When Donald Trump won the 2016 election, even before he took office, CTH warned about the permanent bureaucratic class in Washington DC and what it meant for an outside to enter this system. With a consistent question being raised, it is well worth the reminder – because the answer has nothing to do with Donald Trump.
First the question:
The short answer is, it’s not that complicated. There is one permanent bureaucratic class in/around DC (two wings, same bird). The pool of appointees comes from this UniParty system. Donald Trump as an outsider faced animosity from the system itself. There are no MAGA bureaucrats.
That said, the more fulsome answer is the real issue. Because it doesn’t matter who the ‘outsider’ is, they are going to suffer the same fate until a structural change takes place.
If you take a small potential pool of America-First administrators, and then overlay the DC filtration system in the Senate, ‘advise and consent’, what you realize is that any appointment has to be approved by the same system that is opposed to the agenda the nominee would represent.
In essence, the DC system is designed to protect itself.
It doesn’t matter who the next presidential candidate is. If that President wants to advance a policy agenda in favor of the American people, they will face the same problem. So let me give one perspective on how to tackle the issue.
To give one example as a baseline, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell did not block President Trump’s ability to have recess appointments because the republican controlled Senate supported Donald Trump.
Senator McConnell blocked President Trump because the DC system was opposed to President Trump.
Machiavelli said, “It must be remembered that there is nothing more difficult to plan, more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to manage than a new system. For the initiator has the enmity of all who would profit by the preservation of the old institution and merely lukewarm defenders in those who gain by the new ones.” A prescient and oft repeated quote that is pertinent to the situation.
When our founders created the system of government for our constitutional republic, they built in layers of protection from federal control over the lives of people in the states. Over time those protections have been eroded as the federal bureaucracy has seized power. One of the biggest changes that led to the creation of the permanent political class was the 17th amendment.
Our founders created a system where Senators were appointed by the state legislatures. In this original system the senate was bound by obligation to look out for the best interests of their specific states. Under the ‘advise and consent‘ rules of Senate confirmation for executive branch appointments, the intent was to ensure the presidential appointee -who would now carry out regulatory activity- would not undermine the independent position of the states.
When the 17th amendment (direct voting for Senators) took the place of state appointments, the perspective of ‘advise and consent’ changed. The senate was now in the position of ensuring the presidential appointee did not undermine the power of the permanent bureaucracy, which is the root of power for the upper-chamber.
Senate committees, Homeland Security, Judiciary, Intelligence, Armed Services, Foreign Relations, etc. now consists of members who carry an imbalanced level of power within government. The senate now controls who will be in charge of executive branch agencies like the DOJ, DHS, FBI, CIA, ODNI, DoD, State Dept and NSA, from the position of their own power and control in Washington DC.
In essence, the 17th amendment flipped the intent of the constitution from protecting the individual states to protecting the federal government.
Almost every source of federal issue: ex. spending, intervention and foreign assistance, conflict with the states, burdensome regulation, surveillance and spying on American citizens, the two-tiered justice system and the erosion of liberty & individual rights (see COVID examples), can be sourced back to the problem created by the 17th amendment.
As long as the United States senate is more concerned with retaining their own power, no executive branch office holder can break through that system.
In the balance of power dynamic, the Senate has an inordinate amount of unilateral power within the congressional branch. This power dynamic is a direct outcome of the 17th amendment. Indeed, many have argued – myself included, that no single modification to the constitution was as structurally damaging to the framework of government, specifically the balance of power within it, as the 17th amendment.
The House of Representatives was created to be the voice of the people, ie, “The Peoples’ House.” However, the U.S. Senate was structurally created to be the place where state government had representation in the federal government decision-making. The 17th amendment completely removed state representation, and we have been in an escalating battle over state’s rights ever since.
It doesn’t matter who the President is, they do not choose their cabinet. Ultimately the senate does. That’s the core problem.
Overlay that DC structural issue with the fact that almost all of the bureaucracy created by this skewed DC system is now in place to defend itself from any outside effort to change it, and you get this problem that Donald Trump exposed.
Repeal the 17th amendment and you will see the most significant restoration of freedom, liberty and social balance in our lifetime.
Making America Great Again, requires repealing the 17th amendment…..
There is no doubt in my mind that the 17th Amendment is largely responsible for power becoming concentrated in the hands of the few and the very few.
That the Senate would use its “advice and consent” power to circumscribe the courts and the Presidency is wholly predicable.
However, was White House Director of Communications, Anthony Scaramucci, a Senate confirmation or did President Trump make that unfortunate appointment without anyone else’s help?
If Donald Trump is re-elected President, his Chief of Staff ought to be someone capable of judging any and all personnel appointments.
We should always remember what “W” said after President Trump’s inauguration speech: “That was some weird shit!” . That’s exactly how these globalist, America last RINO’s feel about this country.
W and HW are traitors.
It revealed that W, along with the rest of the ruling elites, are absolutely clueless about America outside of their privileged little bubble. The last 30 years have been great for them
They are not clueless. Not at all. They know EXACTLY what’s going on. How in the world can you think they are clueless?
Structural change. I think I know what that means….
I like it.
I think our founding fathers would have something there they could relate to.
We hold these truths to be self evident.
