Episode 18: Democracy Deleted: Musk, DOGE, and the Unraveling of America

Episode Summary

In the final chapter of our six-part Musk series, Bella Goode delivers a powerful reckoning with the fallout of Elon Musk’s DOGE regime—a techno-authoritarian experiment that has left America's democratic infrastructure gasping for air.

Far beyond a failed efficiency program, DOGE has become a vehicle for chaos, control, and collapse. With institutions gutted, benefits blocked, and public trust in freefall, Episode 18 dives into the devastating human cost of Musk’s governance and the deeper ideology that powers it.

From the IRS layoffs in Ogden to the rise of Orbán-style illiberalism, we expose the radical worldview reshaping our country—and ask whether democracy can survive in a system rebuilt for billionaires, by billionaires.

In This Episode:

The IRS Shutdown – How DOGE’s mass firings at the IRS led to a $500B tax shortfall and a wave of unchecked corporate tax evasion.

Ogden, Utah in Crisis – The heart-wrenching impact of DOGE layoffs on working-class communities, with interviews from displaced workers and local leaders.

Musk’s AI Catastrophe – From frozen Social Security payments to algorithmic cruelty, we examine how Musk’s “innovation” is terrorizing vulnerable families.

The Human Factor – Why Musk’s obsession with optimization—and disregard for empathy—has turned reform into ruin.

Chaos as a Strategy – How Musk uses disinformation, crisis cycles, and media distraction to deflect blame and consolidate power.

The Authoritarian Network – Musk’s ideological alignment with Viktor Orbán, Curtis Yarvin, and Peter Thiel—and how DOGE reflects their shared vision for post-democratic rule.

10 Pillars of Democracy Under Attack – A sweeping breakdown of how DOGE is systematically dismantling the foundations of a free society.

The Verdict – Why Musk has failed as a government leader, and why that failure is not just dangerous—it’s existential.

Next Episode

Our next episode takes a deep dive into Project 2025- the blueprint causing all the chaos. 

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Host: Bella Goode

Bella is a former Republican turned democracy advocate raised by middle class parents in Pennsylvania. She is a graduate of Syracuse University and the University of Pennsylvania with a masters of business administration from Wharton and a Masters Degree in Positive Psychology.

Career wise, Bella spent 20 years with American Express in New York and 20 years as an entrepreneur. She started and sold a fitness business that grew to 180 locations worldwide.

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