Silicon Bites #90 - Orwellian 'Ministry of Efficiency' Mounts a 'Crypto Coup' Against US Governance.

Edition No90 | 04-02-2025 - Under the guise of bringing efficiency and transparency to governance in the US is a coup under way? An administrative takeover, a crypto coup by the leading luminary of the tech brotherhood, Elon Musk? A nihilistic revolution eviscerating US government institutions.
Some are starting to see patterns that indicate a hijack of the Federal Government is in progress and being conducted virtually unchallenged. You perhaps thought that Trump 1, after 2016 was chaotic, then buckle up, because 2025 will be far wilder and stranger.
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The newly created “Department of Government Efficiency” under Elon Musk, is increasingly starting to look like an Orwellian choice of names. For efficiency, read demolition of the basic functions of government, and a paralysis in the process of governance.
Barely has the inauguration passed and attempts to decimate the federal civil service are well in hand. But the consequences are being felt on a global scale, as we just saw with the suspension of USAID that will affect many hundreds of millions of people outside of the US.
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[@anndrake492]

As a native born US citizen, it has been eye opening to see just how fragile the constitution actually is and how poorly the checks and balances work given a massive assault of lying.

[@PiotrSzafranskiWarsaw]

There is a COLOSSAL misunderstanding on how/why the rule-of-law was established and how it was initially stabilized. It is absolutely not true that the rule-of-law compact has effective stabilizing-policing mechanism. Rule-of-law is a VOLUNTARY compact of the groups of the society involved. It cannot be otherwise, there cannot be a "superior guardian/judge" evaluating and enforcing compliance of large groups of the society with the said compact. It is the old "who will watch the watchers?" problem - unsolvable. "Checks and balances" do work against MINOR cases of abuse. But the system as a whole will last only as long as there is a voluntary majority consensus that it should last. Second election of Trump (a legally convicted felon, lifetime abuser/exploiter of the law against his contractors, banks, partners, family, you name it) is simply a statement by the majority of US voters that they dissent from the rule-of-law compact. It is tragic, profound, any apocalyptic adjective is due here, but this is the reality.

[@robertelbrnd2003]

US democracy is flawed. Ranked as number 29 amongst democracies. Lack of separation of the pillars of power, in particular politically appointed judges. The US will be happy if they make it to the midterm elections. Trump rules outside Congress, is immune and has the Supreme Court behind him.

[@CoffeeCup1346]

At what point do you think the average American will be compelled to do something about it? IMO, this is how Putin subverted Russian democracy - keep the average Russian from seeing it tangibly happen inside their own personal bubble.

[@bobroach3640]

The constitution is very strong. It is threatened by the unconstitutional fourth branch of government, the administrative state.

[@CoffeeCup1346]

I’ve heard many people scream about impending American decline, and I never believed it. When I looked around the world, I just didn’t see a power out there able to fracture American power. I never though it would be the Americans themselves causing that decline - I stand corrected.

[@davidl.7317]

Thanks for all you do Jonathan.

[@richardpeace4724]

Superb post, thank you.

[@henriikkak2091]

The USA is a lot like Russia in the sense that everything's for sale. Apathy is getting close to the same level as well.

[@dx-ek4vr]

The people supporting every single move that Trump and co. make reminds me of how the Vatniks behave. They could do no wrong.

[@davidhimmelsbach557]

@@dx-ek4vr Trump is largely returning National Policy to Historic Norms. No wonder the seas are parting for him.

[@beattyclan3447]

Thank you for sharing this information with our international community.

[@debrajohannesson4360]

Thanks!

[@budgiefriend]

Social security is not meant to be a choice, but a necessity. A net to catch people, before they end up on the street. Social security is a pledge, from citizen to citizen, to stand by each other. In other words a true society.

[@warhorse03826]

there are a lot of people getting social security that never paid into the system. this means there will be no money in the system for people like me when I retire. I'm 54. social security will be drained and gone before I get back even a sliver of what I paid into the system.

