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Hello 21

1/18/2021

12 Comments

 
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Dear Readers, 

Tomorrow, the unpredictable and bizarre person occupying the White House will be gone! The maligning of experts in science, epidemiology, foreign policy, the law, health services, finance, immigration, military policy, education, and more, who make the federal government work day-to-day, no matter whether a Democrat or Republican is in power, will be over. Even though he’s leaving, we must hold him accountable for the disparaging treatment of these professional bureaucrats. 
 I wrote this essay for them.
​

Sowing the Seeds of Distrust

The recent crises in leadership in the federal government highlight why it's essential to have government continuity. Strong democracies can survive a bizarre and unpredictable leader now and then. In the United States, people have severely suffered under the Trump Administration’s changes to policies like immigration, climate change, and health care. Some of you may have selected other social and public health issues, like education, reproductive rights, and human rights. Neglected and mutilated policies are begging for attention and improvement. I predict our recent vote showing a deep belief in democracy (66.3% of Americans voted in the 2020 presidential election, the highest since 1900, according to the Washington Post) and our professional bureaucracy will save us. 
 
Government exists to protect and serve the people. Everyone depends on government services such as roads, schools, the police and fire departments, clean air and water, and the post office. If there were a profit to be made, the private sector would gladly oblige. But alas, there is no profit in ensuring that United States residents have enough to eat, a decent place to live, and health insurance to support their lives. These are government responsibilities, along with the protection of children, unemployment benefits, and civil rights enforcement. Not everyone needs these services, but they are the "safety net" for millions of people in the United States (more than 21%, according to a 2015 census report). More residents learned about the "safety net" during this pandemic due to job loss, illness, and other catastrophic occurrences. 
 
Professional bureaucrats are government service employees who manage and sustain all these programs by doing their jobs in compliance with the law and best practices that have been developed over time. Many have worked in government for years and are experts in science, epidemiology, foreign policy, the law, health services, immigration, military policy, education, and more. These experts execute the details of government machinery regardless of whether the Democrats or Republicans are in power. Each new president brings in appointees that oversee agencies, such as Health and Human Services, the CDC, and the Environmental Protection Agency. Professional bureaucrats, who are experts in their respective fields, generally advise their new agency leader. 
 
President Trump brought many appointees to Washington who did not support the missions of the agencies they were running, including the U.S. Department of Education, Environmental Protection Agency, Health and Human Services, and the Post Office (now headed by a major Trump donor). For the most part, professional bureaucrats were not asked for their advice but instead were asked to implement changes that were at odds with the facts, their expertise, and sometimes the law.  
 
When Trump was frustrated that his administration didn’t get its way, he started blaming the "deep state." Was he referring to the experts who work for him? His own Justice Department? The FBI? Judges in the state and federal judicial branches? Yes. He had other descriptions for elected officials in Congress who disagreed with him. 

This president, more than any other, misused language to his advantage skillfully. Where did the expression and meaning of “deep state” originate? 

“Deep state” is translated from the Turkish derin devlet. This expression used in Turkey in the 1990s, according to historian Ryan Gingeras refers to “a ‘criminal’ or ‘rogue’ element that has somehow muscled their way into power." In Turkey, this term referred to the military collaborating with drug traffickers and hitmen to perform their duties.

Mexico is an example of a country where the "deep state" merged the drug cartels and the Mexican government. Drug cartel members obtained official positions in the police hierarchy and made it almost impossible for presidents to eliminate them. 
 
A "deep state" is not what we're concerned about in America. We are concerned about a president who doesn't understand what the phrase means. For Donald Trump, "deep state" are those parts of government that execute the work of government machinery regardless of whether the Democrats or Republicans are in power. The Food and Drug Administration became a “deep state” target in November. Trump accused the agency of delaying the announcement of the first Coronavirus vaccine (Pfizer) until the Sunday after the presidential election. “FDA and the Democrats didn’t want me to have a vaccine WIN prior to the election…” The Head of the FDA was a Trump appointee. In September, Trump chose Lt. Colonel Alexander Vindman, serving in the White House and an epidemiologist from Atlanta, to single out for criticism. Referring to these experts as the “deep state” diminishes our country's ability to provide the best services to our residents and share trust with the rest of the world. 
 
