Summary: Before we start a new year, let’s see the extraordinary events that made 2018 an inflection year in American political history. Let’s make 2019 a great year – but in a good way, unlike 2018.
What were the big geopolitical events of 2018, from an American perspective? Here are my guesses. First, the Deep State revealed itself for all to see. Second, another great betrayal came to a climax (the second in our history).
“There are decades when nothing happens; and there are weeks when decades happen.”
— Attributed to Lenin.
(1) The Deep State reveals itself
Every family has a crazy uncle. For years American’s crazy uncles regaled their families with tales about the Deep State. That key aspects of national policy were controlled by the 1%, supported by both political parties, the news media, the NGOs, academia, and the mega-corps. In recent years, some of us slowly came to believe that there was some truth to this. 2018 was shattering to anyone paying attention.
This clip from The President’s Analyst
In 2018 we found that all our elites were part of the Deep State. First, we learned that there was a Deep State. On 6 September the NYT ran “I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration”, an op-ed by a “senior official in the Trump administration.” He confessed that they have an active program, and that “This isn’t the work of the so-called deep state. It’s the work of the steady state.” “You say potato, I say patahto.“ As William Lind explained, this was an inflection point in US history.
This admission resonated with many Americans because on issue after issue we see the grand alliance of our elites, as the supposedly terrifying “polarization” and “gridlock” magically vanish. Trump, as promised during his campaign, attempted to expand the wall on our border with Mexico (As Martin van Creveld explained in Defending Israel: A Strategic Plan for Peace and Security
Even clearer was the reaction to Trump’s “announcement” that he was “thinking” of some kind of partial withdrawal from Syria – and perhaps from Afghanistan. In an amazing display of solidarity, almost the entire DC establishment went berserk, spouting hysterical lies (details here). Expansion of war gets broad support. They oppose any hint of slowing in the Long War.
In none of their calculations does our interest play a role (remember, America is well-run. Not by us. Not for us.) That is the reward that sheep deserve and get.
(2) Another great betrayal
The first great betrayal in American history was the Republican’s abandonment of their long proud history to embrace racism – exploiting the Democrat’s sponsorship of the civil rights bills (details here).
The second was the Democrats’ serial betrayal of their principles, making them into a new party (just retaining the same name). These trends grew to a crescendo in 2018, unmistakable to anyone paying attention.
- Democrat’s embrace of Wall Street, let by Bill Clinton. That was logical, in a sense. Wall Street pays better than having principles.
- Democrat’s big steps to weaken our civil rights under the Constitution. Obama signed a Bill Attainder (explicitly prohibited by Article I Section 9 of the Constitution). Obama embraced the Surveillance State created by Bush Jr.
- Democrat’s embrace of explicit racism (directed against white) and sexism (directed against men), reversing the generations-long effort to make those unacceptable in either Party.
- Democrat’s embrace of the Long War (and tapping the limitless funds of the war industry), begun by Bill Clinton, continued by Obama (expanding in Afghanistan and Africa), and brought to a climax by the Democratic Party’s opposition to Trump’s tentative proposals for slowing the Long War.
Conclusions
The lesson to learn from 2018 is that we are alone in the defense of the Republic. Our tribalism makes us weak and easily led. I suspect that political reform remains impossible in America until we develop new coalitions, new goals, and new leaders. It won’t be easy. Let’s start in 2019.
For More Information
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Please like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. For more information see all posts about politics in America, about ways to reform America’s politics, and especially these…
- Polarization and hot rhetoric conceal two similar political parties. Will we ever notice?
- Our fears are unwarranted. America is in fact well-governed,
- The good news: America’s politics are neither polarized nor dysfunctional. That’s also the bad news.
- The secret reason for America’s white-hot political rhetoric.
- DEFCON 2: both Left and Right have turned against us.
- Watch the Left and Right move against America.
- The Democratic Party goes to war. We’re all its casualties.
- The Left pushes America down a slippery slope.
- Times they are a-changin’ for the Democratic Party!
Two books to help us better understand our situation
American Politics: The Promise of Disharmony
The Betrayal of the American Dream
In terms of these new coalitions and new leaders, do you think they can come from within the two parties, or is a third party, however difficult, the only way now?
In terms of the “deep state”, I think that the only way to reign in is through congress walking back its delegation of authority to the vast administrative state. As you mention, people talk about too much politics but our problem in many key areas is that there is not enough politics, not enough real debate. Congress has been very happy over the last few decades to cede authority to the executive, especially in foreign policy.
