Xiao Bao, who is involved in cutting and confiscating property: What would Musk do as the new Minister of D.O.G.E?

Last time we talked about Trump's and Musk's presidential campaign being like the story of Kangxi and Wei Xiaobao in "The Deer and the Cauldron." Do you still remember what Kangxi did after ascending to the throne regarding power and finances? It was to cut down on the vassals and the "bird's nest fish soup."

What does this mean? The rulers and the hardliners were dissatisfied with the new emperor's ideas and the abandonment of their vested interests, leading to a backlash against the emperor's centralization and implementation of orders, which needed to be cut down. The bloated institutions and the unclear allocation of court funds resulted in public grievances and economic burdens that needed to be reduced. Now, Trump coming to power is also about these two things: one is the victory of the Republican Party over the People's Party, and the transition and control of power will go deeper. Trump is now the ultimate evolution of the integration of the Republican Party (himself), public opinion polls (Musk), and the executive, legislative, and judicial powers. He is firing Federal Reserve Chairman Powell and other senior officials, replacing the SEC chairman, nominating a new Secretary of Defense, and taking decisive actions against the "old nationalists" who do not comply, reclaiming power to facilitate the implementation of his ideal policies. Moreover, this is Trump's "second administration." In the first term, he lacked experience and faced many overt and covert constraints and delays, just like the young Kangxi who had grand ambitions but was bound by his hands and feet, forced to be a puppet. Trump 2.0 is like the young Kangxi who repelled opponents and used effective governance methods; what he truly wants, the real MAGA (Make America Great Again), now has more possibilities to be realized.

Speaking of Wei Xiaobao and Musk, as the first assistant who contributed to the dragon, the simplification of the bird's nest fish soup (Yao, Shun, and Yu soup) and the people's welfare policies need a trusted aide to implement them. Whether it’s confiscating property or reducing taxes, or disaster relief and redress to leave a mark in history for the emperor, Trump has announced that Musk and another patriot, Vivek Ramaswamy, will jointly lead the newly established government efficiency department D.O.G.E., which will operate independently from the government (royal authority chartered??).

The new D.O.G.E. department is proposed by Trump to abolish bureaucratic institutions, cut excessive regulations, reduce wasteful spending, and reorganize federal agencies, and it is stated that this work will be completed by July 4, 2026, which coincides with the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. By then, a smaller and more efficient government will be their "gift" to all Americans.

Confiscation of property is something Lord Wei excels at; having power means he can also line his own pockets. Now, Musk is also set to take on the lucrative position of abolishing bureaucratic institutions and cutting spending.

Musk has quite the Wei Xiaobao style when it comes to "streamlining." In 2022, he acquired Twitter and violently laid off 90% of the staff, keeping only one in ten in key departments who actually do the work, and directly setting rules for major advertisers and influential figures. His one-man style and elite-centric thinking closely resemble Wei Xiaobao's disdain for officials and his grassroots sentiments about recognizing and employing talent. The facts also prove that after Twitter's downsizing, it did not explode; on the contrary, the product experience and efficiency improved. The rebranding of Twitter to X and the addition of more mainstream application modules give Musk a new weapon to control public opinion and sentiment, just like when he supported Trump's campaign by using Twitter to send cash and information recommendations, firmly grasping the decisive power of the information stronghold.

However, streamlining government departments and cutting spending to reorganize federal agencies is not as simple as overhauling Twitter. Wei Xiaobao had no problem reorganizing the Qingmu Hall or coordinating actions among various departments of the Tiandihui, but asking him to mobilize the military to cut down the vassals was beyond his capability. Moreover, the Tiandihui he led still relied on plundering corrupt officials and government supplies to have operational funds. If it were to be reduced to a point where there were no fish in the clear water, it would be like cutting off one's own path to survival. Just like Musk's own companies, such as Tesla, SpaceX, Starlink, and AI tech companies, all require government subsidies and procurement to continue funding research and development. Therefore, Musk is willing to take on the role of the new D.O.G.E. minister, but the Trump administration's future spending reduction plans have not been clearly outlined. He previously admitted, "This will inevitably bring some difficulties." There are both sentiments and self-interests involved, and many decisions may lead to unimaginably huge challenges. This is not like Thanos snapping his fingers while Lord Wei rolls dice to decide who gets FIRED. Issues of race, political correctness, and litigation protections could all potentially leave D.O.G.E. in a position where it cannot function. What will Musk do in the future? Stay tuned.