Elon Musk, in collaboration with Vivek Ramaswamy, has unveiled plans for the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a proposed entity aimed at "cutting the federal government down to size." While DOGE is not a real department, it represents a long-standing right-wing effort to dismantle the civil service, an initiative fully supported by the incoming Trump administration.The DOGE proposal outlines plans to cut "thousands" of federal regulations and determine the "minimum number of employees required at an agency for it to perform its constitutionally permissible and statutorily mandated functions." These policies are reminiscent of previous attempts by Trump and his allies to gut the civil service, including the 2020 executive order stripping certain federal positions of employment protections, known as Schedule F.Vice President-elect JD Vance has also expressed support for dismantling the federal bureaucracy, suggesting the replacement of civil servants with loyalists. This time around, the courts may not be able to stop Trump, who has nominated a record number of judges to the federal judiciary and will inherit a conservative-majority Supreme Court.The recent Supreme Court decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, which overturned Chevron deference, has given the incoming administration a new tool to push for structural reductions in the federal government. Musk and Ramaswamy argue that the president owes lawmaking deference to Congress, not bureaucrats deep within federal agencies, and that DOGE has a historic opportunity for reform.These suggestions bear a striking resemblance to a 2012 proposal by Curtis Yarvin, a "neoreactionary" philosopher and self-proclaimed monarchist, to "reboot" the government by "retiring all government employees." Yarvin's ideas have gained traction among members of the incoming Trump administration, including Michael Anton, a fellow at the right-wing Claremont Institute.Yarvin's ultimate goal is to abolish liberal democracy and establish a benevolent dictatorship. While Musk's vision for DOGE may not explicitly share this objective, it does aim to concentrate power among a small group of plutocrats through mass deregulation and a weakening of checks and balances.On X, Musk and his allies have highlighted seemingly bizarre government-funded projects to justify the need for DOGE. However, the true intention behind DOGE appears to be saving money for Musk's own companies, such as Tesla and SpaceX, which have been accused of flouting safety regulations.The implications of DOGE are far-reaching and concerning, as they threaten to erode the foundations of the federal government and undermine the civil service. As the incoming administration prepares to take office, it remains to be seen whether these plans will come to fruition and what the consequences will be for the American people.In the broader context, the DOGE proposal highlights the ongoing struggle between those who seek to strengthen the federal government and those who aim to dismantle it. As the tech industry continues to grow in influence, it is essential to scrutinize the motivations and actions of its leaders, particularly when they intersect with policy and governance.

The DOGE proposal outlines plans to cut "thousands" of federal regulations and determine the "minimum number of employees required at an agency for it to perform its constitutionally permissible and statutorily mandated functions." These policies are reminiscent of previous attempts by Trump and his allies to gut the civil service, including the 2020 executive order stripping certain federal positions of employment protections, known as Schedule F.

Vice President-elect JD Vance has also expressed support for dismantling the federal bureaucracy, suggesting the replacement of civil servants with loyalists. This time around, the courts may not be able to stop Trump, who has nominated a record number of judges to the federal judiciary and will inherit a conservative-majority Supreme Court.

The recent Supreme Court decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, which overturned Chevron deference, has given the incoming administration a new tool to push for structural reductions in the federal government. Musk and Ramaswamy argue that the president owes lawmaking deference to Congress, not bureaucrats deep within federal agencies, and that DOGE has a historic opportunity for reform.

These suggestions bear a striking resemblance to a 2012 proposal by Curtis Yarvin, a "neoreactionary" philosopher and self-proclaimed monarchist, to "reboot" the government by "retiring all government employees." Yarvin's ideas have gained traction among members of the incoming Trump administration, including Michael Anton, a fellow at the right-wing Claremont Institute.

Yarvin's ultimate goal is to abolish liberal democracy and establish a benevolent dictatorship. While Musk's vision for DOGE may not explicitly share this objective, it does aim to concentrate power among a small group of plutocrats through mass deregulation and a weakening of checks and balances.

On X, Musk and his allies have highlighted seemingly bizarre government-funded projects to justify the need for DOGE. However, the true intention behind DOGE appears to be saving money for Musk's own companies, such as Tesla and SpaceX, which have been accused of flouting safety regulations.

The implications of DOGE are far-reaching and concerning, as they threaten to erode the foundations of the federal government and undermine the civil service. As the incoming administration prepares to take office, it remains to be seen whether these plans will come to fruition and what the consequences will be for the American people.

In the broader context, the DOGE proposal highlights the ongoing struggle between those who seek to strengthen the federal government and those who aim to dismantle it. As the tech industry continues to grow in influence, it is essential to scrutinize the motivations and actions of its leaders, particularly when they intersect with policy and governance.