, remaking government operations while dodging scrutiny and accountability. This merger of billionaire ambition and political power isn’t just a dystopian subplot — it’s a full-throttle attack on democratic transparency, public trust, and the very fabric of our institutions.
Spoiler alert: He's a villain, folks, if you haven't already figured it out. And so is Zuck, for that matter. Why else do you think he built a giant underground bunker (read lair) to hide in when the time of reckoning arrives? This is textbook, y'all.
In fact, the entire broligarchy is proof that you can have all the money in the world (literally) and still be a huge loser. Zuck can grow curls over his ventriloquist-dummy-hairline and go on podcasts saying workplaces need “more masculinity” all he wants, but no amount of fake machismo will ever make him remotely palatable…or masculine. And let's not forget that his claim to fame is inventing a website to rate college girls on their looks. One has to wonder if he owned a mirror during his days at Harvard. But I digress.
Elon is a far more insidious force, one who openly calls other people the R-slur on a platform he bought to influence our election. I would hope, as a society, that no amount of accumulated wealth (and let's be real, no one — no one becomes a multi-billionaire by 100% ethical means) would excuse a person of such abhorrent behavior (he's said and done quite a lot of shocking things). But no, what we're witnessing is a phenomenon Lord Acton spoke of centuries ago when he said, "Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely." There's one thing and one thing only that unites the privileged few across party lines, sexuality, cultural differences, and personal beliefs: maintaining their power by hoarding the wealth. (That's also why they love to keep the rest of us peasants at each other's throats — wanna bet they've all read The Art of War? This is divide and conquer 101.) Being in the 1% means that you're above the law. And now, Elon, in all his megalomaniacal glory, is taking it a step further and trying to become the law.
Musk and DOGE’s Power Grab
Established via executive order on Trump’s first day back in office, DOGE has been given a sweeping mission to slash government “waste” and streamline operations. The reality? It’s a chaotic upheaval that has seen Musk’s hand-picked technocrats infiltrating federal agencies, accessing sensitive systems, and deciding the fate of programs with virtually no oversight.
Take USAID, for example. DOGE has gutted the agency, firing more than 97% of its staff and curtailing foreign aid that Musk deemed “wasteful.” Meanwhile, DOGE has descended upon agencies like the Department of Education and the Pentagon, ostensibly to root out inefficiencies. Reports suggest that DOGE operatives, many with ties to Musk’s private companies, have been embedded in these agencies with carte blanche access to financial systems and classified information.
And what’s Musk’s plan? Hard to say. (Although, I sure have a theory below.) Transparency is supposed to be DOGE’s mantra, yet Musk and his team operate with an opacity that would make even Bond villains envious. Staff identities are concealed, internal systems are accessed without explanation, and questions from lawmakers remain unanswered.
The Dangers of Oligarchic Influence
Musk isn’t acting alone. His symbiotic relationship with Trump, our felonious, sex offender of a president, amplifies their mutual ambition to dismantle democratic norms under the guise of saving taxpayer dollars. Trump has lauded Musk’s ability to “get things done,” championing DOGE’s budget-slashing measures as necessary reforms. Yet these supposed efficiencies come at the cost of trust and accountability.
For instance, DOGE’s cost-cutting has already extended to the Pentagon, where the team is reviewing military spending. Musk personally oversees SpaceX, which has lucrative government defense contracts — a glaring conflict of interest. Yet, astonishingly, Musk’s financial disclosures and ethics compliance reports are shielded from public view.
Trump and Musk’s alignment underscores the dark appeal of oligarchic control. By consolidating political and corporate power, they can sidestep congressional oversight and enact sweeping changes free from public input. This isn’t efficiency — it’s autocracy.
What’s at Stake
DOGE’s operations set dangerous precedents that erode the foundations of democracy. Federal employees fear for their jobs, whistleblowers face retaliation, and labor unions are already challenging the legality of DOGE’s unprecedented authority. Most alarming, Musk’s unchecked access to sensitive government systems raises serious questions about national security.
When billionaires bypass democratic processes to reshape public policy, it disempowers the electorate and undermines the idea that government should serve the people — not the highest bidder. And if you actually think that Trump and co-president Musk care about you, they don’t. Here’s proof: In 2017, Trump’s tax law was skewed to the rich, eroded the U.S. revenue base, and failed to deliver the economic benefits it promised. (Shocker.) It’s the same old story – rich people got much richer (since it was enacted, U.S. billionaires have gotten $2.2 trillion richer), poor people stayed poor. Oh, and guess what? This precious tax law expires this year.
Doesn’t it seem like such a coincidence, then, that the billionaire who profited most from this tax law is now the one foraging through our government funds like a pig sniffing out truffles? That’s right, Elon’s riches grew from $20.4 billion in December 2017 to nearly $270 billion in September 2023. (In case you’re bad at math, that’s a 1,222.8% boost.) Don’t be fooled; he didn’t spend nearly $300 million on Trump’s campaign to help the American people. His ultimate goal is to make Tesla the most valuable brand in the world.
What Can We Do?
The rise of DOGE is a wake-up call for all of us. We can't afford to sit idly by as billionaire-led operations tear apart government systems in the name of “efficiency” and turn the U.S. into a dystopian hellscape. Here’s how we fight back:
Demand Transparency
Write to your representatives and insist on congressional oversight of DOGE’s operations. Transparency is a bedrock of democracy, and Musk’s actions shouldn’t be immune to scrutiny.
Support Accountability Lawsuits
Federal employees and labor unions are already challenging DOGE’s legality in the courts. Amplify and donate to these efforts, as legal battles may be our best hope to curb its power.
Community organizations and activists need to highlight the dangers of oligarchic control and encourage voter participation in upcoming elections.
Vote Out Complicit Politicians
Many lawmakers have enabled Musk’s unchecked authority. Hold them accountable at the ballot box and support candidates committed to government accountability.
Push for Campaign Finance and Lobbying Reforms
Strike at the root of oligarchic influence by demanding tighter campaign finance laws and limits on corporate lobbying.
Boycott Billionaire Businesses
Hey, guess what? If we all stopped using their platforms and buying their cars, they wouldn't be as rich. Buy local and stop lining the broligarchy's pockets with your hard-earned money.
Don't Be Afraid to Raise Your Voice
As Americans, we have the right to peaceful protest, and we need to continue to exercise that right. Don't be complacent about injustice. Stand up against what's blatantly wrong.
Take a Lesson From History
Our country is essentially a teenager in the grand scheme of things. Other countries have seen this type of coup before and we all know it doesn't end well when you sit idly by for too long.
Read Banned Books
Knowledge is power. And there's a reason they like to ban books that will enlighten readers and expose their villainous playbooks: 1984, Brave New World, The Handmaid's Tale, Fahrenheit 451, Parable of the Sower, Animal Farm, and the list goes on. Getting my book banned someday is like #goals. You know you've made it when ignorant people hate you.
A Final Warning
Musk once tweeted that DOGE represents a “once-in-a-lifetime chance to reform government.” But reform doesn’t look like backroom deals, secret agendas, and billionaire opportunism. Real reform stems from the people demanding ethical leadership and policies that reflect their will.
DOGE might wear the mask of efficiency, but beneath lies a stark truth — it’s a mechanism of control, wielded by the few at the expense of the many. If we want to protect democracy, we must confront this head-on. Because the power of the people still outweighs the power of oligarchs. If we use it.
And if I am, in fact, a little bit psychic, I predict a future of democracy reborn, of unity among the masses, and of people above profits — one where billionaires can't govern because they only exist in stories.
Sources:
Comments