The Democracy Papers: Paper Eleven
This paper was meant to be about our role in a global economy and the dangers a disunited America would face by allowing billionaires, corporations and their lobbyists to control the economy. The reality, however, is so much worse than our Founders could have imagined.
A Fork in the Road
You know, when I first had the idea to rewrite the Federalist Papers with a modern lens, I couldn't have imagined the speed at which our institutions would fall. I had hoped to write these to inspire unity in a broken nation, to push for engagement in government policy, both locally and nationally. But it feels disingenuous to continue down this path when our democracy is actively under siege.
This paper was meant to be about our role in a global economy and the dangers a disunited America would face by allowing billionaires, corporations and their lobbyists to control the economy. The reality, however, is so much worse than our Founders could have imagined.
A Hostile Takeover of Democracy
This past weekend, Elon Musk orchestrated what can only be described as a forceful invasion of the federal government. Using his unchecked power and the infrastructure of his private empire, he illegally accessed and compromised critical systems within the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Treasury Department. This wasn’t a cyberattack by a foreign adversary; it was an act of economic and political warfare from within by an unelected billionaire, and his supremely unqualified acolytes, who believes his wealth grants him dominion over the nation.
The consequences were immediate and devastating. Musk’s unlawful seizure of Treasury systems led to the exposure of sensitive government and financial data, including classified details on federal employees, intelligence operatives, and global diplomatic initiatives. It triggered the illegal closure of congressionally mandated agencies, including USAID, an agency responsible for providing humanitarian aid, stabilizing conflict zones and supporting democratic governance worldwide. The fallout will be untold suffering, economic destabilization and a dangerous precedent that a single man’s unchecked ambition can override the democratic will of the people.
The Collapse of Institutional Integrity
The Founders feared the influence of foreign powers in shaping American policy, but even they failed to predict the rise of billionaire oligarchs who would buy, manipulate and eventually dismantle the very institutions meant to hold them accountable. We’ve long worried about how billionaires influence elections and legislation through dark money and lobbying. But this? This is a full-scale assault on democratic governance.
What happens when billionaires control not just the economy but the infrastructure of government itself? When they can sabotage federal agencies at will, interfere with military and diplomatic operations, lock out career federal employees and override decisions made by the elected branches of government? This is no longer a question of regulation or oversight, it is a question of survival.
We have, quite literally, handed the keys to our democracy to the same men who believe rules don’t apply to them.
The Precipice of a New American Order
This is not an isolated incident. This is the culmination of years of unchecked power, where tech moguls and corporate overlords slowly replaced elected governance with their own private rule. From the dismantling of regulatory agencies to the flooding of political campaigns with unlimited corporate money (thanks to the Citizens United ruling), billionaires have chipped away at the public’s control over its own government. And now, with Musk’s unlawful actions, we’ve crossed the final threshold.
Musk’s apologists will call this “innovation.” They’ll say he’s just “cutting through the bureaucracy” or “forcing necessary change.” But make no mistake, this is not about efficiency. This is not about reform. This is the beginning of the end of democracy as we know it, unless we start fighting back.
We must recognize that this was not a fluke or a one-off event. This is a power play, a spoiled child testing to see how much resistance would arise. If we do nothing, we can expect more of the same, with even more devastating consequences.
Congress must act, and they must act decisively. Immediate federal investigations must be launched into Musk’s actions, and if laws were broken, there must be swift legal consequences. The national security implications of billionaire-controlled infrastructure must be addressed, and Congress must pass legislation that ensures this doesn't happen again, including (but not limited to) overturning Citizens United and enforcing antitrust measures on monopolistic industries.
The Fight for Democracy Starts Now
We, the people must rise up. This is not a time for apathy. This is not a time for cynicism. This is a time to act. The greatest threat to democracy is not just the tyrants who seek to destroy it, but the people who stand by and let them.
The world is watching us with bated breath. What we do next will determine whether this great experiment of ours survives or whether it becomes just another cautionary tale of a republic that fell to greed, corruption and unchecked power.
We must fight back. We must reclaim our government. And we must refuse to let billionaires decide our future. Because that future belongs to us.