The transformation of the United States from a quasi–social democracy to a political oligarchy maintaining the outward form, but not the spirit, of constitutional government. The governing structure has evolved that made possible both the rapacity of Wall Street and the culture of permanent war and constant surveillance. As the political scientist Harold Lasswell observed more than half a century ago, a society’s leadership class consists of people whose “private motives are displaced onto public objects and rationalized in terms of public interest.”
As Mike Lofgren correctly stated, The Deep State is a wasteful and incompetent method of governance. But it persists because its perverse incentive structure frequently rewards failure and dresses it up as success. Its pervasive, largely commonplace corruption and creation of synthetic bogeymen and foreign scapegoats anesthetize the public into a state of mind variously composed of apathy, cynicism, and fear—the very antithesis of responsible citizenship.
As such, historical events shaped the emergence and predominance of the Deep State which today, reflects and contributes to all foreign and domestic policies and decisions. This would become an ever pervasive element of US culture. As a result, the concept of a permanent, peacetime national security apparatus became gradually institutionalized with the National Security Act of 1947, which established the Department of Defense, the CIA, and the president’s National Security Council. NSC-68, a 1950 White House policy document, sketched out a grand strategy for containing communism by means of a permanent peacetime military buildup. This was also reiterated in Sherman Kent's works which acknowledged Strategic Intelligence to be all encompassing and include all elements of human collective existence.
These policy measures represented the congealing of an idea unprecedented in American history: that the United States should, and would, maintain a large, capable military and a comprehensive intelligence establishment regardless of whether it was in a formal state of war. President Eisenhower already recognized the danger of the permanent war mentality, and in his January 1961 farewell address he presciently warned about the “disastrous rise of misplaced power” of a new “military-industrial complex” on American soil. Unfortunately, those words left unheeded by elected officials and the unwashed masses, who still ascribe to partisan politics a leadership which mistakenly has their idiotic interests in mind. This is where we are today. The emergent Russian threat is a testimony to the rise and perpetuation of Eisenhower's warning.
Congratulations @fugetaboutit! You have completed some achievement on Steemit and have been rewarded with new badge(s) :
Click on any badge to view your own Board of Honor on SteemitBoard.
For more information about SteemitBoard, click here
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOPUpvoted and thanks Robbie the robot ;)
The United States never really actualize its true potential regarding identity. Partial growth is potentially evil. They called themselves America when in actuality they are not.
Partially because the country was never homogeneous in ethnic composition. In addition, the moneyed class perpetually created division of wealth which has been exacerbated by the collapse of industry, globalization and of course, the financialization of the economy. So what you have is racial and ethnic division succeeded by class division, yet the former is all the unwashed perceive. The Deep State and it's adherents take this into account. You can not conquer what is not divided.
Hope to see you next time in SZ :D <3 Upvoted
Thank you...will do. :)
north korea should be taught a good lesson
Sanctions will do there part to a certain extent. However, the NK regime is aware of exactly what happened to both Iraq & Libya in relinquishing weapons. It would be plausible that an opposite approach is warranted which makes sense considering the alternative.
You are right, the North Koreans know that it would be a mistake to give up their weapons in the wake of what happened to both Iraq and Libya, but it is also interesting to see how the United States is harassing Iran even after it has signed a Nuclear Deal and is complying with it. Your article is interesting up voted it and would be following you.
Thank you...yes Iran it would seem if you read Paul Craig Roberts and also Robert Parry who both conclude Israel is the principle reason. The issue with smashing the Shiite arc and retaliation for Southern Lebanon (Hezbollah).
The United States was never intended to be, nor has it ever been a social democracy. The Nazi's were democratic socialists. The United States was created as a democratic Republic, that's what set us apart from any other country the world had ever seen. This structure put the power in the hands of the people while at the same time putting in place checks and balances that would prevent an emotional frenzy which inevitably happens in all democratic societies. Now, the people of this country do still ultimately hold the power to change things in their government, however due to progressive ideologies pushing us towards a social democracy, and our citizens failing to educate themselves on American civics most people are unaware of this and believe there is no hope for change. Yet there is.
Chomsky and others contend to work within the system. However much has changed radically as elected officials no longer account or represent the masses. In addition, the dumbing down effect so eloquently presented by Gatto, Iserbyte and Illich as well as others has had an incremental effect over the political consciousness of US citizenry. As a result you have what Paul Craig Roberts consistently refers to in his articles as American insouciance. The monopolization of mass media and re-orientation towards financialization of the economy has an exacerbating effect as well. In addition, the divide, especial racial has had a great effect on disunity. Coupled with the ever increasing wealth disparity and you have the essential elements of complicity and mass conformity we find today. If a population can be so easily divided, distracted and disrupted....the power elite can effectively maintain control.
I definitely agree. It's unfortunate that we can be so easily divided now, though as individuals I stillmaintain that we can choose to not be controlled questioning everything. As Thomas Jefferson once said, "Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear."
hmm, nice quote.
not trying to troll/be mean, but just wondering: what's going on with your first two sentences? the first one is a fragment and i don't know what to say about the second one. i had to stop because it's too frustrating to read. i don't know if there's some software involved screwing up your sentences or you're not a native english speaker or maybe some other issue, but i've noticed it in some of your other stories too. sometimes it makes me think the writer is not the person in the profile picture and this is all a ploy/psyop, but maybe that's just me. :)
Correct on the second. English is my second language but I do endeavor to get better and hopefully this writing helps.....at least I hope it does. As with practice, perhaps this too will improve. I never found learning languages easy despite coming from a multi-ethnic background. I do not know how some people do it. perhaps an innate talent, I for one miss;) Btw, I love psyop studies. I took a course in information operations recently and the works of Le Bon to Cialdini as well as my fav, Bernays was covered. The Military perspective is interesting...especially some of the work of Aquino.
oh, in that case you're doing just fine. keep it up. what is your native language?