
White House Weighing Plans for Private Spies to Counter “Deep State” Enemies - tonyztan
https://theintercept.com/2017/12/04/trump-white-house-weighing-plans-for-private-spies-to-counter-deep-state-enemies/
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CM30
Oh boy. After private prisons, private military contractors and private police
forces, we've got yet another idea that shouldn't be left to private companies
being outsourced to private companies.

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AnimalMuppet
To the degree that "deep state" == "loyal to the Constitution more than to the
President", this is A Very Bad Thing(TM).

And to what degree that is, is solely at the discretion of the President.

This isn't how you run a democracy, Mr. Trump.

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api
If this happens the precedent will outlive Trump and his administration. His
successor (regardless of party) will inherit it and as we've seen it would
likely expand with time. This could be the beginning of the downfall of the
Republic and the rise of something more like the Roman Imperial period with
the Caesars.

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andrewl
It's appalling. At least the existing intelligence services will push back, if
for no other reason than protecting their turf.

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tdeck
Another case where I wish the Anti-Pinkerton Act were actually being followed:

[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-
Pinkerton_Act](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Pinkerton_Act)

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gumby
The new brownshirts?

Fortunately I doubt they will find the competence to pull it off (Oliver
North? Really?). And it's not in congress's interest to fund it.

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AnimalMuppet
The article talked about donors. Yeah, let's have the rich and the President
combine to create a private army. What could go wrong?

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fallingfrog
If you've studied the history of how democracies devolve into empires-
Germany, Rome - this should scare the piss out of you.

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jvandonsel
What could go wrong?

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adamiscool8
This is a good idea, keeps pressure on the entrenched partisan bureaucracies
of the IC. Does anyone really think the IC -- as it functions today --
represents the interests of the common citizen?

