“This is a big move for Kelly, and shows just how much the former General has been able to consolidate power.”
I was never comfortable with the idea of Steve Bannon being in the White House. Bannon wasn’t just a government skeptic, but someone who has been pushing for a “Western Apocalypse”: the breaking and remaking of Western culture as a whole. Bannon isn’t a nationalist who wants to see America take a rightful and more equitable place on the world stage, but instead wants to see the United States step off the stage all-together.
Paranoid to a “T”, Bannon has long been obsessed with the idea of a “deep state,” the idea of shadowy but immensely powerful figures pulling strings from deep inside the government. Only problem is, there’s no proof and little motive for such conspiracy theories. With politicians openly for sale via campaign contributions, why should the powerful bother?
It’s obvious that the government has become insular, unresponsive, and weighed down by bureaucracy. Reform certainly is needed. Yet Bannon is not a proponent of reform, and instead a champion of anarchy. He didn’t want to build a better government while in the White House, many believe that he wanted to end the government for good. And that’s why it’s good that he’s gone.
Destroying western civilization or annihilating the government work, at least not if you’re trying to produce positive results. Technology is too far advanced, and the global economy too deeply intertwined to allow for a complete end of the state. Meanwhile, America can never completely turn its back on the global economy.
While America can and should reexamine its position and relations with other countries -many American leaders quite frankly have been quick to turn their back on the American people in exchange for geopolitical power- we should never go down the route that Bannon advocates.
Insiders indicate that Bannon actually resigned as early as August 7th, but had still been haunting the halls of the White House
We just have to look at those countries that don’t have functioning governments, and aren’t major players on the world stage to understand why we wouldn’t want to do so. Many countries across the Global South are not well integrated into the global economy, and don’t have functioning governments. Most of them are poor and many of them are crime ridden, dominated by dictators, strong-men, drug dealers, and others. Whatever Bannon’s motives were, that’s the type of country he would have ultimately made America, if he had had his way.
However, Bannon won’t be having his way, and thankfully, won’t have a voice in the Trump White House. Insiders indicate that Bannon actually resigned as early as August 7th, but had still been haunting the halls of the White House, perhaps hoping for a reprieve from the President. That never came to be and on Friday White House Chief of Staff John Kelly sat down with Bannon and decided that it’d be his last day as “Chief Strategist”.
This is a big move for Kelly, and shows just how much the former General has been able to consolidate power. Previously, power had been divided between the Chief of Staff, Chief Strategist, and Director of Communications. This split of power was originally made in order to divide power between outsider Bannon and Republican insider Reince Priebus. Now, power is no longer divided.
Good. Whether or not you approve or disapprove of President Trump, it is obvious that the administration has been tangled up in-fighting, and at time, borderline anarchy. Kelly has thus far proven to be a stabilizing force, which should help bring some calm to a chaotic White House.
Further, with Bannon out, America will be able to sleep a bit easier. His extremist views will no longer have a “Chief” spot at the table.
