While some may question the very existence of the so-called Deep State, few would argue that there isn’t an insulated level of career bureaucrats that stays embedded from one president to the next. But what happens when this layer of middle-managers decides to control the direction of government departments based upon their own whims? And more importantly, why does each Commander in Chief allow them to get away with it?
Perhaps, with the election of President Donald Trump, there is not only a way to break free from the desperate careerists holding the nation hostage, but also a good reason for doing so.
Deep State Purpose
All too often ignored is the fact that – at some level – a Deep State is necessary and even to some small degree desirable. When the 30th president, Calvin Coolidge, addressed the Society of American Newspaper Editors in 1925, he pointed out something that was as true in his day as it is in ours:
“[t]he chief business of the American people is business.”
And what is needed to ensure the successful operation of a business? Managers, supervisors, workers, and, of course, a CEO.
Looking at the more recent presidents in history, we have:
- Barack Obama – Lawyer
- George W. Bush – Businessman/Military
- Bill Clinton – Lawyer
- George H.W. Bush – Businessman/Military
- Ronald Reagan – Actor
- Jimmy Carter – Farmer
- Gerald Ford – Lawyer
- Richard Nixon – Lawyer
In fact, 26 former presidents have been lawyers. It is arguable that a country being steered by a pair of hands well-versed in constitutional law is a safe bet, but what experience do these great and good folks have of running a business enterprise?
The Deep State is in place because a non-business person lacks the skills necessary to evaluate, hire, replace, and manage the multiple areas of competence that ensure the smooth sailing of the nation.
But What of Trump?
Donald Trump is a businessman. He has experience in running not just a single company, but many. And this is what the U.S. actually is.
The unsympathetic media and the political left (even some of the political right), have viewed the high turnover of staff in the Trump administration as a sign of chaos and poor judgment; the reality is something quite different. Being able to move the right people into the right places, managing them in a way that produces the best results for your long-term strategy, and not being afraid to say “You’re Fired” are more than just useful skills … they are desirable.
Trump may be the first president in recent times who doesn’t need the Deep State to keep things quietly ticking while he serves in the Oval Office. And this terrifies the careerists who have dug so deeply into their roles that they fear ever having to change a single aspect of their daily duties.
The pushback against the MAGA platform by the Deep State is very real. It is entrenched middle managers panicking at the prospect of someone taking charge. It is cowards who would usurp democracy in favor of a secure position.
[perfectpullquote align=”right” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=”24″]Trump may be the first president in recent times who doesn’t need the Deep State.[/perfectpullquote]
Promising Change?
When politicians promise change, they may have the best of intentions, but they have neither the power nor the ability to implement it. They can make or propose new legislation, but without the cooperation of the people tasked with executing these orders, they will inevitably run into hold-ups, frustration, and “unforeseen issues.” And the status quo is maintained.
Now more than ever, the U.S. needs a hands-on manager ready to take apart a corrupt, complacent pyramid of power that exists in the nation’s institutions. But these once vaunted bodies cannot be left unmanned; they require new blood, hungry men and women looking to do their duty rather than secure their position. And this may prove to be President Trump’s greatest legacy – handing the reins of power back to the voting public.