682 Comments

“The Hunter laptop is a veritable scandalabra.”

Priceless prose.

Great read!

Expand full comment

What about the corruption of public officials - the selling of access, and the insider trading? Nancy Peolsi was one of my heros! But how can she be worth $100 million on a six digit salary? She, and her husband are very good stock pickers.

And now, the allegations that Hunter sold access to his father, as VP and even, Maybe as Pres.

These lead to incentives to keep the ruling party in power -at all costs.

Expand full comment

Mr. Lake, you can say there is no real Deep State all you want.

But as events in the last 5-10 years have shown, many of yesterday's conspiracy theories have turned into today's truths. No such thing as ESGs, the vaccine is harmless and works, the virus never came from Wuhan, Roundup and Aspartame are harmless, the government never pressured media outlets to do their bidding, no such thing as the Hunter Biden laptop, etc etc etc...

And if there are actually alien "biologics" on the planet, that the government has been lying about for years, then there sure as hell is probably a huge Deep State and has been for years.....

Expand full comment

I didn't even read the piece. I read the comments, instead.

Expand full comment

So there is no "Deep State." But there is a "National Security State"?

Anything to not have to admit how wrong you (and the FP) have been about all of thiis. What an idiot you are, Eli Lake. This piece is little more than further damage control regarding the biggest scandal in American poligical history.

Expand full comment

I really like that TFP publishes both sides of matters. It brings into focus the weaknesses and strengths of each side and allows the reader to determine who has the best argument worth adhering to.

Expand full comment

Nice to have the time place form and event about Biden but missing here and nearly everywhere in mainstream media is the corruption and collusion by the left (democrat party) and the media!

Jim Jordan isn’t the polarizing figure! The democrat party, aided all the way by their bought and paid for media are THE polarizers! They are okay with any lie, deceit, fabrication and actively obfuscate the truth in favor of the corrupt side in order to achieve their oppressive goals and retain power. They distract with nonsense stories about a buffoon ex-prez while under our noses we have a corrupt lying dementia patient in our WH. Stop trying to give these people legitimacy! I’m surprised good guys like Jordan haven’t had a coronary fighting tooth and nail to get at the truth.

Expand full comment

It really is the "Swamp". I recall years ago wondering what in the hell Trump meant by that - now it's all out in the open. The "Deep State" ain't so deep, is it? And the system isn't working quite yet. We'll see what happens. I do know that I am utterly fed up with our government overall.

Expand full comment

~ the phrase should actually be: without fear FROM favor. ~

Expand full comment

"This is not the conspiracy theory you are looking for."

- Eli "Obi Wan" Lake

Say that something doesn't exist, using a triggering, overly politicized phrase like Deep State, and then proceed to describe that very thing, thereby confirming its existence. I call this another triggering, overly politicized phrase - gaslighting. And the FP should not be in the business of gaslighting its paying readership! Hey Bari, Nellie, Suzi, Eli, et al., your elitism is really showing lately, the rare Coleman Hughes sighting notwithstanding!

Expand full comment

You are being a pussy . It’s not so hard to read people you don’t ageee with

Expand full comment

Being a what?

Expand full comment

Apparently it is also “hard” for you, based on your reply to me! 🤣

Expand full comment

At least Americans have a system of checks and balances that keep their country in a state of somewhat equilibrium regardless of who's at the top. Be thankful you're not in Canada where electing the wrong person has far more serious consequences and, due to our parliamentary system, we don't actually get a vote on who is awarded that almost unbridled power.

Expand full comment

Is "equilibrium" Latin for "endless war"? Sometimes consistency and predictability is deadly AND expensive. Be careful what you wish for.

Expand full comment

I do wonder when people will acknowledge the very real possibility that a fairly small group of people are making these back room decisions. conspiracy nut! they know who they want in power, they pick from a very small group of people, they are very aware of who will play the roles they want and they pull the strings to make sure this happens. when trump got it, I believe that was a real rogue situation and they have tried their best for the last several years to get him out and never allow him back in. he does not fit their script. love him or hate him, he was not their chosen person. they had the entire mass media backing this plan, and yet the truth always finds a way through.

Expand full comment

Bingo.

Expand full comment

You got it exactly, Carolina. Trump was not on their list, and they all understood, without having to exchange words, that it was necessary to try to destroy his presidency, and now to destroy his candidacy.

Expand full comment

But the amazing thing is how blatant they have been in tearing down Trump. They think they can do this without repercussions; and so far they have been correct.

Expand full comment

And no, Biden is not the best of the most recent presidents. He is in competition to be the worst president in modern history, along with Jimmy Carter. Perhaps Bush senior was the best of the last few presidents. (This is really just a side comment.)

Expand full comment

Eli Lake is more concerned with debunking a narrow concept of the "deep state" rather than addressing the crux of the problem: Much of the bureaucracy, especially at the top levels, view the world in the same way, a perfect example of Groupthink. And what is that way? Well, I saw somewhere that around 90% of campaign contributions from the bureaucracy are made to Democrats. And it is not only the government bureaucracy; It's also the upper realms of academia and corporate America. All of these people are the best and brightest that our universities have produced in the last 50 years, and they learned well the lessons and the sotto voce beliefs that their left-leaning professors taught (indoctrinated) them with.

Expand full comment

Lol oh good it’s working guys. Whew! We can all move along now, our trust restored in these fine institutions.

Expand full comment

Everything has doubled or tripled in price. The process of elimination will backfire and the ship will right itself. Neuro weapons fortunately will be stopped. The ending is good. You don’t want to know the bad ending God saved us from.

Expand full comment