Oligarchness on the Edge of Town

Everyone probably agrees that the federal government could be more efficient. But there’s something a little too 2024 about a group of billionaires (who have profited from America’s greatest benefit: tax cuts) deciding which lifelong government employees who are just getting by will no longer be allowed to even do that. WaPo (Gift Article): Musk and Ramaswamy race to build a ‘DOGE’ team for war with Washington. “Top Musk surrogates from his business empire — including private equity executive Antonio Gracias and Boring Company President Steve Davis — are involved in planning, the people said, along with a coterie of Musk friends and Silicon Valley leaders, including Palantir co-founder and investor Joe Lonsdale, who funds a libertarian-leaning nonprofit dedicated to government efficiency; investor Marc Andreessen; hedge fund manager Bill Ackman; and former Uber chief executive Travis Kalanick. Ramaswamy, Musk and the Silicon Valley cohort plan to work on technical challenges to collecting data about federal employees and programs, which they believe is siloed in antiquated systems. Andreessen is acting as a key networker for talent recruitment, one person said. Those executives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.”