[@budgiefriend]

@warhorse03826 That goes to show, how important education is. Civic duties and personal responsibilities, are part of the backbone of society. "In it for myself" ( the american dream. ) does not jive with "we the people."

[@warhorse03826]

@@budgiefriend when the money runs out, everyone is out of luck. if you let everyone take money from a bank account that isn't thiers, everyone goes hungry. social security has individual accounts. there is one with my name on it. it is EMPTY because congress stole the money. this means I rely on people paying in for me to get back what I paid in. people who have never paid in are taking what is not theirs to take. it a ponzi scheme with a widening top of the pyramid composed of people who never paid into the bottom. you confuse "public charity" with "social security". they are not the same thing.

[@warhorse03826]

@@budgiefriend please reference congressman davy crockett's "not yours to give" speech from 1867 for further details on the topic.

[@budgiefriend]

@ As a dane, i live in the best example of how a nation can be. I wish USA can heal in time.

[@everettputerbaugh3996]

The best way to assist is to disengage from the businesses run by or for those "oligarchs" running the U.S. government takeover.

[@TimvanderLeeuw]

I guess it’s the same sort of demolition as Muskovitch took to Twitter.

[@mike4480]

Thanks Johnathan for the update, great to hear regular updates again … 💙💛💙

[@djparn007]

T you, Jonathan. Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦💙💛

[@marionhutton8141]

Thanks

[@toi_techno]

Non-voters and protest-voters did this to the USA and by extension the world NEVER FORGET, NEVER FORGIVE (Blaming the right-wing is like blaming a dog for biting you)

[@roland228]

More like blaming a rabid dog for biting you.

[@jimtalbott9535]

3:15 - One of the gaps in our clearance system is that the President can just “clear” someone, essentially at will.

[@Scarletpimpanel73]

Loving the "checks and balances" ... Institutions are only as strong as the willingness of people to defend them. America fell asleep.

[@CrazyEightyEights]

All the trolls came to comment, Jonathan. I wondered where these bsers have been hiding.

[@debrajohannesson4360]

I noticed too. Lots of bots. Hope Johnathon takes care of

[@realitycheck908]

Or the insider trading when the sanction were applied and then lifted 24 hours later

[@robertelbrnd2003]

Peter Theil has said it directly. He does not believe that freedom is compatible with democracy. I usually say that if there is more than one person, country or other entity present, none of them can do exactly what suits them. But I am also European. Freedom has more than one side. European freedom is "freedom from", eg pollution. In the USA freedom is "freedom to", eg to drive the biggest car I can afford. Selfish and irresponsible. In the end, it is freedom to enslave others financially.

[@BruceRickett-vr4tc]

1936 all over again! Heil Trump! Heil Musk!

[@Ged-m8v]

Very informative

[@kirstinevad347]

I still wonder if they can get him out of power in four years.

[@rachelkraut46]

I fear it may be even worse... will they be able to get Don Jr. (or Baron) out of power? I'm going to go with no.

[@kirstinevad347]

@@rachelkraut46 I fear that too.

[@nibblernibbles3205]

The UK has only a small window to prevent the same billionaire takeover here. Dominic Cummins is reported to be advising Musk and will doubtless want to rinse and repeat. Both Labour and the Conservatives take individual donations in the millions, and reward donors with positions such as party chairman. Reform has courted a £100m donation from Musk. At the very least we need to limit the maximum annual donation to political parties, so that they need to get a little from a lot of people rather than a lot from a few. I would set it at something like half the median wage, or £18k, so that no single donor has enough influence to control the agenda.

[@mvjh2277]

USAID relocated island population when climate change caused sea to rise. I found event difficult to believe until USAID needed and I knew person heading the effort.

[@theresamcpherson7352]

Thank you Jonathan.

