The Real Deep State Revealed

Look around at the United States right now, and you'll find a slide into "illiberalism" that mirrors Viktor Orbán's takeover of Hungary in the 2010s. But, let's call it what it really is: fascism.

Fascism has two main tenets:

1. A hatred of socialism and Marxism
2. A hatred of Liberalism for allowing socialism or Marxism to exist

Where else have we seen such positions? Within the elite circles of American Liberal democracy throughout the last century. Simply put, any time there is an overwhelming opposition to ordinary folk gaining power beyond the control of aristocratic or monied interests, you're likely to find fascist seeds taking root.

Following World War Two, Sir Herbert Read, the noted British scholar and anarchist pointed out that fascism in the United Kingdom had never been unmasked – that rather than revolution from the effects of war, the fascist elements of British society consolidated their power and remained hidden within the power structures of that society.

The Black scholar and activist, George L. Jackson, writing in the 1970s, pointed out something similar. He argued that fascism actually "won" in the aftermath of [[World War II]], specifically because the United States intentionally absorbed massive elements from fascist countries like Nazi Germany (scientists, spies, soldiers, and politicians). And let us not forget that, before WWII, there was already a strong fascist party movement within the United States.

And, largely, since the end of World War II, the United States has conducted itself according to the two fascist principles I mentioned above: it has viciously attacked all attempts at true egalitarianism, not just at home, but around the world.

The Deep State Actors

I won't beat around the bush: the real deep state actors are inside the Democratic Party. They're the democratic senators currently voting to confirm Trump's horrifying cabinet line-up and who are voting for bills that support mass deportations and the end of all LGBTQ safety.

The real "deep state" are those democrats who fought tooth and nail to destroy the Bernie Sanders presidency bid, and who have consistently led a fickle and pathetic response to the onslaught of right-wing propaganda overrunning our nation.

The real deep state consists of people in positions of incredible power and privilege who, through consistent and concentrated efforts, have made it possible to put an oligarchic fascist and his puppet-master billionaire Nazi-wannabe on America's throne. And yes, we have a throne again.

The whole mythos of America is that our country exists as an experiment in anti-royalism. While the reality of our founding is considerably more complex, that myth remains alive and well within the hearts and minds of many. And it's now become a complete and verified sham. Every legal system we have, every check and balance designed to prevent autocracy, has been resoundingly unsuccessful in halting our steadfast march toward fascism.

For decades, far-right efforts have infected this country in the most insidious grassroots movement of all time. The "Overton Window" (ironically named for a conservative) has shifted to such a degree that people can't conceive of a world where healthcare is a sign of a decent society.

Middle-of-the-road Democrats hold values and political positions that would make members of the Third Reich proud... and now many of them are avidly supporting the authoritarian bid of a new furor and his capitalist masters.

So where do we go from here?

Harm reduction

It would have been better to have a Harris-Walz presidency. I state this based on the principle called "harm reduction." The idea is that it's better to have outcomes that cause the least amount of harm, now, rather than hold out for ideal solutions later on.

We sorta failed at that.

People on the so-called "left" tend to be far more politically fractious than those on the right. This is probably because it's much harder to actively consider several shades of gray than it is to baldly adhere to a single idealistic thread. Pluralism is a good thing for a healthy society, but pluralism can also lead to indecision in the face of a more authoritarian impulse.

So, the Left failed. True middle-of-the-road Democrats who earnestly believe in idiocies like the Free Market have also failed. The whole concept of an equal and hopeful country, an experiment in democratic ideals, has lost out big time.

And we're stuck with the new reality: a techno-fascism that's more complex, and more terrifying, than anything we've seen before.

Google is now openly building AI tools for surveillance and war.

The entire tax database (including your bank routing information) is in the hands of a group of unqualified teens and 20-somethings (under the command of a self-important oligarch).

Millionaire CEOs get massive security details while the people they exploit continue to die in droves.

So, harm reduction means something different — now.

Sure, we still need to vote, especially at the local level. We still need politicians within the frayed and creaking system who are doing the work of good, diligent civil servants. We don't need, nor want, the type of chaos that emerges from a true breakdown of all structure... if only because so many lives will be lost if things go that route.

But harm-reduction under fascism means something more. It means active resistance, on every level. Roads blockaded, streets taken over, entire suburbs standing up against immoral (and illegal) ICE raids on their neighbors.

And harm-reduction means HELPING. Checking on your friends and neighbors. Providing food and medical aid, childcare and education. The Black Panther playbook is the fallback, here: defend your neighborhood and provide the social services that the government is trying to deny.

Community is key to victory, folks. There's no simpler way to say it.

Addendum

Am I being dramatic and using the term "deep state" a bit hyperbolically? You betcha. I want eyeballs on my articles, and when this headline popped into my mind, I knew I needed to roll with it. Life is more complex than a sound-byte, and more complex than a short Internet article can convey. So take this opinion piece for what it is, or don't – but do help out your neighbors. Do build community. DO resist in the best ways you can. Because it's not hyperbole to say that real people are already suffering because of what's happening, nor to state that things could (and likely will) get much worse the farther down this damnable road we go.