7 ms·

If you read about Steve Bannon, his plan for years is really to have people lose faith in government agencies and have them thought of as garbage, and then ulti

If you read about Steve Bannon, his plan for years is really to have people lose faith in government agencies and have them thought of as garbage, and then ultimately shut down. I'm not sure this is some great conspiracy or just a bunch of scumbags at work here, but like I say there are major well financed efforts to actually make the FCC, EPA, etc look stupid, and appear to be run by idiots. Appointing incompetent people to them, is the plan by some of these folks like Bannon.

reubenswartz 8y ago
HUD, DoE (both of them), etc... ;-(
Avshalom 8y ago
Invoking Steve Bannon is unnecessary: "losing faith in government" has been the Republican Party goal since Nixon.
- tasty_freeze 8y ago
  "Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem." President Ronald Reagan, in his first inaugural address.
  - WillPostForFood 8y ago
    Arguably a misquotation, probably misleading absent the context, and definitely an incomplete quotation. Speaking narrowly and specifically about the economic crisis and stagflation of the late 70s: In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem. From time to time we've been tempted to believe that society has become too complex to be managed by self-rule, that government by an elite group is superior to government for, by, and of the people.
    - seanmcdirmid 8y ago
      The surrounding context doesn't really change/clarify that core message very much.
      - WillPostForFood 8y ago
        It does, it is saying the government had been the cause of the economic crisis of the time, not that it was generally the problem of all things.
    - gcb0 8y ago
      the context makes it ironic even, considering they benefit from that exact sentiment to be elected.
  - yipbub 8y ago
    Proceeds to start a drug war to prosecute minorites
- seanmcdirmid 8y ago
  I'd argue that Nixon wasn't in that boat, he actually supported formation of the EPA and such. Nixon's big contribution to the Republicans was his southern strategy (use of racism to win a previously Democrat south) and mis-application of domestic espionage.
phobosdeimos 8y ago
Americans have already lost faith in government. There is a belief Bezos will save healthcare now. It seems Capitol Hill's main occupation is sabotaging and crippling the nation.
aasasd 8y ago
Notably, in the countries that the US administration seems to suddenly love now, such as Russia, government agencies are indeed regarded as garbage, but that only leads to more and more centralization of power. Because, you know, the tsar must step in and bring his underlings to order.
Calib3r 8y ago
Some of us believe federal regulatory agencies are unconstitutional due to their ability to interpret laws (isn't that the Legislative branch's job?). EPA, FCC, and their ilk have no obligation to represent the opinion of the people. Federal agencies are given a blank check to interpret (write) laws without any real checks and balances.
- dragonwriter 8y ago
  > Some of us believe federal regulatory agencies are unconstitutional due to their ability to interpret laws (isn't that the Legislative branch's job?). No, interpreting laws is the judicial branches role (as the ultimate decision point), but it's also essential to executive functioning (as you get apply or execute a law without first interpreting it.) > EPA, FCC, and their ilk have no obligation to represent the opinion of the people. Neither does Congress or the President. > Federal agencies are given a blank check to interpret (write) laws without any real checks and balances. “Interpret” does not mean “write”, and both the adjudicative/interpretive and regulation-writing functions of agencies are constrained by judicial review (of both) and both advance and responsive (Congressional Review Act) constraint by Congress (for the regulatory function.)

reubenswartz 8y ago

HUD, DoE (both of them), etc... ;-(

Avshalom 8y ago

Invoking Steve Bannon is unnecessary: "losing faith in government" has been the Republican Party goal since Nixon.

tasty_freeze 8y ago
"Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem." President Ronald Reagan, in his first inaugural address.
- WillPostForFood 8y ago
  Arguably a misquotation, probably misleading absent the context, and definitely an incomplete quotation. Speaking narrowly and specifically about the economic crisis and stagflation of the late 70s: In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem. From time to time we've been tempted to believe that society has become too complex to be managed by self-rule, that government by an elite group is superior to government for, by, and of the people.
  - seanmcdirmid 8y ago
    The surrounding context doesn't really change/clarify that core message very much.
    - WillPostForFood 8y ago
      It does, it is saying the government had been the cause of the economic crisis of the time, not that it was generally the problem of all things.
  - gcb0 8y ago
    the context makes it ironic even, considering they benefit from that exact sentiment to be elected.
- yipbub 8y ago
  Proceeds to start a drug war to prosecute minorites
seanmcdirmid 8y ago
I'd argue that Nixon wasn't in that boat, he actually supported formation of the EPA and such. Nixon's big contribution to the Republicans was his southern strategy (use of racism to win a previously Democrat south) and mis-application of domestic espionage.

phobosdeimos 8y ago

Americans have already lost faith in government. There is a belief Bezos will save healthcare now. It seems Capitol Hill's main occupation is sabotaging and crippling the nation.

aasasd 8y ago

Notably, in the countries that the US administration seems to suddenly love now, such as Russia, government agencies are indeed regarded as garbage, but that only leads to more and more centralization of power. Because, you know, the tsar must step in and bring his underlings to order.

Calib3r 8y ago

Some of us believe federal regulatory agencies are unconstitutional due to their ability to interpret laws (isn't that the Legislative branch's job?). EPA, FCC, and their ilk have no obligation to represent the opinion of the people. Federal agencies are given a blank check to interpret (write) laws without any real checks and balances.

dragonwriter 8y ago
> Some of us believe federal regulatory agencies are unconstitutional due to their ability to interpret laws (isn't that the Legislative branch's job?). No, interpreting laws is the judicial branches role (as the ultimate decision point), but it's also essential to executive functioning (as you get apply or execute a law without first interpreting it.) > EPA, FCC, and their ilk have no obligation to represent the opinion of the people. Neither does Congress or the President. > Federal agencies are given a blank check to interpret (write) laws without any real checks and balances. “Interpret” does not mean “write”, and both the adjudicative/interpretive and regulation-writing functions of agencies are constrained by judicial review (of both) and both advance and responsive (Congressional Review Act) constraint by Congress (for the regulatory function.)