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MODERN ROMANS: A WARNING FOR AMERICA, BRITAIN AND ISRAEL


Chapter 18


Political and Administrative Paralysis  

As the Empire grew, a huge bureaucracy developed to collect taxes and fees in order to supply government, especially the military. In the last century of the Empire it had developed into a thoroughly corrupt system, hobbled by bribes and ‘red tape.’ The rich got richer while the poor got poorer.

Degradation of administration is well documented by historians. Samuel Dill writes: "... Long before the [barbarian] invasions of the reign of Honorius [A.D. 395-423], the fabric of Roman society and administration was honeycombed by moral and economic vices, which made the belief in the eternity of Rome a vain delusion" (Samuel Dill, Roman Society in the Last Century of the Western Empire, p. 277).

By the time of Constantine, corruption in the administration had become rampant.

"It is clear from Constantine's legislation that he was shocked by the corruption and extortion which prevailed among provincial governors, but he was evidently unable to restore respectable standards of probity" (A. H. M. Jones, The Later Roman Empire, p. 1054).

"Excessive centralization involved an immense volume of clerical labor and slowed up the processes of government. Nor did it achieve its object of checking corruption" (ibid., pp. 1056-1057).

Rome could have fallen many times in the previous centuries, but the leadership of strong men like Diocletian and Constantine and their timely administrative and economic reforms prevented that. In addition, the barbarians were not united. However, the efforts of a few well-intentioned men at the top could not stem the rot at the top, middle and lower levels and prevent the inevitable fall of the Empire. Whole Roman society was steeped in corruption. No one could get work done without giving bribes, ‘tips’ or fees which became the norm for obtaining routine daily services.

Analysis of the Roman law code in the later Empire shows the great efforts of several emperors to control rampant abuses and injustices.

"The last and deepest impression which the inquirer will carry with him, as he rises from a study of the Theodosian Code [issued A.D. 438], is that fraud and greed are everywhere triumphant, that the rich are growing richer and more powerful while the poor are becoming poorer and more helpless, and that the imperial government, inspired with the best intentions, has lost all control of the vast machine" (Dill, ibid, p. 229).

"Everyone stole. In the army, the clerks stole the pay; the navicularii [commercial tradesmen] charged with the service of the annona [crop supply], stole from the corn; they themselves were exploited by those set over the ports. The recruiters accepted for conscripts the refuse of the coloni. The postal administration exploited travelers. Public servants... took bribes for judicial audiences" (Ferdinand Lot, The End of the Ancient World and the Beginnings of the Middle Ages, p. 176).

There was "a humiliating paralysis of administration; in which determined effort to remedy social evils only aggravated them till they became unbearable; in which the best intentions of the central power were, generation after generation, mocked and defeated alike by irresistible laws of human nature, and by hopeless perfidy amid corruption in the servants of government" (Dill, ibid., p. 281).

Only the rich could afford to get ‘justice’: "The high courts of justice were so clogged with appeals, the delays so interminable and the fees so high, that the victims of injustice in the lower courts were denied redress unless they had very long purses" (Jones, op. cit., p. 1057).

Historian Ferdinand Lot summarizes conditions in the later periods of the Empire: "In spite of all, the State failed in its role of protector. It was ill served and betrayed by its own agents....This aristocracy was disloyal in its service to the government, while cowering before it. It secretly thwarted it, not so much from hatred as from a spirit of opposition and from selfishness...the ruling class lost all spontaneity and initiative, and in its case also, character fell very low....The Empire had become too vast, too cunning and too complicated a mechanism" (op. cit., p. 185).

MR booklet states about the divisions between various central, state and local governments in the Empire which prevented them helping each other in times of crisis:

“Roman bureaucracy, trying to tackle the vast problems in every area, couldn't keep track of what was being done. The difficulties increased in complexity and numbers. Result? The Empire was forced to increase the number of individual administrators which limited each one's authority and cut effective communication between each division. One governmental unit was not sure what another one was doing. This further complicated the problems of governing.

“In the same years in which the barbarians were actively harrying the Roman provinces, mutual assistance and concord between the Eastern and Western divisions of the Empire was urgently needed. “Unfortunately, the reins of government were in the hands of men who for different reasons were unpopular and in all their political actions were influenced chiefly by the consideration of their own fortunes (J. B. Bury, History of the Later Roman Empire, p. 126).