[@stevenjohns-savage7024]

Yer Bruh 😡. I'm Abit skeptical about digital money 😡

[@stevenpace892]

Breaking down into smaller states; did he read greek history?? What about the Etruscans?? Has he read any of the federalist papers?

[@cherienafo7676]

Thanks Jonathan -from Australia. DOGE = Department of Great Evil.

[@paulwatson8809]

Eloquent and on point as always, Jonathan. I would love to see you do a deep dive on state apparatus capture with Dr Scott Lucas.

[@Unruffledbird]

You have just outlined our worst fears. My hope is that we have a near-miss & realign equitablility of wealth

[@SiliconCurtain]

I too hope that reality does not head to the worst case. But observing Russian history tells me always to imagine the worst case outcome, and prepare for it.

[@kevinbritvec3292]

Why should American taxpayers render support to nations that hate us? What should be done about our 35 trillion (with a T) of national debt? Sometimes a wrecking ball is the only answer. I am willing to give Trump 1.5 years to make progress, the next election cycle will depend upon outcomes, not methods.

[@stevenjohns-savage7024]

Morning Johnathan 😊

[@johnwilmot2223]

What could go wrong??

[@NoBSMusicReviews]

Beavo. Well done.

[@johnwilmot2223]

Absolute power etc etc

[@ImperialDiecast]

USA is quickly becoming 1990s russia. Or going further back, the way rasputin was the queen's advisor, elmo is advising donny.

[@kevinrung4178]

US AID is pronounced - You Ess Aeh Eye Dee.

[@BillDoughzer69]

Yall need to be careful how you go about this .. there’s a lot of Americans who are sick of the waste and corruption that runs through usaid. Like Ukraine models in a French fashion show…. Explain that

[@roland228]

What does Ukrainian models in a French fashion show have to do with the aid to Ukraine?

[@janetsanders5356]

🎧

[@alanseymour1252]

Who is Alon?

[@debrajohannesson4360]

Too bad USA didn't vote BERNIE SANDERS for president. 😊

[@warhorse03826]

bernie sanders loved the old soviet union as much as putin does...

[@Scarletpimpanel73]

That's like telling someone who lost a limb that it's a shame they didn't have a Band-Aid handy ...

[@blechtic]

Too bad so many fell for the con and propaganda and thought "since I can't vote for Bernie, I'll vote for the authoritarian clown who is the opposite of everything he stands for".

[@warhorse03826]

@@blechtic so, you're telling me you enjoy soviet--style breadlines? because that's what bernie is for....

[@davidbarry6900]

I think it's still a little early to be this hyperbolic in describing what Musk and crew are doing in DC. You may well be correct in your forecast, but other results are also possible; we'll see in time. At the same time, government deadlock and inability to get anything done has been a hallmark of the USA fed (and other European countries come to mind too, like the UK). I suspect that Musk and Trump will not be up to the task of correctly identifying the actual logjams and clearing them in the USA, but it's possible that they might provoke a fear response that will either simulate progress or create an even worse backlash internally in government departments.

[@blechtic]

Have you considered that waiting for confirmation means you're too late to do anything about it? Heed the warning, especially when there are so many reasons to do so.

[@davidbarry6900]

@@blechtic I can't do anything about US politics anyway, nor can Jonathan.

[@blechtic]

@ Well, yes, but the point is that Jonathan would be committing professional malpractice if he wasn't trying to analyse and look ahead based on their actions and other obvious signs. He also considers morality in his reporting so it would be weird if he didn't try to warn people. He is doing what he can in his professional capacity. As for us, even though we aren't US citizens, we can show support and not call reporting based on clear warning signs hyperbole. We can also be good citizens by not being complacent and educating ourselves on what is happening so that we can keep our governments and politicians accountable and affect on how they react to what is going on. Furthermore, none of this is isolated: Elon Musk is clearly supporting AfD and other far-right parties around the world. Besides his money and media visibility, he has the direct control of quite a large megaphone. So, if you care about your own country, this concerns you. If you care about Ukraine, well, we all can see what the stance of those parties is WRT supporting Ukraine. Musk himself has pulled some questionable moves with StarLink before the control in that geographical area was seemingly taken away from him. Now his bestest buddy control the executive branch. It's not hyperbole when they are barely in power and already brazenly pushing for things. There is no indication whatsoever they would simply stop here, quite the opposite. So, if you care about democracy, etc., this concerns you.

