Elon Musk

[Jackalope]

So a guy whose business model is conning people out of their personal data and selling it to the highest bidder just got given the personal data of everyone in the US...

...in government employment.

What about the Treasury payment systems? That potentially covers a hell of a lot more.

[The Grand Nudger]

I got a federal check as part of the livestock conservancy program and as a consequence they had all my details. I haven't been a federal employee for years now...but ofc they would have those records as well from dod and epa...and, obviously, the irs.

[Fireball]

So a guy whose business model is conning people out of their personal data and selling it to the highest bidder just got given the personal data of everyone in the US...

...in government employment.

I worked in defense for many years. I had a clearance that required me to supply information for all my siblings and their spouses, as well as those of my wife's family. That included SSNs.

[Thumpalumpacus]

I stand corrected.

[Fake Messiah]

This will be the crypto-scam of the century. The greatest theft of public wealth in history. Musk & Trump are going to loot the US and leave people with a treasury filled with worthless Monopoly money.

Now, as fears emerge Trump’s administration is “dangerously” undermining the U.S. dollar, Musk has confirmed he wants to put the U.S. Treasury on a blockchain, the technology that underpins bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies—including Musk’s pet project dogecoin.

Earlier, the New York Times reported Trump’s Treasury secretary Scott Bessent handed Doge department officials access to the payment system which sends out money to the tune of $5 trillion per year on behalf of the entire federal government on Friday, citing anonymous sources.

Last week, Musk held discussions about using the blockchain technology to save money, it was reported by Bloomberg, citing anonymous sources.

It is unclear if Musk plans on using an existing blockchain, such as bitcoin's, ethereum's, dogecoin's or one of thousands of smaller blockchains which have their own cryptocurrencies, or if he would rather create a new, purpose built blockchain.

The dogecoin price has rocketed higher following Trump’s election victory, surging along with the bitcoin price, as traders bet Musk's proximity to the U.S. president will further boost the meme-based cryptocurrency.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-ass...sury-plan/

[The Grand Nudger]

Federal data is a gold mine for the information economy. That's why people are always trying to get at it in the first place.

[Fake Messiah]

“I spent the weekend killing babies and spreading disease around the world, while destroying soft power and a tradition of aid for my adopted country, instead of going to parties! Yay for me!”

“We spent the weekend feeding USAID into the wood chipper. Could gone to some great parties. Did that instead,” Elon Musk said in a post on X early Monday morning after the X Spaces discussion.

Musk said earlier Sunday on X, “USAID is a criminal organization. Time for it to die.”

Trump also criticized USAID, in remarks to reporters Sunday night.

“It’s been run by a bunch of radical lunatics. And we’re getting them out,” Trump told reporters, The Associated Press reported.

https://thehill.com/homenews/administrat...shut-down/

[Alan V]

“I spent the weekend killing babies and spreading disease around the world, while destroying soft power and a tradition of aid for my adopted country, instead of going to parties! Yay for me!”

“We spent the weekend feeding USAID into the wood chipper. Could gone to some great parties. Did that instead,” Elon Musk said in a post on X early Monday morning after the X Spaces discussion.

Musk said earlier Sunday on X, “USAID is a criminal organization. Time for it to die.”

Trump also criticized USAID, in remarks to reporters Sunday night.

“It’s been run by a bunch of radical lunatics. And we’re getting them out,” Trump told reporters, The Associated Press reported.

https://thehill.com/homenews/administrat...shut-down/

This still represents Congress-approved spending, doesn't it?  If so, that means it is still illegal for Trump to shut it down.  He seems to be testing the separation of powers again, just on a smaller scale than with an across-the-board spending freeze.

The question is whether Congress will object to his encroaching on their powers.  They should, if this is in fact illegal.  Otherwise they are giving the green flag to autocracy.

Also, Trump seems intent on delegitimizing the whole Democratic party in the eyes of his supporters, let alone the Constitution itself.

[Alan V]

This still represents Congress-approved spending, doesn't it?  If so, that means it is still illegal for Trump to shut it down.  He seems to be testing the separation of powers again, just on a smaller scale than with an across-the-board spending freeze.

The question is whether Congress will object to his encroaching on their powers.  They should, if this is in fact illegal.  Otherwise they are giving the green flag to autocracy.

Also, Trump seems intent on delegitimizing the whole Democratic party in the eyes of his supporters, let alone the Constitution itself.

Correction: USAID is now under the control of the State Department and Marco Rubio:

CNN article

[The Grand Nudger]

Also, Trump seems intent on delegitimizing the whole Democratic party in the eyes of his supporters, let alone the Constitution itself.

Why not, he already finished the job with the republican party, and he's never been quiet about it.  He beat the republicans, he beat the democrats, he beat them all, according to him.  At the very bottom of the well, whenever he finishes destroying one thing he just picks another to enshitten for fun and profit. Why change the habit of a lifetime?