“Thus hampered by ineffective administration, coupled with continual struggles of usurpers for the throne, Rome succumbed to the barbarians within and without the Empire, who took advantage of Roman political turmoil and weakness and, piecemeal, sliced off sections of the Empire.” 

Political and Administrative Crises in America, Britain and Israel

America went through a political crisis in the past that paralyzed an administration. This happened during the Nixon years in the Watergate scandal, in which the nation was traumatized on being dragged through illegal political activity, lies and cover-up in order to win an election. Sound familiar?

Current Trump administration has been mired in a similar controversy and political paralysis due to accusations of collusion with Russians to win the 2016 presidential election. A special prosecutor, Robert Mueller, investigated the matter for two years and his report was inconclusive. Based on the report, both sides can make claims that the report supports their position. That matter had barely ended when the Trump administration was involved in the Ukraine scandal, trying to use the leverage of military aid to spur an investigation into the conduct of the leading presidential rival Joe Biden to try and force him out of contention in the next presidential election. Accusations of lies, denials and cover-ups are flung around on a daily basis, involving some very high officials. 

To add to the chaos, the House of Representatives has launched an impeachment inquiry against President Trump. Some in his own party have started calling for his impeachment. The Senate may or may not ultimately block his impeachment, but the turmoil it has caused is taking away the administration’s focus away from tackling the nation’s problems.

The political crisis is just a part of the problem. The government faces huge administrative problems as well. The crisis is worsened by the personality and lack of sound judgment of the present occupant of the White House. As of October 30, 2019, here is a partial list of the top officials who have been fired by President Trump or have resigned since he took office. Such turnover in any U.S. administration is unprecedented. 

John Bolton, National Security Advisor, September 2019; Dan Coats, National Intelligence, August 2019; Alex Acosta, Labor Secretary, July 12, 2019; Sarah Sanders, Press Secretary, June 13, 2019; Rod Rosenstein, Deputy Attorney General, April 29, 2019; Randolph Alles, Secret Service Director, April 8, 2019; Kirstjen Nielson, Homeland Security, April 7, 2019; Brock Long, FEMA Director, February 13, 2019; James Mattis, Defense Secretary, December 20, 2018; Ryan Zinke, Interior Secretary, December 15, 2018; John Kelly, Chief of Staff, December 2018; Jeff Sessions, Attorney General, 7 November 2018; Nikki Haley, U.N. Ambassador, 9 October 2018; Scott Pruitt, Environmental Protection, 6 July 2018; David Shulkin, Veterans Secretary, 28 March, 2018; Herbert R. McMaster, National Security Advisor, 22 March 2018; Rex Tillerson, Secretary of State, 13 March 2018; Gary Cohn, National Economic Council Director, 6 March, 2018; Hope Hicks, Communications, 28 February 2018; Rachel Brand, Associate Attorney General, 9 February 2018; Rob Porter, White House Staff Secretary, 7 February 2018; Omarosa M. Newman, Office of Public Liaison, 13 December 2017; Dina Powell, Deputy National Security Advisor, 8 December 2017; Tom Price, Health and Human Services Secretary, 29 September 2017; Sebastian Gorka, C, Counterterrorism Advisor, 25 August 2017; Steve Bannon, Chief Strategist, 18 August 2017; Anthony Scaramucci, Communications, 31 July 2017; Reince Priebus, Chief of Staff, 28 July 2017; Sean Spicer, Communications, 21 July 2017; Michael Dubke, Communications, 30 May 2017; James Comey, FBI Director, 9 May 2017; KT McFarland, Deputy National Security Advisor, 10 April 2017; Katie Walsh, Deputy Chief of Staff, 30 March 2017; Michael Flynn, National Security Advisor, 13 February 2017; Sally Yates, Acting Attorney General, 30 January 2017.

That is 35 of some of the highest-level officials in the Trump administration who have been fired or resigned in two years and nine months. Besides these, many more simply refused to serve in the administration when being considered for appointment.

