You can't talk about the predominance of the federal government over the "free and independent" states without talking about Lincoln, who established by military force (i.e. mass slaughter of those who disagreed with him) the Hotel California style of the modern American Republic.
It's obviously gone too far but there were good reasons for FDR's reforms. My one quibble is that it was really in the 60s under JFK and Johnson that the modern bureaucratic state fully flowered. FDR did increase the scope and power of the bureaucratic state but most of his reforms were grounded in reasonable purpose. It wasn't until the 60s that the really high-flying rhetoric and ideas took hold - includig the War on Poverty and Welfare payments. And even those changes hadn't so fully undermined the actual functioning of Congress until recent decades. In other words it was a very gradual process but one that has gotten so out of control it can only be "fixed" with a wrecking ball.
Auron MacIntyre’s critique of bureaucratic overreach echoes Gaetano Mosca’s theory of elite dominance, but conflates *administrative efficiency* with *tyranny*. While technocratic governance risks democratic erosion, framing FDR’s New Deal as the sole origin ignores earlier centralization under Hamiltonian federalism. Trump’s war on the “deep state” is less a restoration of republicanism than a performative clash with institutional inertia—a tension inherent to modern states, not unique to progressives.
But maybe I misunderstand? If “democracy” is just bureaucracy, why America still vote? In China, government experts manage economy, no Electoral College. But U.S. system has many checks—Congress, courts? Maybe problem is not experts but too many lawyers? Trump cutting red tape good, but why blame FDR? My grandfather say New Deal saved family farm. Confusing!
MacIntyre’s warning about unaccountable power is valid, but reducing complex governance to “managerial class” villains lacks nuance. Real reform requires systemic balance, not nostalgia. Also, who is Chester A. Arthur?
Progressives are crying foul, that’s for sure. But I would argue that’s just bc for the time being their manner of doing things and way of holding power has been challenged and usurped. Yet if you think Donald Trump isn’t going to do much of the same thing, especially via-a-vis the ongoing effort of increasing world hegemony, I’d have to say you are sadly mistaken. Trump and his elitist cabal are merely shifting the game and probably upping the ante. Trump cannot “save” America, nor does he even care about that. This is the usual bait and switch we always get when the other party takes the reins: I’m going to fix all the things you’ve all been complaining about. But don’t look over here where I’m not really ending the war in Ukraine, I’m just forcing the Europeans to shoulders the burden And I’m ending the border crisis. But don’t look over here where everyone’s modern day knight in shining armor, Elon Musk, wants more cheap labor via H1B visas, not less. Trump is supposedly ending the censorship. But if you stand up for the Palestinians, you might be in trouble with Trump’s regime. Sure, we’ve got a new president. But he’s pretty much the same as the old president. Washington DC is a uniparty, and swamp will never be drained.
During a time when the country is furious coverage Donald Trump consolidating power, removing the relevancy of the legislative branch by seizing control of the nations checkbook, operating with the Supreme Court in his back pocket giving him a king’s seat immunity , Burning the place down with impunity, deciding what money goes where and who's programs are worthy of survival, you're going to post a substack that claims that progressive democracy is doing the opposite of what it's actually doing? Gaslighting and projection. I guess I shouldn't expect nothing less from the party that has chosen a convicted felon to represent them
Congrats on the Elon follow! When progressives say democracy, they mean bureaucracy run by socialists. The downfall of USAID and the MSM propaganda machine will help dismantle the deep state: https://yuribezmenov.substack.com/p/downfall-usaid-bill-kristol-neocon-ngo
No love/hate for Lincoln?
You can't talk about the predominance of the federal government over the "free and independent" states without talking about Lincoln, who established by military force (i.e. mass slaughter of those who disagreed with him) the Hotel California style of the modern American Republic.
It's obviously gone too far but there were good reasons for FDR's reforms. My one quibble is that it was really in the 60s under JFK and Johnson that the modern bureaucratic state fully flowered. FDR did increase the scope and power of the bureaucratic state but most of his reforms were grounded in reasonable purpose. It wasn't until the 60s that the really high-flying rhetoric and ideas took hold - includig the War on Poverty and Welfare payments. And even those changes hadn't so fully undermined the actual functioning of Congress until recent decades. In other words it was a very gradual process but one that has gotten so out of control it can only be "fixed" with a wrecking ball.
But is one unaccountable power just being replaced with another?
https://tompnoid.substack.com/p/the-communitarian-manifesto
Auron MacIntyre’s critique of bureaucratic overreach echoes Gaetano Mosca’s theory of elite dominance, but conflates *administrative efficiency* with *tyranny*. While technocratic governance risks democratic erosion, framing FDR’s New Deal as the sole origin ignores earlier centralization under Hamiltonian federalism. Trump’s war on the “deep state” is less a restoration of republicanism than a performative clash with institutional inertia—a tension inherent to modern states, not unique to progressives.
But maybe I misunderstand? If “democracy” is just bureaucracy, why America still vote? In China, government experts manage economy, no Electoral College. But U.S. system has many checks—Congress, courts? Maybe problem is not experts but too many lawyers? Trump cutting red tape good, but why blame FDR? My grandfather say New Deal saved family farm. Confusing!
MacIntyre’s warning about unaccountable power is valid, but reducing complex governance to “managerial class” villains lacks nuance. Real reform requires systemic balance, not nostalgia. Also, who is Chester A. Arthur?
Progressives are crying foul, that’s for sure. But I would argue that’s just bc for the time being their manner of doing things and way of holding power has been challenged and usurped. Yet if you think Donald Trump isn’t going to do much of the same thing, especially via-a-vis the ongoing effort of increasing world hegemony, I’d have to say you are sadly mistaken. Trump and his elitist cabal are merely shifting the game and probably upping the ante. Trump cannot “save” America, nor does he even care about that. This is the usual bait and switch we always get when the other party takes the reins: I’m going to fix all the things you’ve all been complaining about. But don’t look over here where I’m not really ending the war in Ukraine, I’m just forcing the Europeans to shoulders the burden And I’m ending the border crisis. But don’t look over here where everyone’s modern day knight in shining armor, Elon Musk, wants more cheap labor via H1B visas, not less. Trump is supposedly ending the censorship. But if you stand up for the Palestinians, you might be in trouble with Trump’s regime. Sure, we’ve got a new president. But he’s pretty much the same as the old president. Washington DC is a uniparty, and swamp will never be drained.
During a time when the country is furious coverage Donald Trump consolidating power, removing the relevancy of the legislative branch by seizing control of the nations checkbook, operating with the Supreme Court in his back pocket giving him a king’s seat immunity , Burning the place down with impunity, deciding what money goes where and who's programs are worthy of survival, you're going to post a substack that claims that progressive democracy is doing the opposite of what it's actually doing? Gaslighting and projection. I guess I shouldn't expect nothing less from the party that has chosen a convicted felon to represent them