Another thread yesterday on FR discussed the notion of "public service" making wealth an entire class of politicians. While some may think the "deep state" is some kind of global cabal, my take is that they are mundane, money-grubbing and happy to align "across the aisle" with their seeming political opponents for the sake of the income, mostly derived from their "public" positions.
Appearing "post public service" as paid talking heads is all a part of the harvesting of income from that "public service."
A revisit to the lessons of Eichmann and the National Socialists' murderous era, or the Chinese Communists creating an entire class of ChiCom billionaires, or the Western and Eastern oligarchs who amass their wealth impart from public monies and back-room deals for public assets, is this.
The are not bigger-than-life cartoon characters. They are mundane, mendacious people, grubbing for money and privilege, followed by grubbing for more money and more privilege. So do I see it, and in the sense of Arendt's phrase, it is a "banality of evil."
Barr is among that set. Banal, at the minimum.
Your assessment is accurate. Most, not all, of these people have no real discernable skills and don’t bring much to the world. They go to meetings and shuffle papers. They are mediocre. They got into politics and government and realized they hit the Mother Lode and will do whatever it takes to keep it. They hate anyone who sees thru their veneer of importance. Deep inside, they know they wouldn’t last 5 minutes out in a competitive private sector and the real world. That’s what scares them to their core— the knowledge that they are not capable.
The number of “deep state” RINOs which found their way into the previous Trump administration — to include a vice-president — is simply amazing.
I couldn’t possibly imagine why he picked Pence, but it’s my position that with the regards to the “deep state” RINOs, he had to get past McConnell and Schumer. And they were only going to let pass, ones they were comfortable with.
One or two may have squeaked through, but they got rid of them(Zinke).
As for Ross and Mnuchin, two that they probably thought would play ball with the “deep state”, they were doing too much good work to be messed with.
they are mundane, money-grubbing and happy to align “across the aisle” with their seeming political opponents for the sake of the income, mostly derived from their “public” positions....10000% right.