Excellent article, Sundance! Rescinding/repealing the 17th Amendment is practically impossible. 2/3rds of Congress is not going to vote in favor of such a supposition. The Senate is not going to vote to relinquish their power. The only way to do it is by voting for Senators who would be in favor of it. Would Trump be willing to campaign on repealing the 17th Amendment? How would that fly with the general public? Probably not well after the corrupt media spins it…so what is the answer?
Trump should simply appoint America First cabinet members who are loyal to him and the Constitution, and let the Senate vote on them. If they vote “No,” then so be it…their careers in the Senate will be short lived. That is in effect a “term limit.” That is what Trump should have done in his first term, but hindsight is 20/20 vision.
However, I think Trump had a grander plan and purposely appointed a bunch of deep state hacks in his first term in order to expose them all for the globalist pigs they are. From Wray, to Barr to Pence and everyone in between like Gina Haspel and Mark Esper and Rex Tillerson and Jeff Sessions, Mulvaney and Haley…all were exposed.
In 2024, if a Senator votes against a Trump cabinet nominee they will no longer be a Senator in 2026.
“In 2024, if a Senator votes against a Trump cabinet nominee” they will.be voted out when they run again.
Will they?
Who’s STICK and CARROT is bigger? Trumps or the DC Cabal? PROOF is required.
How do we PROVE Trump and his supporters arent just an idle and easily ignored, “all talk, no action” threat?
Primary battle results PROVE whether there’s anything to FEAR from Trump and his supporters.
In each primary battle where Trump asks supporters to UNITE and make sure a candidate wins, especially in SENATE races, voters PROVE whether Trump has a real stick and real carrot or Trump and we are not really anything for the DC Cabal to worry about.
Current huuuge test? Pennsylvanias Republican Senate primary race.
Are enough PA Trump supporters focused, psywar savvy and disciplined enough to succeed in the mission Trump gave them? If so, Dr Oz will win the primary then the general, becoming PAs Senator.
A Trump/Oz win in PA, despite the insane level of psyop attacks pushing Oz hate, Trump doubt and Barnette love, will TERRIFY the DC Senate.
Obviously the Swamp schemers need Pennsylvania’s Senate primary to be a remake of 2017 Alabama’s smack down of Trump which proved his “supporters” were easy to psyop dupe, divide and defeat.
Want to make DCs Evil Turtle Smirk Again? Support Barnette.
Want to make DCs Evil Turtle Cry Again? Support Trump/Oz
Who has the biggest FEAR stick? Everyone is finding out as primary battle results come in.
Thank you Ohio voters for the Trump/JD Vance win and for making Trumps FEAR stick grow. Bigly.
Now its Pennsylvania’s turn at bat.
That’s a great comment. It makes perfect sense when compared with comments I read over at Gateway Pundit by Pennsylvania voters and their Barnett/Oz discussions. I may copy and credit your comment into those discussions next time I read them, if you don’t mind.
Perhaps YOU can explain why Oz is a better choice than Barnette, then. Without bringing Trump into it. I’m not being sarcastic, I’m really asking.
Oz is a favorite of Klaus Schwab, and Oz was worried about Roe vs Wade being overturned in the past, Oz had his name attached to a call for more gun laws, and Oz is a proud globalist….https://jdrucker.substack.com/p/he-needs-an-intervention-is-donald?s=r
Well this doesn’t look good for Barnette
[video src="https://media.gab.com/system/media_attachments/files/106/299/421/original/0870e722f67a5325.mp4" /]
Oz has flipped his stance on many issues we care about, starting with 2A. He may be better than Barnette, to the same degree that McConnell is better than Pelosi. Which is to say, not much.
Because he is more likely to win in the general.
Could you please elaborate on what’s so great about Oz–aside from Trump’s endorsement–and what’s so bad about Barnette?
I do not agree to blindly following what I believe to be the wrong path. Trump is picking people he thinks can win. He said so in the case of Oz and I believe he said it with regard to at least one other endorsement. IMO that is why he didn’t endorse anyone in the Ohio governor’s race.
I am not looking for purity from Trump and will accept some errors on his part. But I will not support obviously bad picks. If he is seeking confirmation from so many endorsed candidates winning, that is a flawed reason.
“Trump is picking people he thinks can win.”
And that’s a good strategy in his way thinking…
Oz is no-go, he is quite clearly Uniparty, having made his popularity thanks to Oprah.
LOL! Of COURSE RINOs can win! They cheat, lie, deceive, in other words they are DEMOCRATS! What on earth is the point of a Republican “winning” is they are REALLY a commie-Dem??
We aren’t Trumps people MAGA doesn’t belong to Trump we are quite capable of picking our own MAGA candidates.
Trump belongs to MAGA as long he’s continues to be MAGA
We the People!!
While the overall thrust of your argument is valid regarding Trump fear, I do not think this particular race is that crucial to his record or appeal or fear. It is said he picked Oz due to electability and Barnette as I understand it was unfunded and unknown until the recent surge as a MAGA candidate. I think either way, it is a win for Trump and Barnette might even be preferred if not for that little pride thing of a public endorsement and the record associated with it or something trivial like that. Not trivial overall in terms of the fear generated by Trump and the movement but, make no mistake they hate us even more than Trump. Fear of us is what drives them more than fear of Trump.
