These may be the unsung heroes of the insane Trump era.

[shockey80]

Career federal employees, including military people.

One way to describe the Trump era, besides insanely self destructive, is leaderless. In many ways we have been without a president the past two plus years. Somehow the State Dept. is still functioning.

Trump has put people in charge of our government agencies who are unqualified, incompetent and corrupt. Some of them were giving the job so they could gut the agency.

Somehow, Our country and government is still functioning, Not well , bad things are happening, but there hasn't been a catastrophic disaster yet. Our economy is still doing OK and no wars yet. This leads me to believe the career employees are holding things together, keeping the ship afloat as best they can. I don't know how long this can go on before something terrible happens.

A perfect example was Ben Carson. I was surprised he knew what HUD stood for.

[Ohiogal]

1. Very true.

And, in Carson's case ..... what does the guy actually do? Besides buy expensive furniture for his office!

[Wounded Bear]

2. The "Deep State" is our last line of defense against Trumpism...

[jmbar2]

3. This

It's not coincidence that the far right rails against the Deep State.

Industry spends millions of dollars each year passing on the deep knowledge from older workers to new hires. Deep knowledge is what (mostly)keeps planes in the air, petrochemical plants from blowing up more often, continuous improvement of medical care, auto efficiency, etc.

[pecosbob]

4. I always had a soft spot for people that worked for the Interior...National Parks, etc

but their revolt against Trump's monkey-wrenchers will forever endear them to me and make me proud to be an American.

[Scarsdale]

5. What this country needs is

an ADULT in the WH, and lots more qualified candidates in political offices and agencies. The tRump crew are dangerously unqualified, just like him.

[keithbvadu2]

6. Trump never wanted to lead or govern... he wants to rule.

[brush]

7. Your example of Carson show that we all have to stop saying: "It's not brain surgery."

He seemed totally clueless about everything in that recent committee appearance. I have to agree with you. These government departments depend on the career workers because trump's appointed heads have no idea what they're doing.

[northoftheborder]

8. My father was one of those dedicated federal workers....

....he gave his all, and his life, for the beliefs he held about what a democratic government should mean for a successful America....

It has always pained me greatly for the "bureaucrats" to be denigrated, insulted, and maligned.