[@sherryberry2394]

😮!!

[@СтасГайсан-ц6ж]

❤

[@HNH421]

Lions and Foxes as Examples Elite theory, as described by Vilfredo Pareto, posits that societies are governed by elites who replace each other over time. Pareto identified two types of elites: foxes and lions. Foxes are cunning and manipulative, while lions are more straightforward and rely on strength and force. Here's a short summary using Stalin, Lenin, Trump, and Biden as examples: Stalin: As a lion, Stalin used force and intimidation to consolidate power and rule the Soviet Union with an iron fist. His regime was characterized by centralization and control. Lenin: Lenin can be seen as a fox who used cunning and manipulation to seize power and establish the Bolshevik government. He was adept at political maneuvering and forming alliances. Trump: Trump's presidency is often described as lion-like due to his use of strong rhetoric and populist policies. He relied on a straightforward, unapologetic approach to governance and appealed to a base. Biden: Biden's approach can be seen as more fox-like, characterized by careful negotiation and coalition-building. He has sought to govern through compromise and consensus, often appealing to a broad coalition of supporters. These examples illustrate how elites, whether foxes or lions, can replace each other through different methods, reflecting Pareto's theory of the circulation of elites.

[@Calligraphybooster]

@HNH421 …an utterly simplistic and mostly unhelpful distinction. But thanks, I learned at least that.

[@HNH421]

@@Calligraphybooster YOU COULD READ MOOR ABOUT ELITE THEORY then you would know why the world is as it is

[@Calligraphybooster]

@ I know enough about biology to have a good understanding. It’s pretty simple really: Murphy’s Law applies, and the next one benefits.

[@SL-sd3sg]

The men in black should get him and trump out of the USA finance dept.

[@M_y_st]

Please tell me about the mib

[@RealityCheck6969]

Just because is unelected doesn't mean he has no authority to do something. Look at all the judges for example. Citizens don't elect judges.

[@henriikkak2091]

Yes, it seems that Americans are fine with being robbed by Nazi robber barons

[@MrCSRT8]

The Ukraine is finished.

[@RPF-Spa-103]

😂😂 keep coping Z bot

[@williamjones8900]

He's doing what the American voters wanted. Brition needs this.

[@terryhand]

No, we neither need nor want this.

[@zlozlozlo]

Hi, I don't disagree with anything you said in the video, and I know nitpicking isn't cool and all that, but I just can't help myself. So I have to ask: Why do you insist on mispronouncing Elon's name? There must be hundreds of videos out there with Elon saying his own name by now, and hundreds more of other people saying his name correctly. So it can't be that you don't know how his name is supposed to be pronounced. So what is it? Again, despite how I sound, I'm not trying to be a dick. I'm just genuinely curious.

[@twhite8308]

🩵Interesting🩵Video🩵

[@everettputerbaugh3996]

Dear musk; I would prefer to not give the U.S. Treasury to North Korea by involving some insecure block chain system.

[@mikapeltokorpi7671]

My tip for increasing economical efficency and resilience: if you live in a way that you dl not need a car, you can easily save $1 000/month.

[@dr.juanmurua5713]

Living the first days of the last days in the American Empire

[@rigelsys]

There is no such thing as an ORWELLIAN ministry of efficiency -- the goal of all governments, especially ORWELLIAN governments is inefficiency (see Russia). What you just hate government being called to account for its profligate overspending, graft, grift and corruption. How dare a government agency be called to account! Or as Reagan said, the 9 most scary words are "We are from the government and here to help."

