Elon Musk’s just won his first fight against the Swamp. But, warns DAN MCLAUGHLIN, there’s a threat from within that could sabotage his mission

Elon Musk went into the swamp and won – for now.

After a 12-hour social media barrage starting in the wee hours of Wednesday morning, Musk successfully killed a bill that would keep the federal government funded past December 20.

“Every member of the House of Representatives or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in two years!” he tweeted.

On Wednesday evening, newly elected President Donald Trump followed suit. A vote in favor of this bill would be a “betrayal of our country,” Trump said.

The bill was DOA. Musk, the newly appointed Grim Reaper of federal inefficiency, had claimed his first scalp. But this victory may be short-lived.

The legendary industrialist may soon discover that fixing America’s broken government mechanisms is far more difficult than repairing Tesla’s assembly line.

Congress has been breaking its own spending rules for most of the last fifteen years. There should be a procedure for deciding on a budget. It sounds boring, but it’s important. Otherwise, the country will face a debt burden of $36 trillion.

If the process works, there will be committee hearings, members actually read draft and amend bills, cut wasteful spending and set priorities.

Congress has been breaking its own spending rules for most of the last fifteen years. There should be a procedure for deciding on a budget. It sounds boring, but it’s important. Otherwise, the country will face a debt burden of $36 trillion. (Photo: Speaker of the House Mike Johnson)

When the process doesn’t work, members of Congress cut backroom deals and drop a massive 1,547-page bill on the eve of a holiday recess. (There are only 1,440 minutes in a day.)

Take it or leave it, the party leaders are threatening their members.

If they vote no, the government will be shut down or lawmakers will be stuck in DC for Christmas, rushing to write another bill.

If they vote yes, they will have greenlit every horrible part of a piece of legislation that they haven’t even had time to read.

Speaker Mike Johnson got his job after eight Republicans rebelled against his predecessor, Kevin McCarthy, in 2023, repeatedly breaking the rules and pushing spending monsters through the House of Representatives.

Now Johnson is doing the same. Although it’s not all his fault.

The Senate is also supposed to be responsible for debating and voting on a dozen bite-sized pieces of the federal budget that make up the whole. But they too have pushed aside budgetary responsibility in favor of political opportunism.

It goes without saying that President Joe Biden – remember that guy? – has no influence here at all. Congress is on its own. Trump and Musk can move votes; Biden and his Vice President Kamala Harris cannot.

This is business as usual in Washington DC.

Naturally, Musk, who is supposed to be leading the fight against government waste and incompetence, objects. And he has a very large platform (208 million followers on X) when he does that.

Speaker Mike Johnson got his job after eight Republicans rebelled against his predecessor, Kevin McCarthy (pictured above right with Trump), in 2023, repeatedly breaking the rules and sending spending monsters through the House of Representatives.

His pressure on Republicans in Congress worked this time and it is a sign of new power in the bloc. But how long will it last?

Here’s the reality check:

A government shutdown before Christmas or a new short-term deal would prolong this spending battle into January. That should be good news for Republicans, who will take over the Senate on January 3 and the White House on January 20.

But it’s not that simple. Trump has a lot more he wants to do. He wants Congress to deal with immigration and taxes. He needs the Senate to either confirm his cabinet or (so he says) go on recess while he gives them all temporary jobs.

If Congress has to focus on the short-term budget in January or February, it can’t do those things either.

Musk or no Musk, Trump wants a budget deal done quickly.

Perhaps the newly elected president will start to reconsider putting this magician of industrial efficiency in charge of downsizing the bloated Leviathan state.

What really needs to happen is a reform of the budget process, which has been broken down since the mid-1970s.

Trump may support reforms, but he is unlikely to put any effort into them.

When he and Musk join forces, they can do a lot to stop backroom deals and wasteful spending — as long as they’re on the same page.