James Madison, the resident neurotic among the founding fathers, was stressed out about the many ways that a fledging democracy could get derailed. A democracy was considered a risky experiment back then, even one where only white male landowners could vote. He worried that America could fall prey to a charismatic demagogue, suffer a congressional takeover, and be ravaged by tyrannical factions.
However, Madison could not envision a scenario where an unelected billionaire tech guy would be holed up in a Washington office building along with some 20-something computer nerds. Chugging Diet Coke and Red Bull, these guys are restructuring the federal government with the assistance of AI algorithms and full security clearance.
The systems created by Madison to circumvent hasty decisions — checks and balances, separations of powers, rule of law — have been thrown out the window. Our government has been transformed into a tech start-up in just a few weeks after Trump’s election. Our democracy didn’t unravel gradually. Boom. It’s gone.
It’s widely acknowledged that the federal government is a big, sprawling mess. Without bothering with democratic procedures, Musk was given unprecedented power to streamline government and reduce waste. However, Musk’s reform style can be described as “Hulk Will Smash.” He’s ripping everything down too quickly, putting vulnerable people at risk.
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