I imagine everyone has a different definition of the deep state. For some it is a tight group at the center of the halls of power that act as puppet masters, pulling strings and manipulating society toward a police state that they control. For some it is rogue, unelected bureaucrats who ignore the law and advance their own personal egos and power.
I think it is much bigger than that. I think it is a vast host of individuals. Some work alone and others work in groups. They may not even be aware of each other but they have one major flaw: They think they are the exception. They don’t need to play by the rules. They consider themselves what Thomas Sowell calls “the Anointed.”
If you are playing Monopoly they want to be the banker or at least sit by the banker so that they can make slight-of-hand “loans”. After all, it is only a game and suckers don’t deserve to win.
If they are a preacher they carefully select the Bible passages they use and skip any verse that might cause you to question what they say.
If they are politicians they say things like, “We need to pass the bill so we can find out what is in it.”
If they work for the DMV, IRS of OSHA they make sure that things go as slow as possible. They are obsessed with forms and check marks. They make dealing with the government a living hell. They are anyone who has the ability to tell you “no” based on a technicality or minor error. They move your application to the bottom of the pile or send it to the wrong office. They stand in classrooms, sit behind plate glass windows. They wear badges and robes. They have a wide variety of incomes and live in many neighborhoods.
What they have in common is power over others that they use as their priorities dictate instead of the way the rules were intended.
Think how much better our lives would be if we did away with entire departments of the federal government. Do we really need a Department of Education? Do we need the government to tell us that food products must have nutrition labels? Does your barber really need to be licensed?
November is coming. One of the issues you should examine is elected officials who want to cut the size of government.
The Deep State wants you.
homo unius libri
My version isn't quite as inclusive as yours, but I'm pretty much with you on this. Especially the second paragraph.
ReplyDeleteI often refer back to this verse,
Delete(Isaiah 8:12 NAS77) "You are not to say, 'It is a conspiracy!' In regard to all that this people call a conspiracy, And you are not to fear what they fear or be in dread of it.
I am not sure "they" are clever enough to organize something this big.
Grace and peace