Both of these mythologies miss how the career bureaucracy works as a practical matter--just take a look at any org chart to see how varied and disaggregated the components of the bureaucracy are, and each organizational pyramid comes together in a politically appointed head. More importantly-- - ThreadSky

becingber.bsky.social • 16 days ago

Both of these mythologies miss how the career bureaucracy works as a practical matter--just take a look at any org chart to see how varied and disaggregated the components of the bureaucracy are, and each organizational pyramid comes together in a politically appointed head.

More importantly--

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becingber.bsky.social•16 days ago

Both of these mythologies miss the legitimacy and authority that bureaucrats operate with when they *do* constrain presidential action. The bureaucracy may be housed in the executive, but it is created and protected by Congress, and serves as its eyes and ears in areas Congress cannot tread.

becingber.bsky.social•16 days ago

When an ambassador refuses to help the president seek political favors as a quid pro quo, when a civil servant refuses access to sensitive personnel files to an unauthorized private actor, when a solider refuses to commit a war crime--they act on legitimate authority from an elected body, Congress.

becingber.bsky.social•16 days ago

More often, bureaucratic resistance is a lot more mundane -- asking questions, crossing t's and dotting i's and just making sure the paperwork is filed. What I have called bureaucratic "neutral friction." But all of this might feel menacing to a president who views himself as above the law.

becingber.bsky.social•16 days ago

In any event, I once spent a lot of time thinking about the career bureaucracy versus the deep state mythology, and I could not be more disheartened that this work is now once again so relevant. Worse than relevant -- reaching a crisis point.

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3186259

becingber.bsky.social•16 days ago

I said it then and I will say it again: the career bureaucracy is not going to save us from our political choices. And it shouldn't. It can be an important hurdle, a first line of defense to a president bent on breaking the law and norms. But it is not a barrier.

becingber.bsky.social•16 days ago

And the career bureaucracy depends for its life on the courts and Congress -- and that means all of us -- continuing to support it.

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