Lever Time Elon Musk’s Hostile Takeover
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Feb 6, 2025 Nathan Tankus, a journalist known for his insightful newsletter Notes on a Crisis, delves into Elon Musk's audacious move to infiltrate U.S. government agencies. The discussion reveals how Musk's actions threaten the integrity of the government, particularly with his push into the Treasury's outdated payment system, which has led to rising anxiety among civil servants. Tankus emphasizes the cultural divide between modern tech talent and legacy IT systems, shedding light on the systemic risks that come with Musk's controversial influence.
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Tankus' Reaction
- Nathan Tankus had a panic attack after reading about Musk's actions.
- He interviewed former Treasury officials and wrote an article about it.
Government Takeover
- Musk's allies are attempting to take over government agencies, starting with the US Digital Service.
- A concerning development is the attempt to control the US payment system via a young ex-SpaceX employee.
Payment System Management
- The US payment system was managed by career civil servants with deep domain expertise.
- David Lybrick, a long-time Treasury employee, was the Fiscal Assistant Secretary until recently.