Excellent comment. Trump has done his part, now it is up to us. Back whomever he endorses even if it is Pluto the Disney cartoon dog. Show McConnell Trump has the power of us…We The People. McConell and the Wash Post took out Roy Moore. That gave the swamp power. We retaliated by staying home when MCConnell ran two Swampsters in GA. This lost him his position as Senate leader. Twenty twenty two is the third set in the power struggle. Support Trump. PA hold your nose and vote for Oz. He may be a turncoat ala Romney but Oz winning sends a message to McConnell and the GOP wing of the Globalist Uniparty. Oz will either get with the program or end up like Romney, his reputation in shatters
An Article V Convention of the States can repeal an Amendment
I am skeptical of the Convention of the States because repeal can work both ways
and our government and many citizens are corrupt at the core.
The unity of U.S. polity is shattered. What made it work until it stopped working was a generally unified polity. If Pearl Harbor were bombed tonight, millions of young men who call themselves U.S. citizens would not give two hoots in hell. They’d change the channel or get back to their game or whatever. Lotta people just don’t get what the “long march thru the institutions” accomplished. Communists are nothing if not relentless. I don’t like what has happened but it has happened. Here is a good summary:
https://www.takimag.com/article/the-death-of-free-speech/
Rather than repealing the 17th amendment I would suggest repealing the 16th. Do away with the income tax and the IRS. This will do far more to limit government power. Of course the Federal government needs money to finance its legitimate functions. Replace income tax with a national sales tax. The national sales tax can piggyback on the states sales tax. It will be collected by the states and forwarded on to Washington. This gives the states the ultimate power over the feds, Revenues must be collected by the states. A national sales tax applies to everyone who buys anything, The rich automatically pay more than the poor because they buy more but everyone pays some. Food and medical expenses can be exempted from the national sales tax. This is will be a far cheaper tax to collect than income tax. The states already have the mechanisms to collect sales tax so all the feds have to do is monitor the state collections. The tax can be at a low % rate compared to income tax and all pay the same rate no one is exempt and tax evasion becomes much more difficult. . The expensive IRS can be eliminated and lobbying Congress for tax breaks goes away.
I agree with a consumption tax, as long as the rate is permanently capped.
Bingo. Remember that Congressman in the 90s who said “rip the IRS out by its roots?” 🙂
No national tax would be necessary. It would force a budget process in which states would be responsible for raising their apportioned part of a federal budget. It would put states back at the table not just through their appointed senators but as check on spending.
“Food and medical expenses can be exempted from the national sales tax.” This, then, presents a different and difficult problem. The welfare/food stamp scam… was it not originally SUPPOSED TO BE for food “essentials”? Sure doesn’t seem to be operating in that manner. Medical??, when so many folks seem to take a visit to a doc for even the slightest thing? Lots of problems there. imo
Repealing the XVI amendment does nothing. All that amendment does is clarify the rule under which income taxes operate. And various USSC decisions have pretty much narrowed the taxes which must follow the rule of apportionment. The idea of the self-administering sales tax sounds appealing but that isn’t how things work. Note that there are already national sales taxes, but they apply to limited products.
I tend to agree with you – at least, the federal government would have little in the way of funds if they
keep ruining the economy with their idiotic economy killing regulations, crazy lockdown mandates, sending jobs
overseas, etc.
I think you are very smart.
However, how do we prevent them from increasing the sales tax annually because they spent too much money?
I would prefer to repeal the 16th Amendment. Shut IRS down, implement national sales tax levied only at final point of sale, and only on new goods and services. Then term limits for all! If those were to happen K-street lobbying would most likely end.
Yeah well they cheat with that “fake recess” bit where they’re NEVER IN RECESS and yet the bastards work, like what, 75 days a year? Uh huh. Nice to create your own rules. Oh yeah, how about the special health care and lifetime pensions that nobody else gets? Same deal. Still bouncing checks at the Congressional Bank?
It’s our fault that we got about 6-10 decent Senators out of 50 Repubs, and 25 flat-out Decepticons. Only solution is vote them out and change the composition, but that will literally take decades at the pace of 1/2 (the Repubs) of 1/3 of the Senate every 2 years.
Won’t have a nation left by then. Massive pressure and active protests might help somewhat. Good leadership from the small growing decent contingent. A tough nut to crack.
It would be INCREDIBLY USEFUL if Donald comes back, or whoever comes in, were to be made aware of “The Plum Book” of positions in the Bureaucracy.
Plum book was a feeding frenzy for congressional aides. Might remember Sessions was originally in charge of filling the plum book positions. Democrat operative was controlling the security clearance review. Tried to remove an ASD Western Hemisphere who had been a Foreign Area Officer in Venezuela and Chile because he might have contacts with the wrong people. The ASD prevailed with SECDEF intervention but only barely. Plum book was heavily screened by the deep state.
If mr. Trump returns he should bring a thoughly vetted list of candidates for every appointed position with several alternatives. Then, on day one, fire everyone.
Force Mitch & co to shutdown government if they want to play resistance games.
I believe the honorific is STILL President Trump.
Congress needs a complete overhaul, tear it back down to the bear Constitution and start over but this time we vote not Congress.
Not only the 17th but the 16th also needs to be repealed.
The ratification of the 16th changed how government was funded.
Both of these radically changed our relationship with government.
