As predicted, Elon Musk showed up at Trump's first Cabinet meeting this morning like he owned the damn place. The billionaire tech mogul strolled right into a constitutional institution where he has absolutely no legal standing, confirming our worst fears about the blatant disregard for governmental norms this administration plans to champion from day one.

But that's just the appetizer in this feast of governmental dysfunction. The real meat came later, as the broader picture of how this administration plans to operate became painfully clear.

Last night, the House passed a budget resolution by the slimmest fucking margin imaginable—217 to 215. Two votes. TWO. That's how close we came to an immediate governmental gridlock that would have thrown the administration's agenda into chaos just weeks after inauguration.

This razor-thin victory reveals the precarious position the Trump administration finds itself in despite controlling both chambers of Congress. The budget resolution is just the first step in enacting Trump's economic vision, and if they're already scraping by with two-vote margins, what happens when they try to push through the more controversial aspects of their platform?

What's particularly telling is how this vote comes right on the heels of Musk's inclusion in cabinet meetings. While Congress struggles to function with legitimate elected officials barely able to agree on anything, Trump's bringing in unelected billionaires to help steer the ship of state. The contrast couldn't be more stark or more disturbing.

In what feels like a cosmic joke, the congressional hearings on foreign aid spending cuts are being conducted by the "Delivering on Government Efficiency" subcommittee, conveniently abbreviated as "DOGE"—a reference to Musk's beloved Dogecoin cryptocurrency. The subcommittee (which existed before Trump took office) is now examining the impacts of the administration's attempted freeze on foreign aid.

The timing is beyond ironic—as Musk sits in on Cabinet meetings where these policies are likely being discussed, a congressional body nicknamed after his favorite meme coin is hearing testimony about the real-world impacts of the policies he's helping shape behind closed doors.

But the farce doesn't end there. These witnesses are testifying about aid that the administration has already tried to block—action that a federal judge just ruled illegal yesterday. A court had to intervene to force the release of billions in foreign aid that the administration had tried to withhold, determining that the earlier freeze failed to comply with previous court orders.

So not only is the administration bringing unconfirmed billionaires into constitutional governance, they're already running afoul of the courts in their attempts to implement policy. One month in, and we're already seeing a pattern of constitutional overreach being checked by the judiciary.

Trump is expected to sign even more executive orders this afternoon, continuing the pattern established in his first month back in office. These unilateral actions—which require no congressional approval and minimal input from constitutional officers—have become the preferred method of governance.

This reliance on executive orders, combined with Musk's presence in Cabinet meetings, paints a clear picture of an administration that views traditional democratic processes as inconvenient obstacles rather than essential safeguards. Why bother with the messy process of legislation when you can rule by decree? Why limit yourself to the advice of constitutionally appointed officers when you can bring in your billionaire buddies?

The throughline in all of this is painfully obvious: a systematic sidestepping of constitutional governance in favor of rule by executive fiat, with unelected private citizens wielding influence they have no right to possess.

Musk's presence at the Cabinet table isn't some isolated quirk—it's emblematic of a broader approach to governance that sees democratic institutions as optional at best and obstacles at worst. When you combine his unprecedented access with the administration's willingness to push the legal boundaries of executive power (until courts smack them down) and the razor-thin margins in Congress, you get a perfect storm for constitutional crisis.

The founders designed a system of checks and balances specifically to prevent this kind of concentration of power. They never envisioned a world where tech billionaires would sit alongside confirmed Cabinet officials, where courts would have to force the executive to comply with the law, and where major policy would be implemented via executive order rather than legislation.

One month in, and we're already seeing the framework of constitutional governance being tested like never before. Musk's presence in the Cabinet room isn't just a quirky footnote in presidential history—it's the canary in the coal mine for a democracy that's running out of oxygen.