There are others who have announced their resignations, or held offices on an interim basis, but were never confirmed in their positions. These include the following 23 officials so far:

Kevin K. McAleenan, Acting Secretary for Homeland Security, Resignation announced on October 11, 2019; Rick Perry, Energy Secretary, Resignation announced October 4, 2019; Jason Greenblatt, Special envoy for Middle East peace, Resignation announced September 5, 2019; Patrick M. Shanahan, Acting Secretary of defense, withdrew nomination for permanent appointment on June 18, 2019; Linda E. McMahon, Small Business Administrator, resigned March 29, 2019; Heather Wilson, Air Force secretary, Resigned May 31, 2019; Bill Shine, Deputy chief of staff for communications, Resigned on March 8, 2019; Raj Shah, Principal deputy press secretary, Resigned on January 5, 2019; Nick Ayers, Chief of staff to vice president, declined President Trump's offer to be his new chief of staff, Resigned January, 2019; Donald F. McGahn II, White House counsel, Resigned October 17, 2018; Joseph W. Hagin, Deputy chief of staff, Resigned July 6, 2018; Maj. Gen. Ricky Waddell, Deputy national security adviser, Resigned May 15, 2018; Nadia Schadlow, Deputy national security adviser for strategy, Resigned April 27, 2018; Thomas P. Bossert, Homeland security adviser; Forced out April 10, 2018; Michael Anton, National Security Council spokesman, Forced out April 8, 2018; Rick Dearborn, White House deputy chief of staff, Resigned March 16, 2018; Andrew McCabe, F.B.I. deputy director, Fired March 16, 2018; John McEntee, President Trump’s personal aide, Forced out March 12, 2018; David Sorensen, White House speechwriter, Forced out February 9, 2018; Brenda Fitzgerald, Director of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Forced out January 31, 2018; Carl Higbie, Chief of external affairs for Corporation for National and Community Service, Forced out January 18, 2018; Keith Schiller, Director of Oval Office operations, Resigned September 20, 2017; George Sifakis, Director of White House Office of Public Liaison, Resigned September 25, 2017.

In addition, the following officials are still functioning in an acting capacity and have not yet been appointed on a permanent basis: Mark Esper, Acting Defense Secretary; David Norquist, Acting Deputy Defense secretary; Labor’s Patrick Pizzella serves in an acting capacity; Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney; Acting U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Jonathan Cohen; Acting Small Business Administrator Chris Pilkerton.  

Within the administration more broadly, the deficit of Senate-confirmed officials is even greater, according to The Washington Post and the Partnership for Public Service.

As of July 8, prior to Acosta’s resignation, the administration had not nominated anyone for 138 positions requiring Senate confirmation, with nine more awaiting nominations. An additional 115 have been nominated and are awaiting confirmation.

These officials lead departments including Federal Aviation Administration, the Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission. (https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/12/trump-administrations-highest-ranks-riddled-with-officials-in-acting-roles.html).

The existence of the “deep state” within the USA and British Commonwealth nations should not be a mystery. It has existed for centuries but has been very active since the 1960s. It’s much talked about in the press these days. It should not be a mystery because it consists of perhaps many more than a hundred million German masqueraders and their allies.

This is how one author described the “deep state”: “ A deep state (from Turkish: derin devlet), also known as a state within a state, is a form of clandestine government made up of hidden or covert networks of power operating independently of a state's political leadership, in pursuit of their own agenda and goals. Examples include organs of state, such as the armed forces or public authorities (intelligence agencies, police, secret police, administrative agencies, and government bureaucracy). A deep state can also take the form of entrenched, career civil servants acting in a non-conspiratorial manner, to further their own interests. The intent of a deep state can include continuity of the state itself, job security for its members, enhanced power and authority, and the pursuit of ideological objectives. It can operate in opposition to the agenda of elected officials, by obstructing, resisting, and subverting their policies, conditions and directives. It can also take the form of government-owned corporations or private companies that act independently of regulatory or governmental control.” (Daniel De Leon: "Imperium in imperio" in: Daily People, June 4, 1903.)

The deep state within the USA already controls the military and law enforcement, and with threats can force many government and business officials, and virtually any citizen to act against their will to benefit the businesses and other organizations and entities controlled by the deep state. The situation in Britain should be no different, because the percentage of German masqueraders is higher in Britain than in America and Canada.

In the USA, population supporting the deep state is not yet in a majority, though it may be close to achieving it. In decades past, German masqueraders practiced population control of Americans of non-German descent through abortions, by marrying non-German men and women and teaching their children that they are Germans and their beliefs that they only have the divine spark in them (meaning they only have an immortal soul, and will become immortal after they escape their human body through death, whereas the rest of humanity does not have an immortal soul and are like cats and dogs, with their story of life ending after their death), thus converting them into die-hard German masqueraders (I personally deal with many of them on a daily basis), forcing non-German Americans and Britons to not marry, and by actively controlling immigration. They instruct immigrants when they gain citizenship to vote for their candidates through threats or other means of persuasion. The immigrants themselves are committed to them because that’s how they have made a living and gained their wealth in the USA and Britain.