Repeal them both!!
In addition to rejection of the 17th Amendment, the bureaucracy’s death grip would be severely curtailed and Virginia would become a red state again if the bureaucracy were broken up and put all over the country the way it is in the UK. Share the wealth. Dept of Labor in Grand Rapids, FDA in Des Moines, etc. etc. Strike a blow to the DC class!
Are you kidding? The unelected government employees are entrenched for years. They are permanent. They have the power to inflict a lot of resistance and damage. Presently, they cannot be fired. The federal government needs to shrink. Good luck with that!
Those elected to office come and go— some with a more limited time (to commit crime) then others. It is a mess.
Apparently Ukraine was the Clinton Foundations largest donor. Then while Trump was in office her foundation stopped collecting. Now they are up and running again.
Ukraine is the new Hawaiian vacation- or maybe Las Vegas because they will soon be profiting off of tax payer dollars. All these elites visiting a supposed war zone for photo opps and to secure a piece of the $ pie.
This is perverse.
It is a myth that they can’t be fired. Damned difficult and most 15s and SES shrink from it but it can be done. You are correct that they are the issue. Obama’s private army.
So the cabinet of the next MAGA president won’t get filled unless it’s with members of the GOPe? Well to me that’s a feature not a bug. And as for the appointment of the heads of the DOJ, FBI, CIA…start firing people from the top down until you hit pay dirt.
The team DeSantis has put together in FL is working spectacularly well. He could just import them to DC.
I know several people that work for the federal government and it’s a massive make work system. Most of it could go away and we’d never know.
” it’s a massive make work system. Most of it could go away and we’d never know.” Best statement today… thanks.
This is stirring political intellectualism but it evades the core issue:
America and Americans have dismissed God Almighty for decades in their thoughts, speech, and actions. When a society leaves God Almighty the Creator, He (so to speak) leaves it. (That is, He removes a portion of His Immanent Influence, which is His material and spiritual blessings, from that culture.)
“In God We Trust” is the key to America’s success. And the Leftists worked diligently for more than a century to turn our society against God. Governments and corporations and individuals went along faithfully.
Look and give witness!
Absolutely 💯. We have eradicated His Name in every governmental institution where His Name was placed. Why are we so surprised? We have many warnings I the Bible for all the nations that turned away from God.Why do we think we would be the exception?
How do you conclude that state government having representation in federal government decision-making was usurped by the 17th amendment removing state representation, when it is the people of the state that directly vote for their senators?
Do you mean to tell me that state legislators better represent their states needs than the people of that state?
Have you watched the Colorado, California, New York, Maryland, etc.. state legislatures in action?
If you take voter fraud and cheating out of the equation, the people WILL speak.
Color me unconvinced.
Quick question.
Do you think the federal government could use conditional block grants to blackmail the states with their own money, they way they do now, if the state governments still had control over half the legislative branch?
That’s just one example. There are plenty of others.
You aren’t “electing” a Senator. You are Adding an assistant trailer park supervisor for McConnell.
I part company here. 17th Amendment targets a different problem space IMO. Duly noted.
PDJT’s personnel selections have troubled me and many of my friends for a long time. The answer, “it’s fixed”, basically warrants the following response: then don’t bother running for office. The Senate doesn’t vote for Presidential staff and advisors; the Senate can’t stop a President from firing people; the Senate didn’t campaign with statements about staffing a business enterprise with successful/quality people; the Senate didn’t decide not to sweep the judicial/SES/political appointee floors clean immediately following the 2016 victory; the Senate doesn’t hire family members. A leader gets eff’ing things done – no matter the barriers. PDJT consistently invested faith and endless encomiums in folks who populated Brutus’ inner circle of friends. Nothing got me madder, other than the repeatedly overwrought language such as “Mad Dog” for established/successful people (whether friend or foe – it became silly playground language after a point), than his personnel mis-management. In the big leagues, leaders figure out fast who gets it done and who doesn’t – you shed the fluff fast by parking it in outlier jobs or outright release.
There were good choices (e.g., Grenell). Not enough, however. How can one trust someone to deal with external threats if they can’t handle internal threats? I waited and waited. Just like others waited and waited for the counter-offensive release of information on the machinations of the beltway crowd.
PDJT – get your **** together this time around. It’s not enough to trumpet how badly the Dems/Progs/Deep State/Establishment have blundered. That might win the election – but it won’t win the war. Articulate the strategy, find the people to execute the playbook and, when necessary, act ruthlessly. Unless, of course, winning is not the first and only priority.
JFK faced the same internal threats.
“Sessions was my biggest mistake. He approached me early on, real hard. Wanted the job really bad. I should’ve seen it.” – PT
Winning is not the only priority.
“My job was to save the country and survive…AND SURVIVE.” – PT (Interview John Solomon)
The national security establishment (JCS/CIA) believed in a nuclear first strike policy against the USSR and that JFK was naive and lacked determination in his opposition to this doomsday scenario. The JCS submitted Operation Northwoods, as a pretext for a Cuban Invasion in March 1962.
After he felt deceived by the Bay of Pigs, JFK kept his guard up regarding military and intelligence advisors. The war between JFK and the military became more acute after the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962.
Pentagon officials, like General Curtis LeMay, believed peaceful resolution of the missile crisis was, “Soviet collusion”(appeasement), and the worst disaster in American history.
