Interesting because wasn’t it Eisenhower as POTUS that worked to discredit McCarthy? McCarthy has since been validated by uncovered documents like the Venona files to have been more or less correct. That is the US had been and was currently being infiltrated by Communist subversives elements and McCarthy eliminated many of them.
The more I learn of Eisenhower the more I wonder if in some ways he wasn’t the father of Neo-Cons.
In Eisenhower’s farewell speech he basically admitted he had been conned by the Deep State that grew significantly under his nose.
Here are some excerpts:
“This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience.
The total influence — economic, political, even spiritual — is felt in every city, every State house, every office of the Federal government.
We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society.
In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the militaryindustrial complex.
The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.”
We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes.
We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together.
Akin to, and largely responsible for the sweeping changes in our industrial-military posture, has been the technological revolution during recent decades.
In this revolution, research has become central; it also becomes more formalized, complex, and costly. A steadily increasing share is conducted for, by, or at the direction of, the Federal government.
Today, the solitary inventor, tinkering in his shop, has been overshadowed by task forces of scientists in laboratories and testing fields.
In the same fashion, the free university, historically the fountainhead of free ideas and scientific discovery, has experienced a revolution in the conduct of research.
Partly because of the huge costs involved, a government contract becomes virtually a substitute for intellectual curiosity. For every old blackboard there are now hundreds of new electronic computers.
The prospect of domination of the nation’s scholars by Federal employment, project allocations, and the power of money is ever present and is gravely to be regarded.
Yet, in holding scientific research and discovery in respect, as we should, we must also be alert to the equal and opposite danger that public policy could itself become the captive of a scientific technological elite.”
If you read the Eisenhower speech excerpt I gave you notice the word “spiritual” is there.
Imho he is stating that evil forces have taken over the Deep State.
Eisenhower put Earl Warren and William Brennan on the Supreme Court. “Later on he called Warren, “My biggest mistake.” The balanced judiciary died and murderers of all stripes received protections. The mess we are still in originated with Warren.
He also gave us the federal freeway system, but he was a huge obstacle to attacking the communists and monitoring the newly birthed agencies.
For his reward, he got to against a guy named Adlai twice.