The existence of the deep state easily explains why the President is mired in border wall politics on the border with Mexico; why there are caravans of illegals from central and south America coming through the southern border, which are funded by German masqueraders with deep pockets. They hope to become a voting majority in the USA and Britain through any and all means, but mainly through immigration.

Some state and local governments are controlled by German masqueraders. That’s why we see contrary policies from the Federal government being pursued by state and local governments, or universities on issues of immigration, the environment, education and benefits for illegals. That explains the existence of sanctuary cities, release of illegal immigrant criminals into the population, environmental laws in open defiance of Federal laws, free education and healthcare for children of illegal immigrants at huge costs. Thus, the Federal government very often faces an impasse in implementing its policies in states and cities. 

The political crisis in Britain is worse than that in the USA. In a June 23, 2016 referendum, the British voted for Brexit, that is to leave the European Union (EU) in a scheduled withdrawal. Deadlines have come and gone, but the British government has been hopelessly divided over a deal with the EU which both sides cannot agree to. The government of current Prime Minister Boris Johnson is a minority government and lacks a working majority with allies in Parliament. The EU has extended the Brexit deadline from October 31, 2019 to January 31, 2019. In the meantime, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is calling for an election on December 12, 2019.  

Here is the list of ministers and other officials who resigned from Prime Minister Theresa May’s cabinet over Brexit:

3 April 2019, Chris Heaton-Harris, Brexit minister; 3 April 2019, Nigel Adams, Wales minister; 25 March 2019, Richard Harrington, business minister; 25 March 2019, Alistair Burt, Middle East minister; 25 March 2019, Steve Brine, health minister; 13 March 2019, Sarah Newton, work and pensions minister; 13 March 2019, Paul Masterton, parliamentary private secretary at Home Office; 28 February 2019, George Eustice, agriculture minister; 27 February 2019, Alberto Costa, parliamentary private secretary at Scotland Office; 15 January 2019, Eddie Hughes, parliamentary private secretary at Brexit department; 15 January 2019, Craig Tracey, parliamentary private secretary at Department for International Development; 14 January 2019, Gareth Johnson, government whip; 30 November 2018, Sam Gyimah, universities and science minister; 15 November 2018, Suella Braverman, junior Brexit secretary; 15 November 2018, Esther McVey, work and pensions secretary; 15 November 2018, Dominic Raab, Brexit secretary; 15 November 2018, Shailesh Vara, Northern Ireland minister; 10 November 2018; Jo Johnson, transport minister; 16 July 2018, Guto Bebb, defence minister; 9 July 2018, Boris Johnson, foreign secretary; 8 July 2018, Steve Baker, Brexit minister; 8 July 2018, David Davis, Brexit secretary.

More senior Conservatives have quit as aides to ministers over Brexit.

Those who resigned as parliamentary private secretaries to speak out about the progress of Britain leaving the EU are: Anne-Marie Trevelyan, Ranil Jayawardena, Will Quince, Scott Mann, Robert Courts, Andrea Jenkyns, Chris Green and Conor Burns.

Several vice-chairs of the Conservative Party have also stood down over Brexit, including Ben Bradley, Maria Caulfield and Rehman Chishti. (https://news.sky.com/story/who-has-quit-theresa-mays-government-over-brexit-so-far-11553877).

The Theresa May government eventually fell. Boris Johnson became prime minister, but the following five cabinet members are on the watch list to quit his cabinet if there is a no-deal Brexit: Culture Secretary Nicky Morgan, British Minister for Northern Ireland Julian Smith, Attorney-General Geoffrey Cox, Health Minister Matt Hancock and Justice Secretary Robert Buckland.

There is no end in sight to the stalemate. The Brexit issue has so consumed the British Parliament over the past two years that one wonders how much of the government’s other business is being neglected.

The political situation in Israel is no better. After the snap elections on September 17, 2019, the interim Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been unable to form a government. The stalemate still continues. Benjamin Netanyahu himself is mired in corruption and bribery scandals.

When Rome fell, the Empire faced a political and administrative paralysis. America, Britain and Israel are facing a worse paralysis of government, with hopelessly divided politics. Political paralysis could be one of the reasons that leads to the downfall of America, British Commonwealth nations and Israel at the hands of a German-led global alliance. 



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