JFK embarked on secret back channel peace efforts with Khrushchev and Castro. He was determined to get out of Vietnam despite the intense opposition inside his own government. The deep state considered this treason.
JFK was murdered shortly after his famous peace speech.
JFK: A President Betrayed (2013)
https://www.bitchute.com/video/X7KKNzgzV5o2/
“Fiona Hill was terrible at her job. The first time I remember hearing her name was during Impeachment Hoax # 1, where she worked hard to say anything bad, but there wasn’t much. It was a total con job.
“She was very close to one of the dumbest and most “crazed” people in Washington, John Bolton. Both of them didn’t say much and what they did say wasn’t listened to, especially after Bolton’s statement that he wants the “Libya Model” on North Korea in the midst of my negotiation with Kim Jong Un. [..]
“My function was to save our Country and Survive. Unfortunately, when you look at what is happening now with Afghanistan, the Border, inflation, etc., our Country is not being saved. It is in big trouble!”
– Donald J. Trump, Oct. 07, 2021 (DJT News Desk)
It is inaccurate to say there are “no MAGA bureaucrats” but the numbers are small. Most would gladly leave the system for the good of the country if it could be reformed. The purge of these folks is already underway between “insider threat” investigations and so-called vaccine mandates.
Thank you Sundance. And thanks Kentucky for 40 years of the scum McConnell. This is the main problem. Elected Senators do not fulfill their intended role. This was the smartest thing the Anti Americans did – creating the 17th amendment. term limits do nothing if EVERY Senator is beholden to that marble mouth gimp that needs help to wipe his ass.
Pretty good post, imo. Thanks.
In addition to having the deck stacked in favor of ‘federal governance’ of the people PDJT also had significant issues with the globalists within the WH that he chose to be his closest advisers regarding who to select for various offices (starting with his VP) and what policies were ‘politically expedient’. PDJT is very loyal and trusting of those closest to him even when they have an ideological agenda opposed to what he has clearly stated to his supporters.
The 17th amendment can be repealed via an Article V Convention of the States.
But, I have to wonder… What’s going to prevent the STATE legislaturs from being corrupted to CONTINUE to send Establishment type Senators to DC AFTER the 17th A is repealed?
Not being able to corrupt enough state legislators was one of the reasons the monied interests wanted to ratify the 17th. Ratification makes it easier to buy a Senate seat by dumping money into a campaign and winning in the metropolitan area(s).
Also, if a state legislator does become corrupt, he has to go home and live next to the people he just screwed, and deal with local media.
Political cartoon against ratification 17th Amendment:
LOL. Soros bankrolled the Kenyan’s Senate run.
Fully agree that the 17th amendment is the main culprit. Would also love to see the various agencies physically relocate from DC to various small towns across middle America. This would breathe some life into those areas hit hard by the decisions of DC as well as ensure that these agencies are filled with people who believe in smaller government.
IIRC, President Trump did a work-around to get people he trusted by naming “Acting Directors.” The Senate? Who needs them?
lt came later in his first term once he realized so many were against his agenda, like John Bolton.
I think there’s a time limit on the acting position. BUT,I don’t see why he can’t simply leave the position vacant, and hire secretaries to help him run the bureaucracies. They all need cleaned out, the agencies themselves were undermining Trump and ignoring his directives.
One would think if the 17th was never put in place, the DC power brokers would of sent to the states “the acceptable list” of appointments to their club. The power of the purse over the states would of been the bribe.
Every single bureau of the federal government must be moved to a state that makes sense for that bureau. For instance, Department of the Interior moved to the Dakotas or Missouri; the Department of Agriculture to Kansas or Nebraska. And so on. This will help drain the swamp and reduce the power of the DC area.
Start with moving the pentagon.
There will not even be a Pentagon soon.
“The truth is that finding that
unipartymonarchy is a desperate wish in this country, [the enemies of republicanism] rally to the point which they think next best: a consolidated government.“Their aim is now therefore to break down the rights reserved by the Constitution to the States as a bulwark against that consolidation, the fear of which produced the whole of the opposition to the Constitution at its birth…” — Thomas Jefferson to William Johnson, Oct 27, 1822
Col. Doug Macgregor recently stated that when Kennedy won the presidency President Eisenhower gave him this advice, “Be a butcher”. Kennedy didn’t understand the statement and asked Eisenhower to clarify. Eisenhower told him to be ruthless in getting rid of anyone who would undermine his leadership. He told Kennedy that if he couldn’t do the job then he had to find someone who could. President Trump, who ran on a ‘drain the swamp’ platform surrounded himself with back stabbing establishment politicians who, true to DC morality, undermined him at every important turn. Trump’s political appointments were a disaster. The names are many, starting with the worthless and feckless Jeff Sessions. We are still living with many of these scum bag appointments today. The FBI and the CIA are just two examples of many.
It didn’t stop with political appointments. President Trump seemed to be enamored with four star generals. His favorite, “Mad Dog Mattis” undermined Trump every chance he got. Sadly, it took President Trump too long to get the picture; one that was obvious to many outside observers. Col. Macgregor said Donald Trump is truly a very nice and decent human being. Unfortunately, that was not nearly enough. The current military head, Gen. Milley, is a fat worthless self serving slob. He and his ilk, combined with political establishment scum, are adding fuel to the conflict in Ukraine. They’re playing with fire.
