Elon Musk has taken his “slash-and-burn” approach to Twitter and is now applying it to the US federal government. The newly formed United States DOGE Service, named after Dogecoin, a cryptocurrency that started as a joke, is hiring staff while channeling Silicon Valley influence. This raises concerns about Musk’s treatment of federal agencies, civil servants, and citizens.
Musk has repeatedly called his platform a “public town square,” but its transformation into a bully pulpit for disinformation is concerning. He recently called a spending bill aimed at averting a government shutdown “criminal” and falsely claimed it contained new aid for Ukraine and $3 billion for a new stadium in Washington. The post garnered tens of millions of views.
The proposed budget cuts, aiming to reduce the federal budget by $2 trillion, have sparked concerns about how they will affect ordinary Americans. If left unaddressed, these cuts could lead to significant reductions in essential services such as food stamps, home heating assistance, and healthcare for the uninsured. The impact on vulnerable communities and historically marginalized groups will be particularly severe.
Musk’s plans to use advanced technology, likely artificial intelligence, to simplify complex challenges have been met with skepticism. Research has shown that AI can exacerbate harms if not designed properly. Reforming the federal bureaucracy is a complex challenge, but relying on unelected tech oligarchs like Musk to solve it is not a viable solution.
The author argues that efficiency at what cost? Can cutting public goods benefits serve the rest of us if it mainly benefits an elite few? In the case of Musk, the answer is likely no. The proposed budget cuts and their impact on essential services must be carefully considered to ensure they do not harm those who need them most.
Source: https://www.techpolicy.press/at-doge-musks-billionaire-interests-likely-to-trump-public-interest