David Rohde, an editor at The New Yorker and the author of In Deep: The FBI, The CIA, and the Truth about America's "deep state," argues that “the term ‘deep state’ has become a way for Trump and his supporters to deflect criticism. It’s their equivalent of terms like ‘fake news’ and ‘witch hunt.’”  This inflammatory and disparaging language creates doubt in residents and reflects so negatively on the career civil servants who keep this nation afloat. We need the most qualified people to work in government, especially during a pandemic, and we need them to aspire to civil service as a career choice. The government needs to be trusted. 
In my experience, public employees are committed to faithfully executing the laws, no matter which party is running Washington. I was one of these professional bureaucrats in Massachusetts for 20 years. As Deputy Comptroller, my job entailed oversight of payroll for 92,000 state employees, contracts for all purchases, and payment of all bills for goods and services purchased by the Commonwealth. It was challenging, rewarding, and an honor to serve. 

On December 11, 2020, the Supreme Court (Trump appointed three of the nine justices) ruled that Texas lacked standing to pursue a lawsuit to overturn election results in four battleground states. The court said Texas "has not demonstrated a judicially cognizable interest in the manner in which another state conducts its elections."  This ruling is Trump's “deep state,” the judicial branch of government doing its job, an outcome with which he vehemently disagrees. There were 60 similar election lawsuits filed by Trump allies, and 59 ruled against him. He still believes the election was stolen from him. 
 
The same “deep state” professional bureaucrats in the FBI, the Justice Department, and police departments around the country are finding, investigating, and as appropriate, indicting those who attacked the U.S. Capital building last week. At the encouragement of the president, his supporters carried out an attack on one of our great American institutions while inside the Congress members were certifying the votes of the people. 
 
There is a new day coming on January 20th on which Trump will transfer to his next delusional state.

 
Thanks for reading and please leave a comment so I know you're out there. 

You can read other essays by Elizabeth Kilcoyne by clicking on PUBLISHED WORKS above. .  
 
 


12 Comments
Denis Lionel Robert
1/19/2021 11:42:47 am

Outstanding work Elizabeth! What you said is so true.

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Elizabeth link
1/20/2021 09:33:06 am

Thanks Denis. Having been a public servant, I couldn't resist writing this essay. The future is bright!

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David LeBel
1/19/2021 11:56:07 am

Deluded: believing something that is not true. This has been happening to Trump supporters, employees and his family members since long before the election. The joke is that he has so little time to get Mexico to pay for the wall, release his taxes, and show us his health care plan that I am just starting to believe that he won’t. 😀

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Elizabeth link
1/20/2021 09:35:54 am

Thanks David. Trump just left the White House and spoke about the pandemic in the PAST TENSE. Don't let the door hit you on the way out!

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Bonnie Sontag
1/19/2021 03:14:29 pm

I cannot think of a more appropriate way to end your essay than what you said: There is a new day coming on January 20th on which Trump will transfer to his next delusional state. BRAVO!

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Elizabeth link
1/20/2021 09:38:36 am

Thanks Bonnie. Yes, that last sentence just wrote itself and I didn't make any changes. He's gone from the White House now!

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Allison Gustavson link
1/19/2021 07:38:15 pm

This was pitch perfect, informative, fact-based, crystal-clear, illuminating and reassuring. You are a spokesperson for and embodiment of everything public service can be. Thank you.

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Elizabeth link
1/20/2021 09:41:49 am

Thanks Allison. I loved being a public servant and working for the people. His treatment of professional bureaucrats has been bothering me since he first mentioned "draning the swamp!"

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Roland Goodbody
1/20/2021 05:11:43 am

I completely agree with you about the need for government professionals and the role the state needs to play in our society. Trump, like Margaret Thatcher, who once famously said, "There is no such thing as society. There is just family and individuals," thought he was a John Wayne-type hero, alone and standing strong against all that murky red tape that got in his way. The lasting damage he did may well be the distrust he has sown in government. See this recent article in The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/19/majority-of-europeans-say-china-will-overtake-broken-us-within-decade?utm_term=2e71dcaf9b16f2401634edd679822f8f&utm_campaign=GuardianTodayUS&utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&CMP=GTUS_email

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Elizabeth link
1/20/2021 09:48:53 am

Thanks Roland. I hope we can recover from his damage.

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Judy Tymon
1/20/2021 06:17:33 am

I never knew the origin of the phrase. Very insightful article and great ending.

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Elizabeth link
1/20/2021 09:52:30 am

Thanks Judy. Yes, we can thank Turkey for that phrase and maybe some spy novelists! Glad you appreciated the essay.

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