this post was submitted on 03 Feb 2025
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politics

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Summary

Elon Musk announced the closure of USAID during a DOGE update on X, calling it “a ball of worms” and “beyond repair.”

The decision follows reports of internal conflicts over DOGE’s involvement in restricted areas. Trump backed the move, criticizing USAID leadership.

An internal email instructed non-essential staff to stay home. The Trump administration pressures USAID to align with its America First agenda.

Critics see Musk’s remarks as informal and conspiracy-driven.

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[–] [email protected] 150 points 1 week ago (1 children)

This is from another article about this situation yesterday:

To back up his claim, Musk shared a summation of a relevant statute compiled by Grok, an artificial intelligence service run by his social media app, X.

Just to show you how fucking stupid this all is.

[–] [email protected] 78 points 1 week ago (3 children)

They're speedrunning dismantling the government, while everyone is staring in disbelief, muttering "This can't be possible, surely they aren't allowed to do this?"

Well, they don't care. And it works, cause all the "watchdogs" are overwhelmed by their speed.

[–] [email protected] 34 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

We should be attacking them. They should be frantically attempting their coup under gunfire.

[–] OutlierBlue 9 points 1 week ago

The "watchdogs" are you! The people are the watchdogs, and always have been. No one else is going to bail you out. You need to take to the streets and do it yourselves.

[–] [email protected] 120 points 1 week ago (2 children)

The party that wants to ban abortion to "save the children" has just condemned, quite literally millions of, children around the world to slow and agonising deaths from entirely treatable illnesses.

[–] [email protected] 45 points 1 week ago (1 children)

They actually mean just unborn American children, everyone else is a savage to them.

[–] [email protected] 27 points 1 week ago (1 children)

And by American you of course mean white and cishet. The only people they think are people.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 week ago

Which, hard to tell while unborn, but it doesn't matter because it's really about controlling women.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 week ago (2 children)

"save the ~~children~~ fetuses"

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Not even about the fetus. It's about control.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago

Specifically, control of women, their bodies and their freedom.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago

Of course it's not about the children. Children can go to work at Macdonald's. 🤷

[–] [email protected] 95 points 1 week ago

An unelected official is seizing control of our government departments and transforming them how he sees fit. Where have I seen this before? Hmmmm

[–] [email protected] 91 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Who is this guy anyway?

Serious question for America. Maybe if you write it down it’ll stick.

[–] [email protected] 162 points 1 week ago (3 children)

An illegal nazi immigrant edge lord from Africa with daddy issues.

[–] [email protected] 35 points 1 week ago

This is the most accurate description I have heard to date.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 week ago

He wanted to be a war lord but all he's got is a dull edge

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago

Also, currently the most powerful person in the world.

[–] [email protected] 24 points 1 week ago

The one that bought the country

[–] Bo7a 82 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Everything is always beyond repair to this fuckstick. I think he may just be horrible at everything.

[–] [email protected] 41 points 1 week ago (3 children)

"Repairability" of anything is often correlated with skill level. Everything is beyond repair if you don't know what you're doing.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

Never thought of repairability this way. Weirdly helped with some anxiety I've been having recently. Thank you random internet person.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago

You got it!

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago

And also if you hate it and want an excuse to throw it out.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago

Very great way to put it. Applies in so many contexts. I see the exact same kind of thing at work - some seagull manager cannot understand an existing thing, but wants to effect some kind of change, often will insist on replacing it.

By the time the impact of their stupid decision starts to hit, they'll be long gone...probably being paid even more extravagantly...

[–] [email protected] 39 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (3 children)

He doesn't have any authority. Just ignore him and tell him to gtfo of the building.

[–] [email protected] 30 points 1 week ago

No. He very much has the authority and backing of his puppet in the white house and the entire magat complex as a result.

Just look at USAID and the like.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Trump is backing Musk. So I USAID is gone overnight.

Maybe there will be some court cases but Trump owns security and Musk is in charge of personnel now.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Sure, but congress is in charge of changes to these agencies. A president and his goons can't just wipe one off the books bcz he feels like it. It's called checks and balances for a reason.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 1 week ago

It's called checks and balances for a reason.

Should be kicking in anytime now. Any...time. Hmmm. Anyone seems some checks and balances laying around?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago

Who's going to stop them?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

No.

The President and his cabinet is put in charge of these agencies by Congress.

Congress is too slow to lead agencies. The design of our system is for executives to lead, not committees.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I'm fairly certain the president can't simply dissolve an agency carte Blanca without any outside input.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago

Or else what?

If there's no enforcement mechanism, then yeah the President can do it.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 week ago

He doesn’t have the authority, but he does have the power.

Do not ignore him, because he is already doing it piece by piece.

[–] [email protected] 28 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Um, I know we are beyond any kind of laws and norms here, but in their fictional universe/head canon, how can an agency that is not a real government agency shut down a real agency?

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 week ago

By being more willing to inflict violence than the people trying to defend it.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 week ago

"Can" and "may" are two different words.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 week ago

It’s the supercharger team issue all over again - if someone has the gall to say no, throw a tantrum and fire them all. We’ll see if anyone wants to be hired back

The supercharger team was a long term dominance item that would be key to the business so you don’t shut them down during high growth. In this case it’s probably as simple as someone taking their responsibilities to the government and country seriously. Access to confidential data is not a good place to shortcut your process

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

I laughed at the ball of worms. He's talking as if he did a deep technical analysis over the past *cough* 1 day to come to this logical unbiased conclusion. The man was on a mission without regard to anything to burn it down since who knows when.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 week ago

Warm up the guillotines, boys.

Nationalize everything Musk owns

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago

Times like these I wish @elonjet did more than track that effer's plane