Random Thoughts

Lately, some commentary has focused on individuals entering the federal government with links to Palantir, Piter Thiel, and PayPal Mafia. The likes of Kash Patel, Elon Musk, David Sacks, JD Vance and Vivek Ramaswamy.

The narrative centers on their libertarian views, ruthless efficiency, and track record. From this foundation, far-fetched speculations are laid for structural changes in how government will operate. Especially around allocations of the DOD budget towards military-industrial incumbents. The case is made for said individuals to champion their alma mater firms for closer integration with government agencies and subsequent applications of "big data" and "big brother" tech. This will soon result in a more efficient government (with fewer employees) and total digital control over all aspects of our lives. First in the USA, then globally. Palantir is spotlighted for the big data analytical capabilities its software played in eliminating violent crimes in El Salvador.

But anyone who knows a thing or two about American history and its political system should expect less drama. To start, this won't be the first time Palantir's alumni entered government roles. The following individuals were there before. It was business as usual. 
- Alex Stamos: Former member of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Advisory Committee, was also a member of Palantir's advisory board.
- Trae Stephens: appointed to the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (NSCAI) in 2019.
- Kevin Harrington: served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering at the DOD.
- Michael Kratsios: served as the Chief Technology Officer of the United States from 2017 to 2021.

Going further, there is a well-established tradition of inviting the best and the brightest from the private sector into the federal government. Below is a very short list of such individuals in the 20th century:
- Joseph P. Kennedy Sr: Successful stock speculator and investor. The first chairman of a newly established SEC under FDR.
- Robert S. McNamara: President of Ford Motor Company (1960-1961) before becoming Secretary of Defense (1961-1968).
- William E. Simon: A businessman and investment banker who served as Secretary of the Treasury (1974-1977).
- Donald Rumsfeld: Secretary of Defense under Presidents Ford and George W. Bush. Before his government service, Rumsfeld was CEO of G.D. Searle & Company.
- Henry Paulson: Secretary of the Treasury under President George W. Bush. Paulson was chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs before joining the government.
- Robert Rubin: Secretary of the Treasury (1995-1999). Rubin started a career as an attorney, then moved to Goldman Sachs.

Prominent and even controversial, these individuals were not known to advance the interests of their former firms.

Additionally, U.S. law has several provisions to prevent conflicts of interest for executives of private firms entering the federal government. Here are some key regulations:
- Ethics in Government Act
- 18 U.S.C. § 208 (Conflicting Financial Interests)
- Federal Acquisition Regulation
- Procurement Integrity Act

As such
- Musk, as a member of the National Space Council, recused himself from discussions related to SpaceX.
- Thiel, as a member of the President's Transition Team, reportedly sold his Palantir shares to avoid conflicts of interest.

Yes, laws could be broken. "Regulatory capture" is a problem, but government institutions are not headed by school kids either. An up-and-coming district attorney, hungry for political points, will keep players in check. Media, always avid for a scandal, is never too far behind. Ultimately, the executive branch is overseen by Congress. A widely diverse pool of interests won't idly stand by, while some shrewd entrepreneurs from Silicon Valley will attempt to reshape the inner workings of the government.

Incoming department heads deserve the benefit of the doubt, but to expect radical change is to lose touch with reality. Institutional inertia is not a bug, but a feature.

#AmericanDynamism

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123 viewsedited  Dec 29, 2024 at 22:14

Lately, some commentary has focused on individuals entering the federal government with links to Palantir, Piter Thiel, and PayPal Mafia. The likes of Kash Patel, Elon Musk, David Sacks, JD Vance and Vivek Ramaswamy.

The narrative centers on their libertarian views, ruthless efficiency, and track record. From this foundation, far-fetched speculations are laid for structural changes in how government will operate. Especially around allocations of the DOD budget towards military-industrial incumbents. The case is made for said individuals to champion their alma mater firms for closer integration with government agencies and subsequent applications of "big data" and "big brother" tech. This will soon result in a more efficient government (with fewer employees) and total digital control over all aspects of our lives. First in the USA, then globally. Palantir is spotlighted for the big data analytical capabilities its software played in eliminating violent crimes in El Salvador.

But anyone who knows a thing or two about American history and its political system should expect less drama. To start, this won't be the first time Palantir's alumni entered government roles. The following individuals were there before. It was business as usual. 
- Alex Stamos: Former member of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Advisory Committee, was also a member of Palantir's advisory board.
- Trae Stephens: appointed to the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (NSCAI) in 2019.
- Kevin Harrington: served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering at the DOD.
- Michael Kratsios: served as the Chief Technology Officer of the United States from 2017 to 2021.

Going further, there is a well-established tradition of inviting the best and the brightest from the private sector into the federal government. Below is a very short list of such individuals in the 20th century:
- Joseph P. Kennedy Sr: Successful stock speculator and investor. The first chairman of a newly established SEC under FDR.
- Robert S. McNamara: President of Ford Motor Company (1960-1961) before becoming Secretary of Defense (1961-1968).
- William E. Simon: A businessman and investment banker who served as Secretary of the Treasury (1974-1977).
- Donald Rumsfeld: Secretary of Defense under Presidents Ford and George W. Bush. Before his government service, Rumsfeld was CEO of G.D. Searle & Company.
- Henry Paulson: Secretary of the Treasury under President George W. Bush. Paulson was chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs before joining the government.
- Robert Rubin: Secretary of the Treasury (1995-1999). Rubin started a career as an attorney, then moved to Goldman Sachs.

Prominent and even controversial, these individuals were not known to advance the interests of their former firms.

Additionally, U.S. law has several provisions to prevent conflicts of interest for executives of private firms entering the federal government. Here are some key regulations:
- Ethics in Government Act
- 18 U.S.C. § 208 (Conflicting Financial Interests)
- Federal Acquisition Regulation
- Procurement Integrity Act

As such
- Musk, as a member of the National Space Council, recused himself from discussions related to SpaceX.
- Thiel, as a member of the President's Transition Team, reportedly sold his Palantir shares to avoid conflicts of interest.

Yes, laws could be broken. "Regulatory capture" is a problem, but government institutions are not headed by school kids either. An up-and-coming district attorney, hungry for political points, will keep players in check. Media, always avid for a scandal, is never too far behind. Ultimately, the executive branch is overseen by Congress. A widely diverse pool of interests won't idly stand by, while some shrewd entrepreneurs from Silicon Valley will attempt to reshape the inner workings of the government.

Incoming department heads deserve the benefit of the doubt, but to expect radical change is to lose touch with reality. Institutional inertia is not a bug, but a feature.

#AmericanDynamism

BY Random Thoughts