In the post WW II era..with all the advances in communications..diplomacy is run out of the WH..ambassadors are like hood ornaments..nice but useless..at lower levels..trade attaches, visas.. etc..State does important, necessary work
I can agree with that.
I will admit to thinking that the ‘permanent class’ of government workers, don’t always agree with the current administration and merely bide their time until a better guy comes along, not really pushing the agenda of the current guy if they disagree.
This is something I think plays into the State Department to a certain degree. The upper levels are involved because of the nature of their duties.
As you mentioned, the rank and file paper pushers (for lack of a better term) are probably as you say, doing a good job.