Look at the Syria withdrawal for example, the power to go to war and the power to end a war now rests almost entirely with the President. People are complaining about Trump pulling out recklessly and criticize him on a personal level but no one bothers to ask if Presidents should have such a unilateral power in the first place. Congress, in consultation with the people and their respective states, is supposed to decide when and for how long we go to war.
Presidents should only be able to respond to imminent attacks, not launch air strikes or deploy troops, whether that is based on the advise of insiders or their own gut instinct.
Ultimately the deep state is the sort of thing you would expect in a nascent empire where republican values and the democratic process have been diminished to the point where an elite cadre of well-connected bureaucrats and advisers feel it is there duty to maintain the status quo against deviations by the President (a de-facto Emperor). How many Roman emperors or would be emperors were assassinated by similarly powerful elites in Rome?
It is almost as if that is the only check left when almost all power now rests with one man. Under our traditional republic, multiple power centers, including civic organizations at the local level, work to check power and create a consensus that more or less works for everyone.
At this point congress has checked out, the citizenry is cynical and apathetic, and so these deep state types vs the president. In most cases they are in control, but Trump is so volatile and not used to being managed that they can’t keep him in line.
Dave,
“In terms of these new coalitions and new leaders, do you think they can come from within the two parties, or is a third party, however difficult, the only way now?”
The process of regaining control means regaining control of our political institutions. The two parties are part of that structure. Building a third party is a fun evasion.
This is the standard response of our time. Instead of confronting feminism, men pretend to Go Their Own Way. Instead of organizing, producing leaders – we build fun systems without leaders (that accomplish nothing). Instead of confronting the political system, people contemplate fantasy systems – like not having a state, where by magic processes things get done.
No surprise that cosplay has become a major form of entertainment, which is just taking this one step farther.
I agree, yet it’s not outside the realm of possibility and it has happened before with the rise of the Republican Party to replace the Whigs.
Do you think for example that the current Republican party has a future among millennials and even younger cohorts?
The brand name seems tarnished to me and I’m not sure it’s possible for many among my generation to see past that.
Dave,
I don’t believe either party has a grip among millennial and younger generations. Even motivated pollsters find that their emerging views don’t match either party very well.
“with the rise of the Republican Party to replace the Whigs.”
Extreme situations such as slavery make bad precedents. That’s the only successful third party since Jackson.
Larry,
“Even clearer was the reaction to Trump’s “announcement” that he was “thinking” of some kind of partial withdrawal from Syria – and perhaps from Afghanistan. In an amazing display of solidarity, almost the entire DC establishment went berserk, spouting hysterical lies (details here). Expansion of war gets broad support. They oppose any hint of slowing in the Long War.”
The Democrats in my lifetime were anti-war. As soon as Trump dropped the bombshell in a strange way (Mick Mulvaney said something to the effect of beating a leak), Mathis, I would guess. The Dems started with the noble cause BS and the usual RINO’s and hawks joined in.
So Trump pulls out of Syria (that’s what he states his intentions are, several times). If he is commander-in-chief, who could stop him from doing it other than the unspeakable happening?
Ron,
“The Democrats in my lifetime were anti-war.”
The Democrats were hard-core cold warriors, almost as fervent as the GOP – until the Vietnam War era. The 1968 election was the turning point. Hubert Humphrey won the Dem nomination, but he was its past – not its future. But the Dems were internationalists, having America work within the structure of alliances we had built.
Clinton began the reversal. Not just making the Dems like war, but also leading them to betray the world order build by WWII. Bush Jr completed that destruction – that betrayal. Obama endorsed it. Trump works within the new order of “might makes right.” We won’t like how this ends.
Yes, I was sixteen in 1968 and follow what you are saying.
Ron,
The deeds of the Democrats when we were young are almost unknown to the young today. We have to explain, least they remain ignorant of their past.
Larry,
I helped put both of my children through college and they came out liberals, raised and schooled as Catholic Conservatives like myself. Hundreds of thousands of hard-earned dollars and they came out liberals.
It is no small task trying to turn them around in this day and age. But like you said, “we have to explain’.
Ron,
One of the saddest kinds of collections on the internet are the “before” and “after” photos: girls in high school, then the drastically changed young women that our colleges mold them into. Parents pay vast fortunes for this. If they knew in advance, they would pay as much to prevent these evolutions. See what engines of destruction our colleges have become.
If one is not a liberal at age twenty, he has no heart. If one is still a liberal at age thirty, he has no brain.
