As government funding talks crater and House Speaker Mike Johnson demonstrates an alarming inability to lead his fractured caucus, Democrats have a novel opportunity: let Republicans own their chaos entirely.
Instead of working tirelessly to avert yet another Republican-manufactured crisis, Democrats should embrace the absurdity of the GOP’s current trajectory and push for their ultimate symbolic leader, Elon Musk, to become speaker of the House. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, have already floated the idea, and some House Republicans like Rep. Majorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., are on board.
The speaker doesn’t need to be a member of Congress — a fact rooted in Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution — and no figure better encapsulates the current Republican ethos than Musk.
Democrats have a novel opportunity: let Republicans own their chaos entirely.
One of the most glaring examples of Democrats bailing out Republicans came during the 2011 debt ceiling crisis. House Republicans, emboldened by their tea party wave, refused to raise the debt ceiling unless Democrats agreed to severe spending cuts. With the global economy teetering on the edge of catastrophe, it was Democrats who ultimately provided the votes to prevent default, stabilizing markets and protecting millions of jobs. Republicans had created the crisis and reaped the political rewards of “fiscal responsibility,” but it was Democrats who prevented them from following through on their reckless brinkmanship.
Fast-forward to 2023, when Democrats once again stepped in to avert disaster during another debt ceiling showdown. Despite having the majority in the House, Republicans couldn’t muster the votes for their own proposal. It was Democrats, working with then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who ensured the government wouldn’t default.
In doing so, they saved not only the U.S. economy but also McCarthy’s fragile speakership — at least temporarily. For their efforts, Democrats got little credit, while Republicans continued their infighting.
Even on basic governance, such as funding the government, Democrats have repeatedly been the grown-ups in the room. Whether it’s keeping federal agencies open or passing disaster relief, they’ve routinely delivered the votes that Republicans couldn’t.
This repeated pattern highlights a fundamental imbalance in Congress: Democrats prioritize governance, while Republicans prioritize posturing. It’s a cycle that has allowed Republicans to act irresponsibly without facing the full consequences of their actions.
Republicans’ dysfunction is no accident. The party has spent years transforming itself into a vehicle for billionaires and culture warriors, prioritizing tax cuts for the wealthy and performative outrage over serious governance.
Enter Musk, a billionaire who personifies the GOP’s current priorities. Musk is not just a tech entrepreneur; he’s a chaos agent who specializes in disruption, whether it’s upending industries, tanking his own companies’ stock prices or promoting conspiracy theories on his social media platform.
Elevating Musk to speaker would be the logical culmination of the Republican Party’s decades-long devolution. His leadership of the House would resemble his stewardship of X (formerly Twitter): erratic, self-absorbed and utterly incapable of managing even the most basic responsibilities.
Imagine Musk trying to navigate a government funding package or negotiate with Senate Democrats. He’d likely post memes mocking his own caucus rather than build consensus.
Elevating Musk to speaker would be the logical culmination of the Republican Party’s decades-long devolution.
If Republicans think Musk would be a good speaker, they should look to his track record. Musk’s reign at X has been a master class in dysfunction. Since taking over the platform, he’s alienated advertisers, gutted its workforce and driven away countless users. The company’s value has plummeted, and its influence has waned outside of MAGA circles.
Far from being the visionary leader he claims to be, Musk has demonstrated an astonishing inability to manage complex systems — a crucial skill for a speaker tasked with running the House of Representatives. Moreover, Musk’s penchant for grandiose promises without follow-through would be catastrophic in the House. Imagine him promising a balanced budget or sweeping tax reform, only to spend months feuding with Freedom Caucus members on social media. The resulting gridlock would be both predictable and disastrous. Democrats should step back and let the GOP follow through on its Muskian fantasies. If Republicans want a billionaire oligarch to lead them, let them. The American people need to see, in stark terms, what happens when a party that prioritizes culture wars and corporate interests is given free rein to govern. The consequences of their choices should be laid bare, unfiltered by last-minute bipartisan rescues. This strategy has precedent. During the 2013 government shutdown, Republicans took the blame for the chaos because Democrats refused to negotiate over the Affordable Care Act. Public opinion turned sharply against the GOP, and it ultimately caved. Similarly, allowing Republicans to install Musk as speaker would underscore their inability to govern while highlighting the absurdity of their priorities. There is no scenario in which Musk could effectively run the House. He wouldn’t unite the GOP’s warring factions or deliver on the party’s legislative promises. Instead, his tenure would be a spectacle of incompetence, punctuated by viral tweets and unworkable policy ideas. For Democrats, this would be a golden opportunity to contrast their commitment to governance with the GOP’s descent into chaos. By stepping aside and letting Republicans own their dysfunction, Democrats can send a clear message: This is what happens when you prioritize billionaires over working families and spectacle over substance. The American people should see the consequences of these choices, unfiltered and unmistakable. Only then can we begin to move past this era of billionaire-backed chaos and rebuild a government that works for everyone.
Rotimi Adeoye
Rotimi Adeoye is a Philadelphia-based columnist and former speechwriter covering immigration, democracy, and American politics. 