Additionally, President Trump was led astray by the treacherous and murderous Anthony Fauci. Trump would not listen to his advisers. A few tried to warn him. Operation ‘Warp Speed’, a Trump effort to get a vaccine to the population was a dangerous and deadly failure with serious and long term consequences for those who were injected, especially those who took multiple injections. Sadly, this was entirely unnecessary. Millions have had their natural immunity destroyed. The next virus may very well have deadly consequences for the vaccinated. This is a crime against mankind. I predict that unvaccinated will be blamed.
I served in the Navy and was in law enforcement for over 35 years. I now understand how it’s possible to LOVE my country, but HATE my government. I’m sure this is true for the citizens of many countries. The Washington DC monster is now totally out of control and the epitome of pure self serving evil.
We now have a nation of senior citizens who constantly state that they love their grandchildren and are worried about their future. This, while they wring their hands and clutch their pearls. All the while standing in line for their next “Covid’ injections and watching their grandchildren get injected. It’s beyond disgusting. There are consequences for this stupidity and malfeasance. This is in our near future. This is all self inflicted and the pain is just only starting.
“We now have a nation of senior citizens who constantly state that they love their grandchildren and are worried about their future. This, while they wring their hands and clutch their pearls. All the while standing in line for their next “Covid’ injections and watching their grandchildren get injected. It’s beyond disgusting. There are consequences for this stupidity and malfeasance. This is in our near future. This is all self inflicted and the pain is just only starting.”
The ‘level’ of stupidity is unnerving, isn’t it?
Beyond belief…
Completely agree: repeal the 17th.
Just days after obama took office he fired most of the department heads in the government and replaced them with “his crowd”. That’s decisive action. Is Trump capable of such?? Would any republican do that?
Trump absolutely will. He’s saw what happened when he didn’t do it last time.
He’s seen.. I certainly hope so.
Well, who will work with him? We saw the entire government apparatus unleash endless “investigations” and smears of all Trump associates, attorneys, friends.
Used to be status quo that all the last guys appointees left with a new administration. Obama ensured his minions became permanent employees. Political appointees must be restricted from becoming permanent GS.
The sliver lining of Joe Biden and the Democrats stealing the 2020 presidential election, and the GOP establishment letting them get away with it, is this:
When President Trump returns to the White House on January 20, 2025 he will not be the outsider he was in 2017. Then he was a complete neophyte totally dependent on others to provide him with political appointees and staff who often were duplicitous double dealers who worked to undermine Trump and stab him in the back at every opportunity. Who can forget his naïve “schoolhouse rock” like belief that once the election was over the party and the country would come together and work with him. The Democrats hated him so much they didn’t even want to spend money; and the Congressional GOP hated him so much they committed political seppuku in the 2018 midterms rather than work with Trump.
This time, President Trump will be a seasoned political operator with his own team and a deep bench of America First MAGA minded people who know what they’re up against. And, he will have a sizeable caucus of Congressmen and Senators he helped to elect who concur with his vision.
Not to say it won’t be a battle: But this time, Trump will be better organized, prepared, and armed to fight and win.
So, how do you propose the election not be stolen “this time”??
Exactly! Hope is not a plan.
YES, the 17th must be repealed!
Congress needs to be purged by voter. Trump should have appointed cabinet and agency heads from outside of DC and then required the firing of the top 3 layers of management in all agencies and departments. In the CIA, NSA, FBI and DOJ, a complete review of all personnel should have been ordered and any rank and file person who participated in any nefarious activity should have been fired. That is how you drain the swamp.
You have, it seems, ignored all the “busy little beavers” occupying space in gov’t.
New management will take care of the bad peons, or should if the right hires are made.
Great article about Mike Pence working to sabotage Pres. Trump.
https://emeralddb3.substack.com/p/the-treachery-of-vp-mike-pence-explained?s=r
Irish revolution focused on the removal of key competent individuals in the British civil service. Dept heads were usually figureheads. Elected officials were a mixed bag . However in every organization there are a few individuals who are technically competent and “make things happen”. These functionaries are representative of none but the state. In Ireland those individuals were identified and removed by whatever means was at hand. Ireland gained independence. There is nothing new under the sun.
Disagree. Uniparty are the Kabuki players. The unelected are the play writers.
Another must read and eye opening article by Sundance. I did somewhat understand what President Trump was up against and why so many were not really on his side But was always left with a why was this true. I had also read how Senators used to be elected by the states, I still didn’t connect the two in importance. Sundance’s explanation of what happened with the Seventeenth amendment and how it made the Federal government all powerful gave me full understanding.
Thank you Sundance.
We, as individuals only have any real impact/effect on local politics. National and International Politics are far beyond our ability to change.
That said we do impact out state legislatures, therefore further empowering our state legislatures by repealing the 17th amendment, could very well grant the citizen greater power.
But for that to be the case we need to take control of our state legislatures, and to do that we need to get active! The MAGA Revolution requires seizure of ALL Local Governance mechanisms (School Boards, Town Councils, County Commissions, etc.).
It’d be a slow and perpetual process, requiring constant effort and renewal.
The enemy has done it. can we summon the same energy?
