The NYT Op Ed

Insiders working to thwart the will of an elected official! Many commentators on both side of the political divide are lambasting the official – he/she should be outed and resign.

Reality – bureaucrats work every single day in every administration on earth to “thwart the will of elected (or other) officials.”  

Sometimes they do it to keep the elected officials on target with their own elected mandate. Sometimes they do it as evidence may suggest that the elected official’s preferred option, policy or program is either not recommended, or the issue could be addressed in a different way. Sometimes they do it to prevent ethical or legal breaches. This is all part of their job.

The untutored think that bureaucrats are “yes” people, who slavishly follow the dictates of their elected masters. Not true. They are bound by legal and ethical guidelines that trump any directive given by an elected official that could breach those rules.  They are also bound by a long tradition of giving “fearless advice” – they are allowed to disagree, even forcefully if they deem it necessary. 

The NYT op-ed writer is in a difficult situation, as would be anyone who was working for Trump. The man appears to be dangerously unstable, from the standard of any previous US President. The bureaucrats are working with what they have. 

The writer of the op-ed did not say that his final decisions are not being implemented, but that many of his half-baked ideas have to be “walked-back”.  He said that they are working to frustrate parts of his agenda.  

This seems unacceptable at first glance, but this thwarting of agendas is said to be in aid of their goal, which is to preserve America’s democratic institutions – the strong suggestion here is that those working with Trump in the White House think these institutions and democracy itself are under siege. Consider - his brutal and completely unprecedented attacks on the FBI and law enforcement, which constitutes relentless and constant obstruction of justice; his attacks on the bureaucracy, and total misunderstanding of their role; his vicious and unprecedented attacks on the press, undercutting the First Amendment; his cozying up with a dictator who all security services in the USA assert has in the past and is still actively working to undermine democracy in the USA... etc.  

We have seen some of this in action. No one said his lawyers were seditious when they “walked him back” on his firing of Sessions.  No one said his previous national security advisor was seditious when he openly disagreed with Trump on NATO. No one thinks the security agencies are seditious for saying Putin is a threat – openly questioning the president on this. No one thinks his trade people are seditious for negotiating in good faith as he rambles like a lunatic just freed from the asylum. Again, this is all normal – although exaggerated with Trump.

These bureaucrats swear an oath to uphold the US Constitution – if they see a threat, they are legally bound to thwart it. They clearly think that Trump is a clear and present danger to US democracy, so they are doing what they have sworn to do.

However...there is a massive caveat.... 

ALL OF THIS MUST OCCUR IN PRIVATE!!!

Going public with concerns obliterates any trust between elected officials and the bureaucracy, destroying the ability of the bureaucrats to play the "sober second thought" role outlined above. The writer of the op-ed, while perhaps well-meaning, has done serious damage to the very cause he or she espouses.  

To make sure that other civil servants in the White House can continue in their proper role - if Trump was suspicious of bureaucrats before, he will be hyper-sensitive to "disloyalty" now, seeing all contrary advice as part of a plot - this person has to reveal himself or herself, and resign. 

There has never been a president like Trump. Sadly, all of this, and the Woodward book, will solidify his base even more.  

“Deep state!!!”