Musk’s DOGE Wants IRS Data Because Billionaires Always Need More Power
Why letting a billionaire “modernize” the IRS sounds like a terrible idea.
Happy Presidents’ Day to all our readers! While you’re hopefully enjoying a well-deserved day off, Elon Musk is busy trying to turn the IRS into his personal playground.
Let’s dive in.
Elon Musk wants access to your tax returns.
Yes, really.
The IRS, understandably, is freaking out. His request includes access to the Integrated Data Retrieval System (IDRS), the holy grail of taxpayer information. It’s so sensitive that even IRS commissioners don’t have access. But sure, let’s hand it over to Musk’s tech bro squad because they promise they’ll “destroy any data” after 120 days.
Who Needs Privacy When Efficiency Calls?
Musk’s DOGE claims it’s here to “eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse.” Translation: hand over your financial records so we can “optimize” them—probably with the same finesse Twitter was “optimized” into a flaming pile of chaos.
Apparently, the White House thinks granting a billionaire carte blanche over IRS data is the secret sauce to a more efficient government. What could possibly go wrong?
This isn’t just about fixing ancient IRS systems coded in the ‘60s. It’s about power. Historically, even top IRS officials have been kept at arm’s length from IDRS. But now, Gavin Kliger, a DOGE engineer with a freshly printed badge, is parked inside IRS HQ with full access.
Welcome to the Billionaire Panopticon
Let’s be real. Musk’s interest in “efficiency” is about as convincing as his Twitter polls.
When billionaires talk about cutting “waste,” they’re usually referring to your retirement savings and any public service that doesn’t directly benefit them. And now, with DOGE in the mix, it’s not hard to imagine a future where your tax refund mysteriously disappears after a casual glance from Musk’s cronies.
The Trump administration says DOGE’s mission is legal and secure. But as former IRS watchdog Nina Olson points out, security clearances don’t automatically grant you access to taxpayer data. It’s almost like there are rules—rules that Musk and his fanboys would prefer to “disrupt.”
Make It Make Sense
Elon Musk managing IRS data is like letting a fox audit the henhouse for “efficiency.”
Sure, maybe he’ll find some inefficiencies—like the inconvenience of billionaires having to pay taxes at all.
The American people deserve a well-functioning tax system, not a billionaire vanity project wrapped in buzzwords. If DOGE’s idea of modernization is “let Musk snoop through your bank statements,” maybe we should reconsider what “government efficiency” really means.
Za-Head, Chaos Analyst.