Resistance is Silent
MAGA fears and hates the Deep State for a reason
Today, I am again sharing with you something written by Jonathan V Last of the Bulwark. I find JVL a very frustrating fellow: when he is right, he is very, very right and downright brilliant. But when he's wrong, he's hopeless.
Today, in a pay-walled post, he describes how the federal bureaucracy will be the entity best positioned to slow down Trumpism. The Trumpists know this—that's why they call it the Deep State and hate it so very much. The problem is that this resistance will be invisible and not reported in the news. We will know it is happening by what does NOT take place in the public eye. Namely, if very few immigrants get deported, if very few journalists get sued.
JVL is much better equipped than I am to describe what bureaucratic resistance looks like. I give you JVL:
(3) The resistance will not be televised. The people with the most power to fight delaying actions will be those inside the government. And the available delaying actions will mostly be bureaucratic and invisible.
(4) The Deep State has power. Here and there throughout the government will be individuals with the power to delay. Some of these people will be legacy political appointees from one or the other party. Some will be career civil servants.
The country needs them to take the maximum amount of time allowable by law for everything. File every appeal. Make every motion.
If the statute governing the revision of Regulation 30-17 allows 12 weeks for the process, do not file it until 4:49 p.m. on the Friday of Week 12.
(5) Aileen Cannon knows what time it is. [Aileen Cannon used bureaucratic procedure superbly to Trump's advantage.] The model for everyone trying to resist Trumpism should be Aileen Cannon.
Sure, she was vilified for her handling of the government’s classified documents case against Donald Trump. But you know what? Judge Cannon didn’t break any laws. She merely took full advantage of the discretion legally afforded her by the existing system. Why?
Two reasons.
(a) She knew what was at stake. But more importantly,
(b) She knew which side she was on.
Every person in the federal government should look to Judge Cannon as an inspiration for what is possible.
(8) Fight everything. Some 17th-tier Trump appointee wants to change the menu in the DOJ cafeteria? Fight it.
Make them fill out every form; wait for every deadline. File an appeal.
The default stance should be to force the administration to spend political and chronological capital for everything. Do not surrender an inch of ground for free.
JVL follows up with the OSS’s Simple Sabotage Field Manual from 1944. The OSS was the predecessor to the CIA. Stealthy ideas on how to paint the wheels of any bureaucracy with glue!
Organizations and Conferences
Insist on doing everything through “channels.” Never permit short-cuts to be taken in order to expedite decisions.
Make “speeches.” Talk as frequently as possible and at great length. Illustrate your “points” by long anecdotes and accounts of personal experiences.
When possible, refer all matters to committees, for “further study and consideration.” Attempt to make the committee as large as possible—never less than five.
Bring up irrelevant issues as frequently as possible.
Haggle over precise wordings of communications, minutes, resolutions.
Refer back to matters decided upon at the last meeting and attempt to re-open the question of the advisability of that decision.
Advocate “caution.” Be “reasonable” and urge your fellow-conferees to be “reasonable” and avoid haste which might result in embarrassments or difficulties later on.
Managers
In making work assignments, always sign out the unimportant jobs first. See that important jobs are assigned to inefficient workers.
Insist on perfect work in relatively unimportant products; send back for refinishing those which have the least flaw.
To lower morale and with it, production, be pleasant to inefficient workers; give them undeserved promotions.
Hold conferences when there is more critical work to be done.
Multiply the procedures and clearances involved in issuing instructions, pay checks, and so on. See that three people have to approve everything where one would do.
Employees
Work slowly
Work slowly.
Contrive as many interruptions to your work as you can.
Do your work poorly and blame it on bad tools, machinery, or equipment. Complain that these things are preventing you from doing your job right.
Never pass on your skill and experience to a new or less skillful worker.
In addition to the conscious resistance described by JVL, I'm also hoping for a whole bunch of bureaucratic laziness and pig headedness. I am anticipating that much of the resistance will not be principled—it will simply a result of bureaucrats not wanting to do anything new. Bureaucratic slow walking has existed for decades. Who wants to be bossed around? So, bureaucrats, drag your feet, and let your aggression be exquisitely passive. Remember, every single presidential administration has been frustrated by the by bureaucratic slowdowns since the beginning of the 20th century. That's a long track record.
Go, Deep State, go!
That's an interesting take on Aileen Cannon, as much as I hate to say it.
Thx for sharing this Kathleen. I needed this lift. I bet I’m not alone.