[@AndreTheBataShoeSalesman]

Pyramid scams are illegal. "crypto" is financial crime, not some economic emancipation. It's like a Big Butchering scam for tech bros and they won't be told 'no', like spoilt children.

[@johnbucher2077]

Why don't we all just take a deep breath.

[@lisbethmllegaard8437]

I Think that’s what Europe is doing

[@BruceRickett-vr4tc]

How much breathing do you need before you pass out or pass on?

[@johnbucher2077]

@@BruceRickett-vr4tc I don't think anybody knows the answer to that question. Beyond that, I'm not sure I understand your question. It sounds like a crass deflection by a person who is unable to articulate a cogent opinion.

[@AndreTheBataShoeSalesman]

"crypto" is a problem, no matter your respiration rate

[@johnbucher2077]

@@AndreTheBataShoeSalesman Agree. But I'm not getting myself worried about it given the chances that congress will approve it is exactly zero.

[@grisza77]

Say you're a democrat without saying you're one.

[@henriikkak2091]

Yes, it seems that Americans are fine with being robbed blind by Nazi robber barons

[@nian60]

Saying that you support fascism without saying it.

[@EEX97623]

No Democrat party in the UK, and Fink isn't a US citizen, small things but kind of essential

[@america1stpatriot127]

@@nian60there is nothing fascist about what is happening now. The fascism was the mask mandates and vaccine requirements beforehand while prosecuting their political opponent on made up crimes.

[@max_skim-pontoon-cough]

Incredible! Never in my wildest dreams did I think my vote for Trump would lead to any meaningful change, and yet he’s accomplished more in 2 weeks than I would have hoped for in 4 years already. This is the Americas-maidan playing out! 🆓 🇺🇸

[@VolkerHett]

Wait for his 3rd term, it will be awesome!

[@EEX97623]

Maidan was a protest against a Russian puppet denying citizens their agreed futures. Who is the puppet worked by aggressive foreign power in charge in the US? Isn't Trump in charge?

[@jonnywishbone1342]

🤣🤡🤣🤡🤣🤡...

[@angela-qh8gl]

Canada has just come out and said, after speaking with trump, canada is putting a border spending plan in place for 1.3 billion. This is really strange because that agreement was already put in place under Biden in December 2024. 😂😂😂

[@SL-sd3sg]

See what happens tomorrow

[@jeffreygoodwin133]

You may not like it but who cares, doesn't affect you or your bity island..

[@janetsanders5356]

So you enjoy musks fingers in your social security account and medical records ?

[@janetsanders5356]

So you enjoy musks fingers in your social security account and medical records ?

[@EEX97623]

Musk absolutely does affect the UK, he backs Farage, calls for social unrest, and spreads dangerous propaganda and conspiracy fantasy on his platform directly influencing the media illiterate.

[@aormonde]

ON this point Musk is right

[@angela-qh8gl]

Oh really….would you like to send all your private documents and bank details to me please, I would like to buy some bit coin. 👍🏻

[@aormonde]

@@angela-qh8gl bot detected

[@henriikkak2091]

What, running away with 6 billion American citizens' money per year plus their identities?

[@BruceRickett-vr4tc]

Who elected President Musk? This is not America first. It is pro-Chinese Communist Party multibillionaire Musk first! End of story.

[@gatonegro5193]

Thank you, Jonathan, stay the course. As voters in the USA hide their collective heads in the sand this government does NOT represent the True Republican Party… Stay strong, stay safe… United for victory and reconstruction … 🤘👍👏🫶🙏🫡🇺🇦🐈‍⬛

[@SiliconCurtain]

👍👍👍🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦

[@madeleinesuzette]

Thanks Johnathon. 🇺🇦🇺🇦🇦🇺🇦🇺🦘🦘🦘💪

[@mariansaines5021]

Thanks

[@markmongan]

🫡