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submitted 2 weeks ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world

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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[-] Chozo@fedia.io 312 points 2 weeks ago

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.

[-] SanctimoniousApe@lemmings.world 154 points 2 weeks ago

They're in too deep to admit how badly they obviously fucked up. Shit is gonna have to actually reach the ugly bitter end, leaving them no other possible explanation to try to hide behind. In the meantime, this must be what it felt like for the citizens of Rome as it burned.

[-] Warl0k3@lemmy.world 44 points 2 weeks ago

And here I am, too damn poor to afford a fiddle...

[-] MummifiedClient5000@feddit.dk 44 points 2 weeks ago

It is not until it affects them on a personal level they make that realization. That is how far the empathy of the average conservative voter reaches.

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[-] suburban_hillbilly@lemmy.ml 97 points 2 weeks ago

This isn’t even what the most diehard conservatives out there voted for

[-] ProIsh@lemmy.world 62 points 2 weeks ago

Fucking yes.

All conservatives at the tables with all these nazis asking who voted in all the nazis.

At this point your party has folded. Keep saying "but not meeeee, I'm a real conservative!" All you want.

[-] ZILtoid1991@lemmy.world 23 points 2 weeks ago

Hungarian here, whose face got eaten by the leopards.

Political illiteracy is a serious problem, and so is the access to information. They actually thought the crime rates were up, because the very few news outlets they're exposed to likes to uplift a few cases with scary headlines, often making anniversary reports on some crimes. They actually thought, that the opposition was "too far-left", because pundits told them so, and they learned in school the real nazis did evil things for the sole sake of evil, thus people that say they want to eliminate crime, and have crime statistics must not be far-right.

This is not for to excuse their behavior, but to explain it. Maybe can even lead to an end of this cycle.

[-] ininewcrow@lemmy.world 37 points 2 weeks ago

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

When it happens in America, no one bats an eye

[-] Korhaka@sopuli.xyz 22 points 2 weeks ago

Oh no I am absolutely laughing at America

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[-] neon_nova@lemmy.dbzer0.com 35 points 2 weeks ago

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

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[-] DaddleDew@lemmy.world 151 points 2 weeks ago

So... SpaceX is one of the contractors not being paid right? Right?

[-] LadyMeow@lemmy.blahaj.zone 55 points 2 weeks ago

L-m-a-o roflmao even

[-] njm1314@lemmy.world 136 points 2 weeks ago

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 81 points 2 weeks ago
[-] Aeri@lemmy.world 80 points 2 weeks ago
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[-] HootinNHollerin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 116 points 2 weeks ago
[-] Bakkoda@sh.itjust.works 45 points 2 weeks ago

And for people who don't like that word:

Regulatory capture of the entire United States government.

[-] echodot@feddit.uk 25 points 2 weeks ago

Can you guys maybe do something about this? You all have guns right, I thought that was the entire point of that part of the Constitution.

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[-] ajmaxwell@lemmy.world 110 points 2 weeks ago

This is a great way to end up on the military-indistrial complex hitlist

[-] Zorsith@lemmy.blahaj.zone 69 points 2 weeks ago

Raytheon would like to know your latitude and longitude

[-] P00ptart@lemmy.world 35 points 2 weeks ago

Care package incoming.

[-] untorquer@lemmy.world 26 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Can only hope he goes for them and not just the small businesses and academia. Something tells me he'll go for civil facing departments and generally avoid DOD

[-] someguy3@lemmy.world 80 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Ah the Trump approach to contractors. And Musk approach to rent.

[-] reddig33@lemmy.world 67 points 2 weeks ago

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

[-] jonne@infosec.pub 56 points 2 weeks 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.

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[-] Jaybob32@lemmy.ca 25 points 2 weeks 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.

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[-] Critical_Thinker@lemm.ee 57 points 2 weeks ago

Good to know that our elected officials in the legislative branch are no longer able to create laws that are actually enacted.

This shit is outside the scope of the presidency.

[-] kungfuratte@feddit.org 55 points 2 weeks ago

If the US government stops paying their bills at a certain point the country is technically defaulting. That's going to be fun.

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[-] conditional_soup@lemm.ee 52 points 2 weeks 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.

[-] jonne@infosec.pub 52 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

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.

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[-] wide_eyed_stupid@lemmy.world 51 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Can I ask? Why does Musk suddenly have this authority? "DOGE" isn't even a real Department, right? And also, Musk hasn't been elected or officially confirmed for any government position. Why the fuck is he giving orders and leading departments and having any power whatsoever over the U.S. Treasury and such? I don't understand how this works. Why doesn't the U.S. have any... I don't know, safeguards against this sort of shit? It's absolutely bonkers to watch this unfold from across the pond.

Musk just walked up, said "I'm in charge now" and everyone's just complying? Please ELI5.

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[-] MothmanDelorian@lemmy.world 50 points 2 weeks ago

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

[-] cultsuperstar@lemmy.world 25 points 2 weeks ago

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

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[-] ansiz@lemmy.world 47 points 2 weeks 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!

[-] PalmTreeIsBestTree@lemmy.world 43 points 2 weeks ago

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

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[-] Mnemnosyne@sh.itjust.works 41 points 2 weeks ago

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

[-] catloaf@lemm.ee 52 points 2 weeks 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.

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[-] untorquer@lemmy.world 64 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Lawsuit submitted

Lower court determines whether to stay the action while case is handled

Changes are unrecoverable since department can't pay staff managing the payments

Law enforcement given warrant to force stay

Law enforcement chooses not to enforce because they have no motivation

Payments never restored

Case goes to supreme court

Law interpreted in favor of the administration because clearly no means yes, it's obvious

Congress doesn't respond due to right wing majority

Checks and balances are dead.

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[-] Viking_Hippie@lemmy.dbzer0.com 23 points 2 weeks ago

Legal authority stopped mattering the FIRST time the grifter in chief was selected president.

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[-] kikutwo@lemmy.world 34 points 2 weeks ago

It's just like when Dumpf would stiff his contractors LMAO 🤣

[-] ShaggySnacks@lemmy.myserv.one 32 points 2 weeks ago

Not paying contractors, a plan straight out of the Trump playbook.

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[-] twistypencil@lemmy.world 30 points 2 weeks ago
[-] Treczoks@lemmy.world 28 points 2 weeks ago

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

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[-] jagged_circle@feddit.nl 26 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

The US isnt good for their money. Creditors should demand their debts or threaten legal consequences in the form of international sanctions

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[-] Maeve@kbin.earth 26 points 2 weeks ago

Contractors handle Medicare.

[-] SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world 24 points 2 weeks ago

Contractors run our military

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this post was submitted on 03 Feb 2025
644 points (99.4% liked)

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