The Deep State is Real, Here's Why it Matters

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Intro (00:00:00)

The Deep State, a term used to describe unelected individuals who hold significant secret power and influence within a government, has been involved in major historical events since the 1960s, including the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Members of the Deep State include influential figures such as CIA directors, Supreme Court Justices, and powerful journalists.
Operating in secrecy and unaccountable to the public, the Deep State has been accused of blackmailing Congress, undermining presidents, and pursuing its own secret agendas.
Despite its controversial nature, the Deep State remains a real phenomenon with significant implications.

The CIA was established in 1947 after the disbandment of the OSS due to concerns about its power and potential for abuse.
The CIA has been involved in numerous covert operations and intelligence-gathering activities throughout its history, including the overthrow of foreign governments, the recruitment of foreign agents, and the use of torture.
The CIA has been criticized for its secrecy, its use of questionable tactics, and its involvement in controversial operations.
The Deep State refers to a secretive network of powerful individuals, including those within the CIA, who operate behind the scenes to influence government policies and decisions.

The CIA engaged in covert operations during the Cold War, including coups, assassinations, and mind control experiments, often influenced by American corporations and powerful individuals.
The CIA used blackmail and other tactics to silence critics and maintain its power, leading to a loss of trust in the government and contributing to the anti-war movement of the 1960s.
Despite evidence of abuses, the CIA continued to operate with little oversight or accountability.
The Deep State, referring to unelected government officials with significant power and influence, has been accused of spying on both the American public and the rest of the world.
Americans are increasingly aware of the Deep State's power and concerned about its implications for democracy.

The Church Hearings revealed excessive secrecy and abuses within the executive branch, including the FBI, CIA, and NSA.
The hearings exposed illegal and unethical programs, such as assassination plots, spying on Americans, and targeting civil rights activists.
The CIA's LSD mind control experiments and attempts to infiltrate the Free Press were also made public.
The Church Committee found that unelected government employees used immense power and resources for illegal and unethical programs, often with the knowledge and consent of Congress.
The hearings led to new oversight regulations and committees to rein in the Deep State.
The Deep State fought back against the Church Committee, undermining and intimidating its members.
Americans were shocked by the revelations of the hearings, but the process demonstrated American democracy's ability to rein in abuses of power.
The Church Hearings helped prevent disasters for a few decades by exposing and addressing the worst impulses of those in power.

After 9/11, there was a desire to strike back and do anything necessary to keep the country safe.
The CIA asserted new powers, including implementing a torture program and expanding warrantless wiretapping.
Millions of new top-secret jobs were created, and new agencies were formed.
There was not a lot of effective oversight on these new programs.
Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee and computer technician, leaked classified NSA documents that revealed a secret surveillance program.
This raised questions about whether the government's surveillance programs were necessary for safety or if they were infringing on citizens' freedom.
The government's surveillance programs have created a new branch of government power that operates outside of the traditional checks and balances.
This has led to concerns about over-classification of information and the concentration of power in the hands of a few.
Despite promises to rein in the excesses of the surveillance programs, they have continued to grow.