One of the things that endangers our traditional freedoms in America is the growing influence, power and even claimed authority of unelected bureaucrats – mostly provided with essentially lifetime appointments from civil service laws. Bureaucratic decision-making is the infrastructure of authoritarians. America was founded on the ability of we the people to establish our own policies through the power of ELECTED officials.
The case of Navy Seal Eddie Gallagher is yet another example. Gallagher was accused by military prosecutors of murder and posing with an enemy corpse. He was acquitted of murder but convicted of violating military rules against such picture-taking.
Having lost the major charge, Navy officials decided to reduce Gallagher’s rank. When President Trump reversed that order, Navy officials sought to take away Gallagher’s Trident Pin – the badge of a Navy Seal.
Trump’s intervention was enormously popular with the rank-and-file members of then military, but apparently not with some in the more senior ranks – especially those who were pursuing punishment for Gallagher.
As could be expected the anti-Trump media sided against the Commander-in-Chief and the many soldiers in the field – and with the small cadre of senior officers seeking to punish Gallagher further. The claim was that Trump was violating military rules and policies.
As a result of the controversy, Navy Secretary Richard Spencer was fired by Defense Secretary Mark Esper for “lack of candor” in the Gallagher case – specifically proposing to the White House that Gallagher be allowed to keep his Trident Pin. This was contrary to Esper’s public position that the Trident Pin review should go forward internally.
In a logic that only makes sense in Washington, Esper advised the White House that Gallagher would most certainly be allowed to keep the pin after the review. So, Spencer wanted Gallagher to keep the pin. Esper wanted Gallagher to keep the Pin. Trump wanted Gallagher to keep the pin. So Esper fires Spencer and the press blames Trump for the entire mess.
The anti-Trump press jumped on the case as yet another indication that the President goes off on his own agenda rather than follow established (read that “establishment”) policies. Just as all those State Department employees placed their procedures over the rightful powers of a President, the press is proffering for the power of bureaucrats over a duly elected President. You will recall that the “regular procedures” in the Ukrainian case were bureaucratic policies and the “irregular procedures” were those established by the President.
To overly dramatize the Gallagher situation, the elitist establishment press grossly exaggerated the severity of Gallagher’s only offense – posing with a dead enemy. They call it a most serious charge and a grave (no pun intended) offense. I can see where it should be discouraged, but I personally would rank the offense as comparable to a speeding ticket.
The former spokesperson for the Washington establishment (first Department of Defense and then State), Admiral John Kirby showed up on morning television to claim that this is yet another example of an abuse of power by Trump – claiming, without a scintilla of evidence, that Trump made his decision to help himself politically. In the spirit that good policy is good politics, that may be true. But Kirby’s failure to respect the military chain-of-command – upon which Trump sits at the top – in favor of the supremacy of bureaucratic policies shows that the Admiral is one of those Washington establishment authoritarians.
Like it or not, Trump IS the Commander-in-Chief and it is his right and authority to set the policies and make specific decisions regarding the military. In fact, in the chain-of-command, it is common for a senior officer to countermand orders or decisions of junior officers. Trump violated NO rules or policies because the Constitution gives the President the power to set rules and make policies – and make ad hoc decisions based on his own policies. The Trump “policy” is to side with the boots on the ground rather than the brass in the Pentagon when the two come into conflict.
The idea that bureaucratic established policies and procedures take precedence over decision-making by elected officials is dangerous to the health of the Republic. The inalienable rights of we the people are being eroded across the federal government by an elitist authoritarian concept of governance. It is a political cancer that has been growing on the body politic – and if unchecked will end America’s great experiment in democracy.
So, there ‘tis.
There is something entirely wrong with the way these unelected ones try to dictate our lives without our census and therefore must not be allowed to continue.
How often did we the people and the rank and file military soldier watch the Obama admin trample on established military procedures and norms? A partial list: forcing weirdos into the ranks, setting up dangerous ROE (rules of engagement), forcing sensitivity training on the fighting men and women, how about labeling the Hassan military base killing in TX as man-caused disaster instead of Islamic terrorism?, the Bradley Manning affair and other depredations on veterans like the VA chaos, the Benghazi fiasco that killed the Ambassador and ordering the military to stand down during that conflict. The other egregious act is appointing the PC brass that hurts our military. Yet, the American people did virtually nothing to oppose the Odumbass.
Once again, the “brass” has proven that they are too political to have a clear mind on real world issues. Gallagher is a 20 year veteran of the US Navy Seals and should be treated as such. Some of his team mates didn’t like him, but he has proven himself in a long career of dangerous assignments. As a Special Forces officer, I salute him and wish him safe passage into retirement.
Finally, we have a president that gives a dam. Vote Trump 2020. Do not be politically ignorant.
Right on target!
I don’t care how many dead combatants he poses with, as long as he’s not autographing and sending to the scumbags relatives……but maybe he should……lol. it would certainly show the asshole made a bad career choice. Bottom line is Gallagher did what patriots for this country want him to do, and a fine job in my mind. Anyone with sympathy for our enemies needs to move to that country because you are not wanted here !!!!
Sorry Larry.
Until we start electing our uniform military leadership (shades of the Russian Revolution), I would go with the “unelected bureaucrats in this case. Anybody who had spent anytime in the armed services understands the need for proper discipline. Even as a young recruit getting his ass kicked by DIs, I understood what they were doing.
trump is destroying proper order and morale within the military – not fighting the “dark state”.
I agree. I served in , Vietnam, Marines infantry. Many pictures werr taken with corpses. It has been done since camera’s were available. Not the first not the last.
Bureaucrats should be replaced every 5 years. Congress needs to reclaim their decision making responsibilities, and accept responsibility for the decisions they make, regarding all aspects of the government. I realize it will not be popular with the members of congress, but it is necessary to preserve the Republic.
Of course Bureaucrats should be replaced , as well as term limits for all elected officials.The President is term limited why shouldn’t all elected officials be? Just remember what caused the fall of the Roman Empire (Unelected Greedy Politicians) They fell from within .We seemed to be following their template. It won’t be fossil fuels that take us out it will be lifetime Bureaucrats.WAKE UP AMERICA.
Term limits should be put on all elected and appointed officials
The last time I saw a bunch of privates think they know more than the brass a lot of them and others lost their lives. Sounds to me Commander Bone Spurs has a bunch of cock suckers hoping for their turn on the pud. Rules and discipline or death your choice. All the Way and Then Some