Democrats Displaying Symptoms of Musk Derangement Syndrome

Democrats have finally discovered someone they despise even more than Donald Trump.

Elon Musk, who is currently disrupting the federal bureaucracy with a team of overworked yet brilliant young tech enthusiasts, is the new public enemy.

In the wake of a significant election defeat and just weeks into a frenetic Trump administration, what energizes a directionless Democratic Party is the collective astonishment and dismay induced by Musk and his initiatives.

While Trump Derangement Syndrome may have diminished somewhat, Musk Derangement Syndrome has taken its place.

Democrats are vocally demanding at public rallies for Musk to face arrest.

They are working to subpoena him.

They are investigating whether his DOGE team may have committed national security violations.

They are targeting him with a bill they’ve dubbed, somewhat embarrassingly, the Eliminate Looting of Our Nation by Mitigating Unethical State Kleptocracy (ELON MUSK) Act.

A very short march

The greatest entrepreneur of our era is introducing a Silicon Valley mindset to the process of streamlining and optimizing federal agencies, a task that Democrats long believed was too vast and intricate for anyone to undertake seriously, let alone achieve.

The German leftist Rudi Dutschke is linked with the notion of “the long march through the institutions,” which entails a gradual takeover of society by co-opting political and cultural power centers.

Conversely, Musk is engaging in a very short march through the institutions in Washington — attempting to realign the federal bureaucracy and eliminate waste that Republicans have long criticized, all in just a few weeks.

During the initial Trump administration, Trump adviser Peter Navarro touted accomplishing things on “Trump time,” meaning quicker than anyone thought feasible without the relentless nudging of his boss.

“Musk time” moves even faster.

A common criticism of Musk is that he isn’t elected.

“Nobody voted for Elon Musk,” the progressive outlet Mother Jones lamented.

True, but no one voted for any other Trump advisor either.

The president is elected to oversee the executive branch and subsequently relies on a multitude of unelected individuals with varying degrees of power and influence to do the job.

Historically, presidents have turned to informal advisers to assist them.

The term “kitchen cabinet,” originally meant as a slur, dates back to Andrew Jackson in the 1830s.

It seems ironic to criticize Musk’s lack of election when none of the vast federal personnel he’s engaging with were elected either.

The distinction is that Musk operates with the endorsement of a newly elected president.

Legally speaking, it’s important to note that Musk is classified as a special government employee, which gives him more authority than just a billionaire walking in off the street, although his powers are still limited.

Provided federal officials are implementing his advice and not taking direct orders from Musk, his influence should remain legally sound.

On a collision course

In general, Musk’s DOGE should consider potential legal hurdles and “proceed with caution” rather than “move swiftly and cause disruption” to avoid court obstacles.

Ultimately, though, the Trump administration’s concept of executive power is on a collision path with the congressional spending authority that will inevitably lead to politically charged, high-stakes litigation.

Regarding the Democrats’ offensive against Musk, they might very well succeed in transforming him into a villain.

If the Democrats regain the House, their initial move will likely be to investigate Musk and produce an extensive report detailing the actions of every 23-year-old in his DOGE team.

However, by that time, Musk may have already instituted significant changes in how the federal government operates and be off pursuing his next venture — perhaps mining meteorites or making cold fusion a reality.

Meanwhile, becoming such a major lightning rod that he deflects some of the political heat away from Trump himself is yet another one of Elon Musk’s seemingly insurmountable achievements.