Liberals often deny the existence of the Deep State. Thus we see columns like this, in the New York Times: "What Happens When You Fight a ‘Deep State’ That Doesn’t Exist." And this one by David Remnick, editor of The New Yorker: "There Is No Deep State."
But on today's episode of CNN This Morning, host Kasie Hunt acknowledged something that is effectively a synonym for the Deep State.
Describing the challenges facing Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy in their Department of Government Efficiency [DOGE] undertaking to render the federal government more efficient and less costly, Hunt said:
"There is this kind of saying in Washington that, at the end of the day, the building always wins. And by the building, they mean the infrastructure that has been built in all these places, so that even when you do try to do something, the building itself will push back.
So the "infrastructure" in place in the federal government will "push back" against any attempt to change the status quo. And that status quo is almost always of a liberal bent.
That's an apt description of, or synonym for . . . the Deep State.
So thanks, Kasie, for acknowledging a truth that liberals don't like to hear!
Note: Hunt suggested to Republican strategist Brad Todd that Musk would grab the proverbial "third rail" of Social Security and Medicare reform, and "take it off a cliff." Shades of the infamous 2012 attack ad on the Romney-Ryan ticket showing a man presumed to be Ryan literally pushing grandma off a cliff because of his floating the notion of Medicare reform!
Todd wouldn't bite on Hunt's scaremongering bid, saying:
"I don't think he's headed for Social Security and Medicare. I think that the Hill's budget hawks are going to insist that we look at that, because it's such a big pile of the budget. But that's not where President Trump's heading."
Here's the transcript.
CNN This Morning
12/6/24
6:04 am ETBRAD TODD: And I think, by the way, this [DOGE] is not that different from what we've had before, right? We had the Peterson Commission. Al Gore tried reinventing government. You often need people from outside Congress to come and shake it up.
And let's face it, the appropriations process in Congress could not be any worse. Musk will not mess this up. I mean like, it's it's currently --
KASIE HUNT: It's already messed up. It's already messed up.
TODD: It's already messed up: yeah.
. . .
ANNIE LINSKEY: I think there are areas that outsiders can come in and, and take and grab it. And what I think is interesting here too is, you know, the previous panels that you mentioned are, didn't have this sort of celebrity interest. I mean I, you know, it's to see these images and the kind of, um I don't know, the glamor that they've attached to it.
HUNT: Well, having covered the Hill for a long time, seeing Elon Musk --
LINSKEY: Yeah!
HUNT: Walking down the hallway with his kid on his shoulders is a jarring image. You know, that does draw your attention.
LINSKEY: A blue ribbon commission doesn't usually get this much excitement, right?
HUNT: Not that blue. I mean, Elliot you've worked inside the federal government in your career, and there is this kind of saying in Washington that, at the end of the day, the building always wins.
ELLIOT WILLIAMS: Yeah.
HUNT: And by the building, they mean the infrastructure that has been built in all these places, so that even when you do try to do something, the building itself will push back.
WILLIAMS: Right.
