The Deep State does not exist.
How do we know?
If it did exist, it would have stopped Trump’s tariffs!
Welcome to modern political theology and ideological theodicy — by way of late-night “comedic entertainment.”
Because of Trump’s tariffs, “we’ve had the worst day for our economy since Covid,” quipped Stephen Colbert on Thursday’s Late Show. “Just a reminder: this time he’s the disease.”
I found his setup somewhat funny, goofy looks and all, and I don’t usually find Colbert funny. But as the bit progressed …
“It’s all pretty solid proof that there is no Deep State.”
I’ve already given away his punchline, because it was not so much funny as eye-roll-worthy.
“Because if there was, they would have stopped this s**t.”
The assumption here is that, by definition, the Deep State must be omnipotent. While we can point to existing institutions working under the new rubric of “Deep State,” it’s never been all-powerful. It’s just very powerful, working in mysterious (secret) ways.
“But if they do exist,” Colbert continued, “I just want to say to the cabal of financial and governmental elites who pull all the strings behind the scenes, ‘maybe put a pause on your 5G chip/JFKjr/adrenochrome/chemtrail orgy and jump in here cuz we’re f**king dying!’”
Here’s the deal: Trump was hounded with unprecedented state surveillance, impeachments, lawfare, and speech suppression … and dodged bullets from assassins. While we know nothing, if we catch a whiff of anything it’s that “non-existent” Deep State.
So begging it to take out Trump is … late-in-the-game.
The cabal has already tried. Many times. And failed. Proving itself perhaps more desperate than competent.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
Illustration created with Krea and Firefly
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3 replies on “Praying to the Deep State”
Few people deny the existence of what is called “the military-industrial complex”, because President Eisenhower spoke of it as real, and even did so in an era before people were conditioned to reject any idea labelled “conspiracy theory”.
So we should ask a few questions, about just what a military-industrial complex would be, how and why it would come into existence, and whether the same dynamics could create similar arrangements involving other parts of government.
The real question isn’t of whether a deep state has developed, but of why effort should be expended by various parties to mock the idea.
I think that the mockery originates principally from two motivations, both had by Mr Colbert. First, the corporate left (of which Mr Colbert is very much a part) sees a deep state of some sort as necessary to the accomplishment of their objectives, and undermined by exposure. Second, his tribalism causes him to disparage anything embraced by a rival tribe.
A great many people who do not think far enough even to sense a need, given their objectives, for a deep state are still going to tribalistically follow the cues given to them by the narrative from their leaders. These same people could just as easily been led to insist upon the existence of a deep state, had their leaders treated that existence as obvious.
Well, which is it — a cabal (“a group of persons secretly united in a plot”) or the Deep State (a large aggregate of entrenched bureaucrats whose separate interests all tend toward the same incentives without need for formal conspiring)?
Is the market scare over? No. Thousands of small companies have been or will be wiped out by the high tariffs on China.
“Many U.S. small businesses could face a financial crunch as President Trump’s reciprocal tariffs take effect on Wednesday, slapping new import duties on products from almost every nation across the globe.”
“Some small businesses told CBS News they’re worried about the impact from the sharp increase in tariffs that they’ll soon be required to pay to the federal government. After paying the levies, they said they’ll be left with two choices: raise the prices they charge customers or swallow the costs and take a financial hit. “
What will China do? That will determine everything!
If I were China, I would take Taiwan and control the semiconductor and high-end chips industry. It would be over in less than a week. Taiwan makes 60% of the world’s high-end chips. These chips are in everything! Remember during Covid when there many thousands of cars and trucks in fields waiting on chips before they could be sold. If China takes Taiwan, the economy of the US will tank. I would also take Tesla assets in China which would cost Musk billions and destroy Tesla! What wiuld Musk do?
Will this result in World War III?
Who knows? The US is run by a dictator who isn’t rational. Trump is the “deep state”!