Steven Hayes on The Diane Rehm Show – News Roundup for Friday, June 27, 2008 – Hour 1

… the White House would say “this a bureaucracy pushing it’s agenda on the elected officials of the country.” (30:51)

What I said is I’m sympathetic to … this broad notion that the federal bureaucracy is in many cases … I would say overwhelmingly liberal. (35:07)

What a farce. How is it that a major movement with strong influence over the policies and politics of this country can continually and seriously claim that they’re downtrodden by the entirety of American society? Is it paranoia? Perhaps a ploy by conservative strategists to energize the base (“We’re under attack, fight back!”)?

The conservative movement in the form of the Republican party controlled the Legislative branch for over a decade and as well as the Executive branch for the past eight years. And despite what the talking heads say, they are also well represented in the Judiciary (even, yes, on the Supreme Court at present).

Don’t get me wrong, the bureaucracy isn’t a disinterested party just doing as its told. It’s a self-sustaining beast. I just don’t think it runs with any particular bent towards liberal politics. If anything, it’s leaning more conservative at the present time. The direction of the bureaucracy is set by those in charge, many of them appointed by the President. This direction is maintained through the enactment of official policies. Any wavering from the chosen path is due mostly to the incompetence or disinterest of the appointed leaders.

I fully expect this to become a talking point by the conservative movement over the next few years. No doubt it will be recycled by the media, creating the illusion of reality.