Something happens to intelligent and mentally sound people when they acquire responsibility, and are forced to ascertain in reality (rather than going by what some professor told them) the things that work and those that don’t. This used to happen between the ages of 20 and 30. Now it may not begin happening until age 40 or later.
By then, it is likely too late.
Lee,
That’s something I’ve long wondered about. 25 is the new 15. 30 is the new 20.
Men were considered adults at 18. At that age they would be officers in the military. Leading valuable herds of cattle on thousand mile drives across the frontier. Now they are treated as children – with universities carefully regulating every aspect of their lives. So they behave as children.
This is the boomers doing. Yet we rebelled against the far lighter controls on us in the 1960s.
What has happened? How? This can’t be good.
Larry,
“This is the boomers doing. Yet we rebelled against the far lighter controls on us in the 1960s.”
It is and some did.
“What has happened? How?
I’ll venture a guess that some privileged boomers went on to become college professors. They carried on the liberalism taught to them in college.
The world peace BS and the misguided green movement that came out of the woodwork in the 1960s and ’70s as I remember… never went away.
Cause du jour, great for virtue signaling and little personal sacrifice needed, our politicians will fix it.
“This can’t be good”
What I witnessed in my time are fading family values taught at home. Dad went to work and Mom stayed home with five kids, survival on one paycheck. And at six, off to school where the Nuns/Priests/Brothers carried on the family value lessons (with a heavy hand I might add).
The liberal press and MSM helps this along. Rampant commercialism and facts don’t matter.
Ron,
Determining causes for these things is over my pay grade. While I don’t have answers, I believe that while there is much going for your analysis, it overlooks the big mystery. The primary change was in the boomers ourselves. We enforce on younger generations values and behaviors quite opposite to those we held when young. Which would be fine – evolution, growth, etc – except that we are not aware that we have changed. That we have betrayed the values we held – and often strongly advocated – when young.
“I’ll venture a guess that some privileged boomers went on to become college professors.”
Color me skeptical that college professors are one of the great power centers in American society.
Larry,
It’s over for the American Republic (and Le Grand Experiment). If we ever get to take back the control of the political machine that founders gave us, America (and the world) would be a better place. In the mean time democrats (and republicans) are willing to import docile serfs used to being subjugated by their masters to replace you (and me). Which means power will never return to ordinary citizens. Why would anyone relinquish power except under duress? Yes we have numbers on our side, but for how long? If you think Guatemalan and Mexican peasants care about the Bill of Rights then got a bridge to sell for you.
But many (and you) are too cowardly to call it for what it is.
Good night and Good luck
naresh,
Good news, which you appear unaware of: elections are held every two years. We need only mobilize and vote.
Election fraud has been elevated to an art, rendering the results suspect. I voted for Trump, so I understand his appeal to the citizens. What I can’t grasp, is how the dems cheat machine failed. What I resent is the lack of accountability and prosecution of their malfeasance. They are emboldened when exposed and no consequences follow. They have no plan of allowing the voters to upset their grasp on power again. Like a virus, ineffectively treated, they will roar back, with a vengeance. Death, deportation and imprisonment ( in other words, eradication and elimination) of liberals is the only answer.
Cynthia,
“Election fraud has been elevated to an art, rendering the results suspect.”
Totally bonkers. Investigations, both public and private, have been unable to find any instances of large-scale election fraud on the State level. Election fraud in local elections is an American tradition, going back well over a century. By most indications, it is far less prevalent now than in the early 20th century.
The evil empire thing, we are all doomed.
DURESS! “Why would anyone relinquish power, except under duress?” I am a lifelong democrat, of the conservative stripe. Liberals and liberalism is the problem. We must unite, organize and strike. Civil war is the only rational option left to the patriots.
Cynthia,
“Civil war is the only rational option left to the patriots.”
As the adage goes, “violence is almost always the last refuge of the incompetent.” It is a fantasy – an opiate – for a people with a large fraction unwilling to even vote, and only a tiny fraction willing to work the political machinery bequeathed to us by the Founders.
Only the basest of fools will use violence when the standard tools have not even been tried. If not quashed, such fools will build a hell on the ruins of the United States – one that is justly earned.
Oct 17, 2015 Paul Craig Roberts on the failure of Neoliberalism
He served as an Assistant Secretary of the Treasury in the Reagan Administration and was noted as a co-founder of Reaganomics.
https://youtu.be/73ipVz-6YYs
“One of the saddest kinds of collections on the internet are the “before” and “after” photos: girls in high school, then the drastically changed young women that our colleges mold them into”
Do you have a link for this?
Bryce,
Google will show you many of these.