We are hearing a lot about “the deep state” and it’s all bad. A popular conspiracy theory claims that America’s civil service, including the intelligence community, is working secretly to undermine the Trump presidency.
I could believe some individuals in the civil service might be doing somethingg like that. But it’s absurd to suggest the entire civil service – or even a significant segment of the civil service – is engaged in a coordinated effort to illegally depose the president.
I see the civil service – the “deep state” to its detractors – as the engine that keeps America running. Politicians pass laws and propose programs but it takes the “deep state” to enforce those laws and implement those programs.
And it is the “deep state” that protects our democracy, maintains order, ensures the rule of law, guards against corruption and abuse, and maintains national security.
So when the people elect a president who defies the Constitution, ignores ethical norms, disregards the law and threatens democracy, the deep state is programmed to take corrective action.
This is the nation’s protective apparatus. Built-in safeguards detect and expose despotism and corruption.
Naturally, a corrupt despot would do everything possible to jam the nation’s protective machinery.
So when Trump attacks the FBI, the CIA, the Justice Department and the Special Counsel, he reinforces my conviction that he is guilty of the offenses that the “deep state” is designed to guard against.
Sadly, another important line of defense – Congress – is not doing its part. Pervasive corruption has left many of the people’s representatives toothless and spineless.
It is now up to us the people to step into the breach. We must purge Congress of corrupt and ineffective representatives, replacing them with others who have the will, the skill and the character to protect us.
If we fail in this, we will have only ourselves to blame as our democracy crumbles into a Third World quagmire, leaving us at the mercy of lawless predators.
