How we stop Elon Musk

Americans will not stand idly by as billionaires break the law to destroy our vital services.

Who can stop Elon Musk’s smash-and-grab rampage through the federal government? Though the courts might ultimately rule against some of the Department of Government Efficiency’s power grab, the new administration has already suggested it might flout court rulings it doesn’t like. And far too many Democratic leaders remain MIA, appearing to agree with James Carville’s suggestion to “roll over and play dead.”

Fortunately, a force exists with the power and disposition to defeat Musk: organized federal workers. Their refusal to resign en masse has already significantly slowed down Musk’s wrecking crew. And the willingness of a growing number of employees to speak out has already helped turn public opinion against DOGE. If federal workers, their unions, and their allies scale up this fight over the coming weeks, they can spur a public backlash strong enough to take Musk down.

Federal workers are uniquely positioned to convince the public that DOGE is an existential threat to all Americans, not just government employees. “Every single person in this country is going to be impacted [by Musk’s cuts],” explained federal unionist Alissa Tafti to MSNBC on the eve of last week’s Save Our Services protests. She noted that many Americans don’t yet realize how they depend on federal services “in so many ways, throughout the course of each day, that they don’t even realize, … because it’s worked so well that it’s been invisible to everybody.”

An escalating campaign of attention-grabbing actions can make visible the federal services and employees on which hundreds of millions depend. If DOGE succeeds in cutting the Social Security Administration’s workforce by 50 percent, who will guarantee that Americans continue receiving their retirement benefits? If the Environmental Protection Agency’s budget is cut by 65 percent, who will keep corporations from dumping toxic pollutants into American families’ drinking water, air, and food? Unless Musk’s attacks are reversed, generations of Americans will suffer the consequences.

Posing these questions bluntly, repeatedly, and loudly is the urgent task at hand for federal workers. Taking the risk of speaking out in the media is an important first step. But sustained collective action is the only way to keep seizing headlines, flipping MAGA’s narrative, and conveying the urgency of the stakes.

Workers at a moment like this would normally turn to their most powerful weapon—the strike. But that’s off the table, because Musk would likely gleefully fire federal strikers for whom striking is illegal. That’s why the Federal Unionists Network has gotten creative and launched a new “Let Us Work” campaign. Here’s how its organizers explain the plan:

Through a mass action campaign, federal workers—including those who've been illegally fired — will challenge every illegitimate layoff. Instead of letting Musk steal their jobs, they’ll show up for duty with a clear message: “Let me work. I serve the American people, not the richest man on Earth, who nobody elected to be my boss.”

How can you support?

All community members and federal workers should sign up here to join the rapid response network. And please share this form widely!

All those who sign up will get immediately informed of any action to contest illegal layoffs in their town.

If you’re a federal worker that Musk has fired or is trying to fire, check that box on the form and our campaign will help you plan and launch a powerful, creative, peaceful collective fightback in defense of your job and the services you provide.

As a labor scholar, I am reminded of the innovative “sit down” tactics of the 1930s, when countless worker activists confronted the crisis of the Great Depression by sitting down at their places of work instead of walking out. To confront today’s crisis — MAGA’s authoritarian power grab — it’s not hard for me to imagine large numbers of federal workers and allies similarly choosing to walk in collectively to work. Though normal rallies still have an important role to play — and though it's up to federal workers themselves to determine what specific tactics are most appropriate — there would be something particularly compelling about scores of supporters attempting to peacefully escort an illegally fired worker into their workplace, so that they can continue to serve the American public.

The viral spread of these types of actions would create a crisis for DOGE by underscoring that Americans will not stand idly by as billionaires break the law to destroy our vital services. And each such action that goes viral online would surely spur copy-cat efforts across the country. To the extent that such a movement catches on, the insides and outsides of federal buildings could start to resemble, respectively, the Wisconsin capitol occupation and the Occupy movement of 2011. Once popular opposition to DOGE reaches a fever pitch, there’s a good chance that President Donald Trump would throw Musk to the wolves.

Federal workers are risking their necks by standing up. But they can’t win alone. Each of us needs to understand that defeating Musk is the pivotal battle today. And we must start taking action accordingly. Nothing less than the future of our country is on the line.

Eric Blanc, a professor of labor studies at Rutgers University, is author of the Substack Labor Politics and the new book “We Are the Union: How Worker-to-Worker Organizing is Revitalizing Labor and Winning Big.” Blanc is an organizer trainer for the Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee.

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