It's like a cartoon villain. It's so absurd that you assume it can't be as bad as it is.

Not a cartoon. He has manipulated the situation with the skill of a Romulan.

We're on the road to a Principate. (Trump being a viceroy, and Musk being the emperor.)

Perhaps counterintuitively Musk maybe should be made Speaker of the House. Give him an official role with specific power, responsibility and duties. Ambition to counter ambition. And not some nebulous creature who acts as shadow POTUS and shadow emperor.

Looks like president-elect Musk is busy at work.

"Congress had a spending deal ready, but Donald Trump and Elon Musk pressured Republicans to reject it."

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cp31q1npwppt

Total nihilism from oligarchs is how Russia operates.

America doesn't need that but it does seem the direction America's determined to go.