I totally got the 17th amendment problem over 10 years ago. When you bring it up, most people are so entrenched with the idea of “democracy” they do not want to give the selection of senators, back to the states no matter how good of an idea it is- and it is!
What gets me is the lack of knowledge that President Trump’s “Cabinet” is still VERY active in the America First Policy Institute. The law suits and active pushback against the Deep State’s agenda ongoing and never stopped simply because the DS decided to steal America’s Constitutional Republic and the people’s right of self governance.
Can somebody please report the positives happening behind the scenes the MSM is trying to bury instead of making ill-informed and ignorant claims.
Which is exactly why we need a Convention of States!!!!!!!
The problem with your “Repeal the XVII” idea is that it ignores why it was passed in the first place. The problem was in the late 19th century, politics began to increasingly be dominated by national (as opposed to state) issues. That meant that state elections became proxy votes for senator (think back to the “Lincoln-Douglas debates” in 1858 where neither Lincoln nor Douglas were on any ballot). State level politicians didn’t see that as in their self-interest.
Fast forward to today in PA. The question for those running for PA legislature as R would be if they support OZ or Barnette. It might be good for voters to have state candidates commit but I don’t think the candidates would go along. So how do you pass an amendment unless you somehow can get state conventions independent of legislatures?
I generally agree with sourcing problems to the 17th Amendment. However, the prior method of sending senators in a republican government (States follow the same form), suggests that, with rising and ever-more-urban state populations, the voter blocks can capture state legislature (see. e.g. my state–Colorado) where outside campaign influence installs a one-party legislature with low voter turnout (apathy). That legislature would then control which greedy slimeball they send to the U.S. Senate.
Not sure repealing the 17th would be totally effective today, but its a start.
McCormick is sending this unpublished video out about Kathy Barnette
Whoa. Needs to be vetted, she might be a McConnell turncoat, maybe Oz is the one because he can be controlled. She does get her money from Win Red
Yikes,is this real??? Has Barnette addressed it?
Wish I had written this piece.
OUTSTANDING !
The 17th will never be repealed as the Senate will never agree to end their lock on power. Same thing with enacting term limits in either the House or Senate.
All a President can do is shut down the government. That’s it.
At this point we’re over the cliff…we’ll either become a full blown oligarchical kleptocracy or there will be a forceful removal of our government for the same reasons we got rid of King George III.
Now I understand. Thank you. it isn’t just members of Congress becoming more corrupt, yes that as well, but the system was changed to make a way to appropriate power just by making inside hidden deals with each other and other states. States where they don’t live. Pelosi’s united front is loyal to Pelosi and not the voters who voted them in.
Their Congressional vote became a vote for other agendas of other members of Congress and Lobbyist’s who don’t represent any Voter at all or delivers the promise a Congressman made to the Voters; Their words are lies, their deeds are deceit.
What’s the plan. It’s not more of the same methods. Voting hasn’t worked. Look at our debt, our laws, our schools and military.
Then look at your own finances, your children’s likely future, your plans for age 70, 75, 80. How will you support yourself when the government can’t or won’t, or you can’t work? Voting is the best idea but the most corrupted. Our enemies don’t fear Voters because Congress’s votes are the only ones that affect laws, protection, the economy, privacy, home ownership, banking, your children schools, medical laws.
Your vote and mine don’t affect a single one of these issues. Not one. We used to decide who represented us. Obama, Pelosi and McConnell do that now. They run the “elections”. They decide.
If they disagree with State level Bonds, policies, pandemic “mandates”, medical treatment, school curriculum, the fuel in your car, property rights, density zoning or taxation they make a federal law to override the state and it’s voters. They intend this to be their new country. Elections are useless to them. An optic to maintain 330 million calm people.
Who has a plan that doesn’t depend on voting? Because they aren’t foolish enough to even allow a November 2022 mid term election. They don’t put themselves at risk. They’ve come too far, taken too much, have enough power to create whatever they want. They used to wait for a crisis. Now they create them.
I’ll guess, September will be the crisis month. It has to be another unthinkable to elevate fear. Worse then another pandemic or an erosion of safety. Another stack of emergency and executive laws to declare Martial Law to lock the population down and eliminate guns off the street so they can use the UN to take over the streets, farms, transportation, food chain, energy, and get used to having absolute power without being shot at.
I’ll guess Biden’s persistent use of the word nuclear is because Washington NEEDS Putin to use nuclear so Washington can use nuclear without Biden being blamed for starting a nuclear war. Optics.
Putin is Trump. Biden saves the day. Martial law is the goal. It’s the ONLY way they can beat us. Remember, Martial Law is what Obama -Biden instructed Zelensky to do and he did. And, dissolved all of Ukraines political party’s except his own. No opposition!
No opposition. Think about that. Two months ago, no voting, no opposing politicians, no civilians fighting in Ukraine’s streets. Martial Law. This is Obama -Biden’s war. Remember the photos of old women and men being given guns to fight the Russians? Where are they now? Locked up in their homes. This is, I believe, Obama’s (Washington’s) plan.
They don’t trust voting any more then we do.
They have no intention of letting you decide what happens to them. They won’t let you vote them out. Why would they?
My guess: September, nuclear, Martial Law, Nov. elections cancelled, invite the UN in because our US military cannot fire on a US Citizen. Police can but there’s not enough. Unless there’s a civil war BEFORE the nuclear part.
