Unchecked Power Slips into Tyranny: The Stealthy Seizure of Control | Power Begets Corruption, Unbridled Power Corrupts Completely | A Modern Swipe of Power: Trump and Musk Shape a New Authoritarian Blueprint
X-post From the Ashes: A Warning on theCalm Before the Uneasy Storm
Ruth Ben-Ghiat, historian on authoritarian leadership and fascism Grab the popcorn, because we're living through a real-life political drama. The latest twist? Elon Musk, the world's richest man, has effectively taken control of the administrative systems that keep the U.S. government running, locking out federal employees from computer systems.
The Plot Thickens
Musk and his allies, who include individuals with a history of working for his private companies, are now orchestrating a hostile takeover that echoes Donald Trump's attempted power grab. Musk, who heads the fictional Department of Government Efficiency, operates with no accountability or oversight. This authoritarian venture builds on classic power dynamics, with an inner circle of family and cronies, a purge of the federal bureaucracy, and a push for Christian nationalism, White supremacy, and neoliberal deregulation.
Two for the Price of One
Our fledgling autocracy features not one, but two power-hungry titans: Trump, who has made no secret of his desire for revenge against those who opposed him, and Musk, who knows the levers of power dotting the national security landscape. With his takeover of Twitter, Musk gained even more influence.
Coup d'État Lite
Musk and his associates have occupied government buildings, including the Office of Personnel Management and the General Services Administration, whose responsibility is managing technology in government buildings. These unqualified figures now have unchecked access to our national purse strings and personal data. They've blocked federal employees to maintain their access to this sensitive information.
Deteriorating Democracy
Musk and his minions are not alone in their quest to destroy American democracies. They're supported by the GOP, think tanks like the Heritage Foundation, and oligarchs with global ambitions who long for a ruin of open societies. The current administration represents an experiment in autocratic innovation, with the potential to reshape America as we know it.
Image: Source [Edited]
Enrichment Data:
- The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) has contained provisions related to detention in the past, such as in 2012 when section 1021 allowed for the detention of individuals, including U.S. citizens, believed to be part of or supporting terrorist organizations. However, a provision in the same act stated that nothing within it is intended to affect existing law or authorities related to the detention of U.S. citizens.
- Current focus has been on immigration and border policies, but these do not directly address NDAA's indefinite detention provisions for American citizens.
- If indefinite detention provisions allow for the detention of citizens without due process, they can have significant implications for civil liberties. The specific status of such provisions in the NDAA is not supported by the available information.
- The danger of free speech and privacy is escalating as Elon Musk, with his takeover of Twitter and control of government systems, could potentially use technology to manipulate general news and politics.
- In this uneasy political storm, health and truth are at stake as Musk and his associates, working in tandem with the GOP and global oligarchs, are implementing neoliberal deregulation and Christian nationalism, which may have detrimental effects on American societal institutions.
- War-and-conflicts could emerge from this power vacuum, as Musk, identified as a power-hungry tyrant alongside Trump, is consolidating authority without accountability or oversight, on the brink of a coup d'état lite that threatens democracy.
- In this warning of our dystopian reality, it is crucial to protect free speech, truth, health, and privacy in the face of an autocratic innovation that risks reshaping America and potentially undermining its democratic foundations.