There is recent precedent around those pesky constitutional restrictions, you know.
https://lidblog.com/how-obama-uses-czars-to-circumven/
Dissolve the AFSCME union. Throw Executive Order #10988 on to the trash heap. Give at least 10 million bureaucrats their walking papers with standard unemployment benefits, a reduced percentage of their golden perks. They’ll figure it out. Bureaucracy is a job, not a right.
Yeah, and now that I know what it looks like, I realize this movie has played before. The two previous ‘Republican’ Presidents were part of this charade. I can only guess which one knew and which one did not…
Just read this, from 2019:
In his memos, Sir Darroch called for “flooding the zone” with Trump whisperers who can influence the President’s perceptions of the world and push him towards the British agenda on issues such as de-carbonization, Free Trade, and war with Iran.
Sir Darroch said to his superiors that “we have spent years building the relationships; they are the gatekeepers… the individuals we rely upon to ensure the U.K. voice is heard in the West Wing.” Who are these voices who been built up over years? National Security Advisor John Bolton is a long-standing visitor to the British embassy and former Chief of Staff John Kelly has had regular early morning breakfast dates. A Washington Post assessment of July 8th described Darroch’s “coterie- including Kellyanne Conway, Stephen Miller, Mick Mulvaney, Sarah Sanders and Trump ally Chris Ruddy” who have met at the embassy and “share about the President and his decision-making.” (These people are British assets spying on Trump and reporting to the British embassy??!!)
https://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2019/08/01/special-relationship-collapsing-thats-good-thing/
This was linked in another article about the British role on the coup:
https://matthewehret.substack.com/p/lord-malloch-brown-and-soros-the?s=r
First, I don’t live in PA, not know either KB or Oz, except for briefly going through a few videos of KB’s. After all, it’d be the choice of PA people.
However, some observation may show some concern.
Is really necessary to make such a contrast “We aren’t Trumps people MAGA doesn’t belong to Trump”? Why cannot it be “MAGA belongs to all who are fighting for MAGA”?
Many said the reasons of PDJT giving endorsement to Oz. Frankly, I don’t know what they are, but I believe he is for MAGA and for a sustainable MAGA development based on what he knows. He’d be definitely happy to see more MAGA people running for all positions. That is, he’d support KB if KB won. Do not make this endorsement thing into such an issue that would be easily manipulated into division of MAGA movement by those anti-MAGA people. Think BIG. And have bigger picture. Imagine All the fights in Senate for MAGA, it asks for much stronger heart, wiser mind, and strategic thinking.
From my perspective, PDJT is a validated MAGA hero & great MAGA leader through his bloody sacrifices & amazing accomplishments in the presence of unprecedent persecutions from the corrupted. All the rest running for different positions are to be validated.
Excellent analysis, precisely to the root cause why the designed 3 branches of government ended up with one “Uni-party”. Thanks Sundance.
Repealing the 17th Amendment is possible if we have the majority of Senate. Revisit all amendments and prioritize the ones to be corrected into the major objectives in a parallel line as another line of vote integrity & getting more the representatives of we the people into Senate & House. The two lines can mutually support each other, and get done whenever the right timing is.
An excellent article about the damage done by the 17th Amendment. However, while repealing that travesty might make some cosmetic changes, it won’t solve the real problem, which goes much deeper.
In 1861, the elected president, Abraham Lincoln, began doing things he had no Constitutional authority to do. We the People, the author of the Constitution (see the Preamble) and owner of the Republic (Latin “res publica” = “thing of the people”) it had created, declined to restrain him. In fact the People enthusiastically joined him in his project to convert their Republic into an Empire, with himself on the throne. (A few objected; he threw them in jail, and suspended habeas corpus, which is specifically prohibited in the Constitution, but nobody noticed except those in jail.)
By 1865 his success was complete. The Constitution had been rendered a dead letter – “just a piece of paper” – and the United States has been ruled by decree (aka “executive order” – a power nowhere mentioned or delegated in the Constitution) since then.
The Constitution has been kept around, as a distraction and pacifier, keeping the People occupied with arguing about one or another part of it, while the government – all three branches, plus of course the cancerous fourth you describe – simply goes on doing whatever they want.
When occasionally challenged on the basis of the Constitution, they will pretend to honor it by “interpreting” it in light of “changed circumstances”. An inconvenience for them, yes, but worth the minor trouble as it pacifies the People while they keep on steadily increasing their power by increments. The whole show is just that: a charade, an illusion.
Talking about “The Constitution” is a waste of time, until or unless We the People decide to make it the Law of the Land again. I don’t know what that might require, but complaining to the present “authorities” – who must know they don’t have to obey it – is not likely to accomplish anything. Has it ever?
Ron Paul: “If we stuck to the Constitution as written, we would have no federal meddling in our schools; no Federal Reserve; no US membership in the UN; no gun control, and no foreign aid. We would have no welfare for big corporations, or the ‘poor’; no American troops in foreign countries; no NAFTA, GATT, or ‘fast-track’; no arrogant federal judges usurping states rights; no attacks on private property; no income tax. We could get rid of most of the agencies, and most of the budget. The government would be small, frugal, and limited.” And that’s just for starters.